Excel is a powerful spreadsheet application that is used by millions of people around the world. It is widely used in various industries for data analysis, budgeting, inventory management, and many other purposes. However, sometimes a user may face difficulty in accessing or editing an Excel file due to password protection. This can be frustrating, but there are some ways to unlock or bypass the password protection of an Excel file. In this article, we will go through some of the most common ways to open a password-protected Excel file.
Bypassing Password Protection
If you are unable to open a password-protected Excel file, you can try some of the following methods to bypass the password protection:
Method 1: Using a Password Recovery Tool
One of the easiest ways to bypass the password protection of an Excel file is by using a password recovery tool. There are several such tools available online that can remove or recover the password of an Excel file. Some of the most popular password recovery tools are:
- PassFab for Excel: This is a powerful password recovery tool that can remove or recover the Open password, Workbook password, and Sheet password of an Excel file. It supports all versions of Excel from 97 to 2019 and can recover passwords of up to 15 characters in length.
- Excel Password Recovery: This is another popular password recovery tool that can recover or remove passwords from Excel files. It supports multiple encryption algorithms and can recover passwords of any length and complexity.
- Free Word and Excel Password Recovery Wizard: This is a free password recovery tool that can recover passwords from both Word and Excel files. It is easy to use and can recover passwords of up to 10 characters.
To use a password recovery tool, follow these steps:
- Download and install the password recovery tool on your computer.
- Run the tool and select the Excel file you want to unlock.
- Select the password recovery method and click on the Start button.
- The tool will start the password recovery process. Wait until the process is complete.
- The tool will display the password once it has been successfully recovered.
Method 2: Using a Macro Code
Another way to bypass password protection in Excel is by using a macro code. This method only works if the protection is not very strong and can be easily bypassed. To use this method, follow these steps:
- Open the Excel file in question.
- Press ALT+F11 to open the VBA Editor.
- Click on Insert, then Module.
- Paste the following code in the Module:
Sub PasswordBreaker()
Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer
Dim l As Integer, m As Integer, n As Integer
Dim i1 As Integer, i2 As Integer, i3 As Integer
Dim i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As Integer
On Error Resume Next
For i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66
For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66
For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66
For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126
ActiveSheet.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & _
Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & _
Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
If ActiveSheet.ProtectContents = False Then
MsgBox "One usable password is " & Chr(i) & Chr(j) & _
Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & _
Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
Exit Sub
End If
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
End Sub
- Press F5 or click on Run to run the macro code.
- The macro code will try to break the password protection of the Excel file.
- If the protection is weak, the macro code will display the password.
FAQs
Q1: What should I do if I forget the password of an Excel file?
If you forget the password of an Excel file, you can try using a password recovery tool to recover the password. If that does not work, you can try the macro code method to bypass the password protection. However, if the protection is strong, you may not be able to unlock the file. In that case, you may need to recreate the file from scratch or use a backup copy (if available).
Q2: Is it legal to use password recovery tools?
Using password recovery tools is legal, as long as you are using them on your own files and not trying to gain unauthorized access to someone else’s files. However, some password recovery tools may be illegal or unethical if they are used for malicious purposes, such as hacking into someone else’s account or stealing confidential information.
Conclusion
Password protection in Excel is an important security feature that can help protect sensitive data from unauthorized access. However, forgetting the password or losing access to a password-protected Excel file can be frustrating. In this article, we have discussed some of the most common ways to bypass password protection in Excel. If you are unable to unlock your Excel file using any of these methods, you may need to seek professional help or recreate the file from scratch.