WPS Lock Cells is a worksheet protection feature in WPS Spreadsheet for Android; it includes 2 core tasks, with 2 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 2 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 2 | Matches the number of Free rows in the index |
| Membership-related items | 0 | All listed tasks are currently available directly |
About This Feature
Overview
Lock Cells is a built-in protection feature in WPS Spreadsheet on Android. It helps you limit edits to selected cells and works together with Protect Sheet to control which areas of a worksheet remain editable.
Core tasks include:
- Lock selected cells: apply a locked status to specific cells, which is useful for formulas, headers, and key data areas.
- Protect the worksheet: turn on sheet protection and choose allowed actions so the locked status takes effect.
This feature is useful for budget sheets, duty schedules, approval templates, and shared fill-in forms. It helps reduce accidental edits to important data and keeps editable areas separate from protected content.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | An Android device that can install and run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office so all spreadsheet protection entries are visible |
| Network | Lock Cells and Protect Sheet are local editing features and do not require a constant network connection |
| Other | You need to open a spreadsheet file with editing permission; if you set a password, keep it in a safe place |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Installation | Install WPS Office on your Android device, sign in to your account, and open a spreadsheet file |
| Check after installation | Open a spreadsheet, tap Tools, and confirm that protection-related entries are available in Start and Review |
Source: WPS download center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | You can lock selected cells first, then use Protect Sheet to make the lock effective, with options for allowed user actions. | Excel uses a two-step protection flow: set cell lock status first, then protect the worksheet, and optionally choose what users can do. | Google Sheets can protect a sheet or range and control who can edit it, but its official help page says protected data cannot be secured with a password. | Notion can lock a database so people can still enter data but cannot change views or properties, which is closer to structure control than spreadsheet cell locking. | Acrobat can restrict PDF editing with a password, which fits document-level editing control rather than worksheet cell-level protection. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: On Android, WPS lets you complete both Lock Cells and Protect Sheet from the spreadsheet tool area, which fits mobile spreadsheet editing. | Compared with WPS: The protection model is detailed and flexible, but the official guidance mainly describes desktop and web worksheet workflows. | Compared with WPS: It supports range protection and editor permissions, but the official page states that password protection for data is not available. | Compared with WPS: It is more suitable for database structure control and does not provide a spreadsheet-style cell locking workflow. | Compared with WPS: It focuses on restricting PDF editing instead of protecting selected cells inside a worksheet. |
| Official Source | — | Protect a worksheet | Protect, hide & edit sheets | Database settings | Restrict PDF editing |
Overall Conclusion
If you need to limit edits to selected worksheet areas on an Android device, WPS Lock Cells with Protect Sheet is well suited to mobile spreadsheet work. Other products cover related needs such as permission-based collaboration, database structure control, or PDF editing restrictions, but they target different use cases.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable for | Main issue | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budget template protection | Finance teams, administrators | Formula areas may be changed by mistake | Lock formula cells first, then turn on Protect Sheet |
| 2 | Shared fill-in forms | Team members, project owners | Only some areas should stay editable | Lock fixed areas and keep selected input areas available through sheet protection settings |
| 3 | Attendance or duty sheets | HR teams, shift managers | Headers and instructions should stay unchanged | Lock the title and instruction areas before protecting the sheet |
| 4 | Approval record sheets | Business users, supervisors | Confirmed records should remain unchanged | Lock completed content to reduce later accidental edits |
| 5 | Teaching worksheets | Teachers, students | Question areas and answer areas should be separated | Lock the question area and leave only selected cells editable |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Lock Cells | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Protect Sheet | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Other advanced benefits | Depends on the features enabled on your account | More advanced capabilities may be included depending on the subscription plan |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Use case | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday worksheet protection | Free | The current feature can be used directly for basic worksheet protection |
| Broader advanced office needs | WPS Premium | Suitable if you also need more advanced document, PDF, or cloud-related capabilities |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page