What is view only in Google Sheets?
View Only describes sharing roles and access in Google Sheets: owner, editor, commenter, viewer, links, and restrictions. Permission choices control who can change formulas versus only view or comment.
When to use it
Use sharing vocabulary when onboarding collaborators or auditing who can edit sensitive ranges.
When to skip it
Skip broad editor access when comment-only or viewer links are enough for the handoff.
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Guides that explain view only in more depth.
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Read post →Related terms
sharing Google Sheets
Sharing controls who can open a spreadsheet and what they can do inside it. The Share button invites people by email or link with roles like viewer, commenter, or editor. This is different from publishing a read-only web feed or locking cells with protection rules.
Read guide →Anyone with the link
Anyone with the link is a sharing option in Google Drive that lets whoever has the URL open the spreadsheet without you adding their email. You still pick a role: viewer, commenter, or editor. It is fast for teams but risky for master templates if you choose editor by mistake.
Read guide →protect sheets/ranges
Protection limits who can edit specific cells, ranges, or entire tabs while others keep view or comment access. It is how you let teammates update input columns without touching formula blocks, summary rows, or archived data. Protection is not encryption; owners and editors with rights can still adjust protections.
Read guide →Done reading about view only?
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