Open file as read only

How to open a Excel file as read only?
How to open a new copy of a Excel file?
Can I open my Excel file in Internet Explorer?

To open a file as read only, just follow the steps

• Select your file through the file open box (CTRL+O)
• Now at the bottom you may notice an ARROW BOX next to the OPEN button (in fact, it is a drop down box)
• Click the arrow and select OPEN READ ONLY.
• Now you could be having a read only version of the original file.

You could use this option if you just want to view the file and don't want to make any changes. You should select a file before using this option. If you navigated to the folder but haven't selected the file, the OPEN READ ONLY option would not be highlighted (The option would show up but you cannot click on it. It would be disabled)

To open a copy of a file, just follow the steps and instead of OPEN READ ONLY use the OPEN AS COPY option. The step by step instructions are:

• Select your file through the file open box (CTRL+O)
• Now at the bottom you may notice an ARROW BOX next to the OPEN button (in fact, it is a drop down box)
• Click the arrow and select OPEN AS COPY.
• Now you could be having a copy of the original version of the file.

Note:
If you open a copy of the file, then a duplicate version of the same file is created in the directory of the original file. See more here

You can also use the OPEN AND REPAIR option if you suspect your file is corrupted. Excel may present you with a message box which you may utilise.

You cannot view Microsoft Excel files in Internet Explorer from withing Microsoft Excel. But you can open it from Internet Explorer. The OPEN IN BROWSER button would not highlight if you select a Excel file but you can use this option with a html file (The option would get highlighted if you select a html file or any web page)

Create a read only file

How to create a read only file?
How to make a file read only?
How to make a read only file read write?

By default, all files created and opened in Microsoft Excel are read write files. This applies not only to Microsoft Excel but almost all other applications. Also, a file cannot be created read only just because if you create a read only file you can never edit it. But you can make a file read only so that others don't tamper with it.

To make a Excel file read only (Microsoft Excel 2003),

• Goto Tools ->Options->Security (The Tools menu in the worksheet menu bar)
  
• Check the READ-ONLY RECOMMENDED box.

This would make your file read only and when the file is opened, it would prompt you with the message box whether you want the file to be opened in read only mode or not. If you click YES, the file would open in read only mode. If you click NO, the file would open in read write mode and you can save your changes.

For Microsoft Excel 2000 and other previous versions

• Goto File->Save As
• Click the TOOLS button on the right corner and select GENERAL OPTIONS
• Now check the READ-ONLY RECOMMENDED box.

This works well in Microsoft Excel 2003 also.

The above option, though making the file read only, gives the user the option to edit it. So even if an user unknowingly presses the NO button , when prompted for read only opening, he may still be able to edit the file. If you want to prevent this then,

• Navigate to your file through Windows Explorer or the File Open Box and select it.
  
• RIGHT CLICK and select PROPERTIES
• Check the READ ONLY box.

This always open the file read only and even if you already made your file read only, by using the first option, this overrides it since this function is part of the operating system rather than the application. To make the file read write again, just uncheck the READ ONLY box.

Read only file

What is a read only file?
How to make changes to a read only file?
How to save changes made to a read only file?


READ ONLY FILE
A read only file, as the name implies, is a file whose contents can be only read but cannot be written into. In other words, you can view the contents of a read only file but cannot change or make modifications to that file. Of course, a read only file is not a protected file but one which cannot be written into. You can make changes and modifications to a read only file but the same cannot be saved in the same file name. For example, if you have a file name test.xls and you have made it a read only file, then changes can be made to that file but the same cannot be saved under the name test.xls but can be saved with an another name.

SAVING A READ ONLY FILE
As already pointed out, read only files cannot be saved in the original name and they must be saved in an another name. So follow the steps below to save a read only file

1. Go to FILE->SAVE AS (The save as dialog box would be displayed)
   
2. Now select the path where you want to save the file from the LOOK IN box.
3. Now type a file name in the FILE NAME box below
4. SAVE the file by clicking the SAVE button.

• The above steps holds good for almost all applications.
• If you want to save the read only file in its original name, then save the file in another name, delete the original file and rename the newly created file.

Also see,
Creating a read only file
Open a file as read only