Welcome to our article on techniques for unlocking password-protected ZIP and Excel files. If you have ever encountered a file that was password protected and not known how to unlock it, this article is for you. After reading this article, you will have the knowledge to unlock password-protected ZIP and Excel files quickly and easily.
The Importance of Unlocking ZIP and Excel Files
If you work with computers, you probably know how important it is to keep your files safe and secure. Sometimes, however, the very measures that we take to keep our files safe also lock us out from them. Password-protected ZIP and Excel files can be extremely frustrating, especially if you need to access the files urgently. Fortunately, there are several techniques that you can use to unlock these files.
How to Unlock Password-Protected ZIP and Excel Files
Method 1: Using Password Cracking Software
The most common method for unlocking password-protected ZIP and Excel files is to use password cracking software. These programs can be used to recover the forgotten or lost password and hence unlock the files. One such program is Password Recovery Tools. Here’s how to use it:
For ZIP files:
- Download and install Password Recovery Tools on your computer.
- Launch the program and select “ZIP Password Recovery”.
- Click on the “Open” button and select the password-protected ZIP file.
- Select the type of attack you want to use (there are three options: Brute Force Attack, Dictionary Attack, and Smart Attack) based on your knowledge of the password.
- Click on “Start” and wait until the password is recovered.
- Use the password to unlock the file.
For Excel files:
- Download and install Password Recovery Tools on your computer.
- Launch the program and select “Excel Password Recovery”.
- Click on the “Open” button and select the password-protected Excel file.
- Select the type of attack you want to use (there are four options: Brute Force Attack, Mask Attack, Dictionary Attack and Smart Attack) based on your knowledge of the password.
- Click on “Start” and wait until the password is recovered.
- Use the password to unlock the file.
Method 2: Using Online Password Recovery Services
If you do not want to download password cracking software on your computer, or if you are using a computer that does not allow you to download software, you can use online password recovery services. These services work on the cloud and hence do not require any downloads. One such service is Cloudwards. Here’s how to use it:
For ZIP files:
- Go to https://www.cloudwards.net/best-online-password-recovery-tools/ and select the “ZIP Password Unlocker” tool.
- Upload the password-protected ZIP file to the online tool.
- Wait for the tool to crack the password.
- Download the unlocked file.
For Excel files:
- Go to https://www.cloudwards.net/best-online-password-recovery-tools/ and select the “Excel Password Unlocker” tool.
- Upload the password-protected Excel file to the online tool.
- Wait for the tool to crack the password.
- Download the unlocked file.
Method 3: Using VBA Macro Code (For Excel Files Only)
This method works only for Excel files and involves using VBA Macro code to unlock the files. Here’s how to do it:
- Launch Excel and press “Alt + F11” to open the VBA editor.
- Click on “Insert” and select “Module”.
- Paste the following code into the module:
- Replace the text “ActiveSheet” with the name of the sheet you want to unlock.
- Press “F5” to run the code.
- Wait for the password to be found.
- Use the password to unlock the file.
Sub PasswordBreaker() 'Breaks worksheet password protection. 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 n = 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 ActiveSheet.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & _ Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(n) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & _ Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) If ActiveSheet.ProtectContents = False Then MsgBox "One usable password is " & Chr(i) & Chr(j) & _ Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(n) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & _ Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) GoTo ExitFor End If Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next ExitFor: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next End Sub
FAQ
Q1: Will these methods work with all versions of ZIP and Excel files?
A1: Yes, these methods will work with all versions of ZIP and Excel files. However, the time taken to crack the passwords may vary depending on the complexity of the passwords and the processing power of your computer.
Q2: Are password cracking tools safe to use?
A2: Yes, password cracking tools are safe to use, as long as you use them for legal purposes and download them from trusted sources. You should also make sure that you have a good antivirus program installed on your computer to prevent any malware that may be bundled with the software from infecting your system.
Video Tutorial
For a step-by-step video tutorial on how to unlock password-protected ZIP and Excel files, check out the video below:
Conclusion
In conclusion, unlocking password-protected ZIP and Excel files may seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and techniques, it can be done quite easily. We hope that this article has provided you with the knowledge and skills needed to unlock your password-protected files and access your important data.