Forgot Excel Sheet Password? Unprotect Your Workbook Safely

Written By Mohit Kumar Jha

Approved By Anuraag Singh

Modified On October 29th, 2025

Reading Time 9 Min Read

Forgetting an Excel password is a common but frustrating experience for all users, especially when it contains crucial data. If you forgot Excel sheet password and don’t know what to do? Then don’t worry, here we will walk you through safe, legal, and practical steps to unprotect your protected Excel file without password. Read all the information and the step-by-step process carefully.

Before knowing the process, let’s understand the basic information for better knowledge.

Is it Possible to Find a Forgotten Excel Sheet Password?

It depends on the type of protection, meaning a Microsoft Excel file can be protected with different types of protection, which are explained below. If your file is encrypted with a Password, then there is no manual way available. However, if your file is locked with a Password to modify or normal sheet protection, there is a chance to crack the password. So, first, let’s understand the decryption type.

First — Understand What Kind of Protection You Have?

The Microsoft Excel file can be protected with different types of protection, so first, understand which type of protection your Excel file is using for a better process:

Password to Open (File Encryption): If you receive a pop-up that asks for a password to open password protected Excel file, then your modern Excel file is using strong encryption. In simple words, if you don’t have the right password, there is no built-in way to bypass the protection.
Password to Modify (read-only vs edit): If you can access your file but can’t edit anything, then there are some ways that exist can recover the password.
Sheet protection/workbook structure protection: This protection type prevents editing to cells, formulas, and workbook structure, but it is not the same as file encryption. So, in many cases, you can remove or recover the password.

Now, check your MS Excel file and understand which type of protection your file is using. Understanding the basics of a protected file will save you time.

What to Do If I Forgot My Excel File Password?

If you have forgot Excel sheet password and don’t know what to do, then don’t worry. Below are all the possible methods according to the protection type of your Excel file. Here are the techniques to unprotect protected Excel files:

Using VBA Code
By Changing File Extensions
Using Google Sheets
With Immediate Safe Steps
Access Forgot Excel Sheet Password (For Strong Encryption)

Quick Suggestion for a Strongly Encrypted Excel File

If your Excel spreadsheet is protected with strong encryption (password to open file), then only the SysTools Excel Password Recovery Tool is the only way to find the right and accurate password. Also, it’s a legal and safer way to unprotect your protected Excel file without a password.

This software provides dual powerful modes that help to find all types of passwords, including any character sets to access forgot Excel sheet password. For better understanding, download the demo version using the given buttons.

Download Now Purchase Now

Method 1: With Immediate Safe Steps

These are the legal and safe steps which you should try first, then any method:

Try to Find Your Excel File Password: Check old password managers, browser-saved logins, notes, team chat, or emails because people often reuse patterns.
Verify your Backups and Cloud Versions: if you have saved the file in OneDrive/SharePoint/Google Drive, then maybe an unprotected copy might be available.
Ask Author: If someone else has the password, so you can ask them for a safe process.

Important Note: Upcoming methods only work with simple locked files that can be opened but are prevented from editing and saving changes. These methods will not work with strong encryption to access forgot Excel sheet password.

Method 2: Using VBA Code

Open your Excel file.
And choose “File” >> “Save As” options.
Now select the “XLS” from the “Save Type” list.
And make your “XLSX” to “XLS” format.
Open your protected Excel sheet.
Select the “Alt + F11” keys to open the editor.
Select the protected sheet and use the mentioned code:

Sub UnprotectSheet()
Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer
Dim l As Integer, m As Integer, n As Integer
Dim password As String

On Error Resume Next

For i = 65 To 90
For j = 65 To 90
For k = 65 To 90
For l = 65 To 90
For m = 65 To 90
For n = 65 To 90
password = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(n)
ActiveSheet.Unprotect password
If Err.Number = 0 Then
MsgBox “Sheet Unprotected! Password Found: ” & password, vbInformation, “Success”
Exit Sub
End If
Next n
Next m
Next l
Next k
Next j
Next i

MsgBox “Could not unlock the sheet.”, vbExclamation, “Failed”
End Sub
Choose the “Run” or use the “F5” key to start the process.
Hit the “OK” button to unprotect Excel workbook without password.
After completing the process, rename your file again to XLSX format.

Method 3: By Changing File Extensions

If the VBA method doesn’t work, then you can guess the forgot Excel sheet password just by modifying internal data. Follow the mentioned steps:

First, create a copy of your data file.
Locate your file and rename it from .xlsx to .zip.
A confirmation will show, and choose the “Yes” icon.
Now unzip your zipped file and open it.
Fine the “XL” >> “Worksheets” and you will get the XML files.
Open both files and find “<sheetProtection>” using “Ctrl + F” keys.
Now delete the entire “<sheetProtection>” tag and save the file using “Ctrl + S” keys.
After that, rename the file .zip to .xlsx format.

Method 4: Unprotect Excel Workbook without Password with Google Sheets

If you don’t have technical knowledge, then this will be a good option. Follow the upcoming steps:

Open your Google Drive.
Upload your locked Excel file.
Now open your uploaded Excel file.
Make required changes.
And choose the “File” >> “Download” >> “XLSX” formats.
And all your changes will be saved successfully.

Method 5: Find Forgot Excel Sheet Password (For Strong Encryption)

If you are not able to access your data file without password, it means your Excel spreadsheet is protected with strong encryption. For this, you have to download the mentioned solution, which provides powerful dual modes to unprotect Excel workbook without password. This software is compatible with both XLSX and XLS formats. For more information, check out the mentioned features and working steps:

Forgot Excel Sheet Password: How to Unprotect

Download the Software on your machine properly.
Add your protected Excel (.xls and .xlsx) formats using the Browse button.
Select the Recovery Mode: Brute Force and Mask as per need.
Choose the settings like Select Charset, Password Starts With, Password Length, and Prefix & Suffix according to recovery modes.
Select the Recover button to get the forgotten Excel sheet password.
After completing the process, your password will show on screen, and choose the “Copy Password” option.

Why Users Should Prefer an Automatic Solution?

First, there is no way to recover password of those Excel files that are protected with a strong password except for this automatic solution.
It provides brute force, which is used to find an unknown forgot Excel sheet password. You can even provide some information about your password, like what kind of characters it contains, whether it starts with and its length.
Mask force is another advanced mode which used to guess a partially known password, which means if you know anything about your password, then select the asked details.
This software can easily guess all types of passwords, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, special characters, etc.
The free demo version helps to find the first 2 characters of your Excel file, so users can use it and understand how it works.
There is no need to install a supportive Excel application or any third-party tools to unprotect Excel workbook without a password.

Time to Say Goodbye

If you have also forgot Excel sheet password and don’t know what to do, then don’t panic, you have opened the right blog. This blog has explained the best and possible ways to unprotect Excel workbook without a password using VBA code, by changing the file extension, using Google Sheets, etc. Manual tricks are better for those data files that are locked with a simple password. And if your Excel spreadsheet is protected with a strong password, then there is no possible way except an automatically suggested solution. For any query, you can download the free demo version or contact us through live chat support.

FAQs

Q 1: Is it legal to remove a password from an Excel file?

Ans: It depends on the requirements. If the Excel file belongs to you, then it is legal, and if someone is trying the access someone else’s crucial data, then it is illegal.

Q 2: Is sheet protection the same as file encryption?

Ans: No, sheet protection prevents editing cells, but it is not the same as encryption.

Q 3. I can open the file, but can’t edit — what does that mean?

Ans: It means your Excel file is protected with “Password to Modify”, which allows users to read-only mode. But you can’t save edits without a password.

Q4. How can I avoid losing my Excel passwords in the future?

Use a password manager to keep them securely.
Upload your files to OneDrive and Google Drive as backup.
Use password hints in a safe document.
Avoid overprotecting every sheet unnecessarily.

Q5. Do manual methods work on Excel files that are protected with a “Password to Open”?

Ans: No, manual methods can’t work with Excel files that are protected with a simple password.

By Mohit Kumar Jha

Mohit is a Microsoft Certified expert for all things Microsoft. He brings a unique perspective gained from nearly a decade of active participation in various IT forums, blogs, and social media. Known in admin circles as the go-to guru for solving user queries in the domain of email and cloud migration, data backup, and digital forensics. The secret to his core expertise lies in solving problems practically. Through this hands-on experience, he has acquired knowledge in diverse domains like Microsoft 365 Cloud, On-Premise Exchange Server, AD, and Entra ID.

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