--- title: "protected (C++) | Microsoft Docs" ms.custom: "" ms.date: "11/04/2016" ms.reviewer: "" ms.suite: "" ms.technology: ["cpp-language"] ms.tgt_pltfrm: "" ms.topic: "language-reference" f1_keywords: ["protected_cpp"] dev_langs: ["C++"] helpviewer_keywords: ["protected keyword [C++], member access", "protected keyword [C++]"] ms.assetid: 863d299f-fc0d-45d5-a1a7-bd24b7778a93 caps.latest.revision: 10 author: "mikeblome" ms.author: "mblome" manager: "ghogen" ms.workload: ["cplusplus"] --- # protected (C++) ## Syntax ``` protected: [member-list] protected base-class ``` ## Remarks The `protected` keyword specifies access to class members in the *member-list* up to the next access specifier (**public** or `private`) or the end of the class definition. Class members declared as `protected` can be used only by the following: - Member functions of the class that originally declared these members. - Friends of the class that originally declared these members. - Classes derived with public or protected access from the class that originally declared these members. - Direct privately derived classes that also have private access to protected members. When preceding the name of a base class, the `protected` keyword specifies that the public and protected members of the base class are protected members of its derived classes. Protected members are not as private as `private` members, which are accessible only to members of the class in which they are declared, but they are not as public as **public** members, which are accessible in any function. Protected members that are also declared as **static** are accessible to any friend or member function of a derived class. Protected members that are not declared as **static** are accessible to friends and member functions in a derived class only through a pointer to, reference to, or object of the derived class. For related information, see [friend](../cpp/friend-cpp.md), [public](../cpp/public-cpp.md), [private](../cpp/private-cpp.md), and the member-access table in [Controlling Access to Class Members](member-access-control-cpp.md). ## /clr Specific In CLR types, the C++ access specifier keywords (**public**, `private`, and `protected`) can affect the visibility of types and methods with regard to assemblies. For more information, see [Member Access Control](member-access-control-cpp.md). > [!NOTE] > Files compiled with [/LN](../build/reference/ln-create-msil-module.md) are not affected by this behavior. In this case, all managed classes (either public or private) will be visible. ## END /clr Specific ## Example ``` // keyword_protected.cpp // compile with: /EHsc #include using namespace std; class X { public: void setProtMemb( int i ) { m_protMemb = i; } void Display() { cout << m_protMemb << endl; } protected: int m_protMemb; void Protfunc() { cout << "\nAccess allowed\n"; } } x; class Y : public X { public: void useProtfunc() { Protfunc(); } } y; int main() { // x.m_protMemb; error, m_protMemb is protected x.setProtMemb( 0 ); // OK, uses public access function x.Display(); y.setProtMemb( 5 ); // OK, uses public access function y.Display(); // x.Protfunc(); error, Protfunc() is protected y.useProtfunc(); // OK, uses public access function // in derived class } ``` ## See Also [Controlling Access to Class Members](member-access-control-cpp.md) [Keywords](../cpp/keywords-cpp.md)