Excel files are great for managing data and keeping track of important information. However, what happens when you forget the password for one of your excel files and can’t access it? It can be frustrating to lose important data, but don’t worry, there are ways to recover or remove the password and open the file.
How to Open a Password Protected Excel File
If you have forgotten the password for your excel file, there are several methods to try to recover it. Here are some of the most common:
Method 1: Use a Password Recovery Tool
There are a variety of password recovery tools available online that can help you recover the password for your excel file. These tools work by using a combination of brute-force and dictionary attack methods to crack the password.
One of the most popular password recovery tools is called PassFab for Excel. This tool supports all versions of Microsoft Excel and can quickly recover passwords with its advanced algorithms. To use PassFab for Excel, follow these steps:
- Download and install the PassFab for Excel software on your computer.
- Launch the software and click on the “Add” button to import the password-protected Excel file.
- Choose the password recovery method that you want to use. There are several options such as Brute Force Attack, Mask Attack, Dictionary Attack, etc.
- Click on the “Start” button to begin the password recovery process.
- After the password has been recovered, you can use it to unlock the Excel file.
Method 2: Use the ZIP Method
The ZIP method is a simple hack that you can use to extract the contents of the Excel file and remove the password protection. Here’s how to do it:
- Change the file extension of the Excel file from .xlsx to .zip.
- Right-click on the file and select “Extract All” to extract the contents of the file.
- Open the extracted folder and navigate to the “xl” folder.
- Delete the “workbook.xml” file.
- Close the folder and compress the contents back into a zip file.
- Change the file extension back to .xlsx.
- Open the Excel file and you should be able to access it without a password.
How to Remove Password Protection from Excel File
If you want to remove the password protection from an Excel file, there are a few methods you can try. Here are some of the most popular:
Method 1: Save As a Different File Type
If you know the password for the Excel file, you can remove the password protection by saving the file as a different file type. Follow these steps:
- Open the password-protected Excel file.
- Click on the “File” tab and select “Save As”.
- Select a different file type from the dropdown menu. For example, you could save the file as a CSV or TXT file.
- Enter a new name for the file and click on the “Save” button.
- Close the Excel file and reopen the newly saved file.
The new file will not be password protected and you will be able to access it without entering a password.
Method 2: Use VBA Code
Another method to remove password protection from an Excel file is to use VBA code. VBA code is a programming language used in Microsoft Office applications. Here’s how to use VBA code:
- Open the Excel file and press “Alt + F11” to open the Visual Basic Editor.
- Click on the “Insert” menu and select “Module”.
- Paste the following code into the new module window:
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 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 “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
- Click on the “Run” button to run the code.
- The code will try a range of different passwords until it finds the correct one. When it does, a message box will pop up with the password.
- Use the password to unlock the Excel file.
FAQ
Can I remove the password protection from someone else’s Excel file?
No, it is not legal or ethical to remove the password protection from someone else’s Excel file without their permission. Doing so could result in legal consequences.
What can I do if I am unable to remove the password protection from an Excel file?
If you are unable to remove the password protection from an Excel file using the methods outlined above, you may need to seek the help of a professional data recovery service. These services can often recover lost or corrupted data from password-protected Excel files.
Check out this video on how to remove password protection in Excel:
