In today’s digital age, it is essential to protect our sensitive data from unauthorized access. However, sometimes we forget the password to access our own files, or maybe we received a file from someone else, and it is password-protected. In this article, we will learn some methods to unlock password-protected files, including Word, Excel, PDF, and more.
How to Unlock Password-Protected Word Documents?
Sometimes, we may need to lock our Word documents to avoid accidental changes or prevent others from copying our work. However, if you forget the password, you won’t be able to access the document. Following are the methods to unlock password-protected Word documents:
Method 1: Use the Password Remover Tool
There are various password remover tools available on the internet that you can use to decrypt your password-protected Word document. One such tool is ‘Passper for Word.’ It can quickly remove the password from the document, no matter how complex it is. Here are the steps to use Passper for Word:
- Download and install Passper for Word on your computer.
- Launch the software and click on the ‘Add’ button to import the encrypted Word document.
- Choose an attack type according to your password strength. Passper for Word offers four attack types: Combination, Dictionary, Mask, and Brute-Force.
- Click on the ‘Recover’ button, and within a few seconds, your document’s password will be removed successfully.
Method 2: Save the Document in HTML Format
Another simple method to unlock password-protected Word documents is to save the file in HTML format. This method is not suitable for complex documents with tables, images, and other formatting. Here are the steps to save the document in HTML format:
- Open the password-protected Word document and click on the ‘File’ tab.
- Choose ‘Save As’ and then select ‘Web Page (.htm;.html)’ in the ‘Save as type’ dropdown menu.
- Save the file with a new name and close the document.
- Now, open the saved HTML file in any web browser. You will be able to see the content of your document without the password prompt.
How to Unlock Password-Protected Excel Spreadsheets?
Excel spreadsheets contain important business data, financial records, and personal information. It is crucial to protect such sensitive information with a password. However, if you forget the password, you won’t be able to access the spreadsheet. Following are the methods to unlock password-protected Excel spreadsheets:
Method 1: Use the Password Remover Tool
There are various password remover tools available on the internet that you can use to decrypt your password-protected Excel file. One such tool is ‘Passper for Excel.’ It can quickly remove the password from the file, no matter how complex it is. Here are the steps to use Passper for Excel:
- Download and install Passper for Excel on your computer.
- Launch the software and click on the ‘Add’ button to import the encrypted Excel file.
- Choose an attack type according to your password strength. Passper for Excel offers four attack types: Combination, Dictionary, Mask, and Brute-Force.
- Click on the ‘Recover’ button, and within a few seconds, your file’s password will be removed successfully.
Method 2: Open the Spreadsheet in Google Sheets
Another simple method to unlock password-protected Excel spreadsheets is to open the file in Google Sheets. This method will only work for small and simple files with few sheets and no macros. Here are the steps to open the file in Google Sheets:
- Upload the password-protected Excel file to your Google Drive account.
- Right-click on the file and choose ‘Open With’ and then select ‘Google Sheets.’
- If the file is password-protected, you will be prompted to enter the password. Enter the password and click on ‘Submit.’
- Google Sheets will open the file, and you will be able to see the content without any password prompt.
How to Unlock Password-Protected PDF Files?
PDF files are widely used for sharing documents; they are easily readable and protect the content from getting edited or copied. Sometimes, we receive PDF files that are password-protected, and we need to open them for various reasons. Following are the methods to unlock password-protected PDF files:
Method 1: Use the Password Remover Tool
There are various password remover tools available on the internet that you can use to decrypt your password-protected PDF file. One such tool is ‘Passper for PDF.’ It can quickly remove the password from the file, no matter how complex it is. Here are the steps to use Passper for PDF:
- Download and install Passper for PDF on your computer.
- Launch the software and click on the ‘Add’ button to import the encrypted PDF file.
- Choose an attack type according to your password strength. Passper for PDF offers four attack types: Combination, Dictionary, Mask, and Brute-Force.
- Click on the ‘Recover’ button, and within a few seconds, your file’s password will be removed successfully.
Method 2: Print as PDF
Another simple method to unlock password-protected PDF files is to print the document as PDF. This method will only work if the file’s content is not restricted, and you can open it without entering the password. Here are the steps to print the document as PDF:
- Open the password-protected PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Click on ‘File’ and then select ‘Print.’
- In the print dialog box, select ‘Adobe PDF’ as the printer.
- Click on the ‘Print’ button, and you will be prompted to save the password-free PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Is it legal to unlock password-protected files?
A1. It depends on the country you reside in. In some countries, it is legal to unlock password-protected files that you own or have the authority to access, while in others, it is illegal to access someone’s password-protected files without permission.
Q2. What should I do if none of the methods work to unlock my password-protected file?
A2. If none of the methods mentioned in this article work to unlock your password-protected file, you may try to contact the file’s owner or the person who encrypted the file and ask for the password. Alternatively, you may try to use other third-party tools or services available on the internet to unlock your file, but be cautious as most of them can harm your computer or steal your data.