Forgetting an Excel sheet password is a common but frustrating experience, especially when it contains crucial data. But the question is, can we find lost Excel password? The answer is Yes, although it depends on the type of protection applied.

MS Excel provides different levels of security to protect crucial data including worksheet protection, password to modify, and Password to Open. Worksheet and modified protection can be removed using manual techniques. But Password to Open protection uses AES-256 encryption, which cannot be bypassed by any manual technique. In such cases, we should use specialized tool to find lost or forgot Excel sheet password.

Therefore, before attempting any technique, you should first understand the type of password protection that is applied to your workbook.

Topics Discussed
  1. Types of Protection
  2. Excel Security Levels and Available Solutions
  3. How to Find Forgot Excel Sheet Password?
  4. Time to Say Goodbye
  5. FAQs

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 you applied to find lost Excel password easily:

  • 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 AES-265. In simple words, if you don’t have the correct password, there is no way to bypass the protection.
  • Password to Modify (read-only vs edit): It allows to anyone to open and preview the workbook data, but requires correct password to make and save changes. If the password is unknown, users can only preview the content without editing.
  • Sheet protection/workbook structure protection: These security levels do not encrypt the workbook strongly; instead, they restrict specific actions. Sheet protection prevents users from making changes in cells, formulas or formatting, while workbook structure protection prevents them from adding, deleting, moving and renaming worksheets.

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 to find lost or forgot Excel sheet password.

Excel Security Levels and Available Solutions

Protection Type Can It Be Fixed Manually? Recommended Method
Password to Open No Only Professional Solution Can Find Correct Password
Password to Modify Sometimes Copy-Paste, LibreOffice Calc
Sheet Protection Yes VBA, ZIP/XML Edit, Google Sheets
Workbook Structure Protection Yes ZIP/XML Edit, Archive Utility (Mac)

How to Find Lost or Forgot Excel Sheet Password?

Worksheet and structure protection can be removed using suggested manual methods on Windows and Mac. And we will take help of a professional solution for Password to Open type to unprotect Excel workbook without password:

Tips Before Removing Protection

  • Always create a backup copy of your file.
  • Use only trusted third-party tools as we suggested.
  • Also, avoid edit XML file indirectly.
  • Check if macros are enabled.
  • Also, verify whether your locked file is corrupted or not.

Method 1: With Immediate Safe Steps

You should follow these simple steps first to guess the forgot Excel sheet password:

  • Try to Find Your Excel File Password: Check old password managers, browser-saved logins, notes, team chats, or emails, since people often reuse patterns.
  • Verify your Backups and Cloud Versions: If you have saved your file in OneDrive/SharePoint/Google Drive, then maybe an unprotected copy might be available.
  • Ask Author: If someone else has the password, you can ask them for safe process to unprotect Excel workbook without password.

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

Method 2: Copy-Paste to New Sheet

If you can open Excel workbook but cannot edit and save changes due to protection, then try to copy-paste technique. (Sometimes it works):

  1. Open your protected file.
  2. And open a new sheet as well.
  3. Select the cells and columns required data.
  4. Now use Ctrl + C keys to copy data.
  5. And then press Ctrl + V to paste data into new sheet.
  6. Save the new file.

If it doesn’t work, then move to next method.

Method 3: Unprotect Excel Workbook without Password (7-Zip or WinRAR)

This method works with sheet protection type only. Follow the mentioned steps:

  1. First, create a copy of your data file.
  2. Locate your file and rename it from .xlsx to .zip.
  3. A confirmation will show, and choose the “Yes” icon.

    confirmation

  4. Now open it with 7-Zip or WinRAR.

    open with

  5. Fine the “XL” >> “Worksheets” and you will get the XML files.

    worksheet

  6. Open both files and find “<sheetProtection>” using “Ctrl + F” keys.
  7. Now delete the entire “<sheetProtection>” tag and save the file using “Ctrl + S” keys.
  8. After that, rename the file .zip to .xlsx format.

Method 4: Find Forgot Excel Sheet Password Using Google Sheets

This method is suitable for worksheets and read-only protection. Follow the upcoming steps:

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

Method 5: Using VBA Code

This technique only works with modern format (.xlsx), if you are using older .xls format then first change it into .xlsx extension.

  1. Open your Excel file.
  2. And choose “File” >> “Save As” options.
  3. Now select “XLS” from the “Save Type” list.
  4. And make your “XLSX” to “XLS” format.
  5. Open your protected Excel sheet.
  6. Select the “Alt + F11” keys to open the editor.
  7. Now choose “Insert” and then “Module” option.

    insert

  8. Select the protected sheet and use the mentioned code:

    9. 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

  9. Choose the “Run” or use the “F5” key to start the process.
  10. Hit the “OK” button to unprotect Excel workbook without password.
  11. After completing the process, rename your file again to XLSX format.

Method 6: Open the Workbook in LibreOffice Calc

Sometimes LibreOffice Calc works to find lost or forgot Excel sheet password. It uses different implementation than Microsoft Excel and may handle edit restrictions easily. In certain cases, it allows to copy the data and saving it to new file.

  1. Download and install LibreOffice.
  2. Start LibreOffice Calc.
  3. Now open your password protected file (.xlsx and .xls).
  4. Next, check whether the data is accessible or editable.
  5. Finally, save the workbook as a new Excel file.

Method 7: Find Forgot Excel Sheet Password (For Strong Encryption)

Manual methods can remove worksheet and workbook structure protection, but what about Password to Open protection? As we mentioned, this is the strongest encryption that can’t be removed using manual techniques. So, you can’t open file data without correct password.

In such cases, only strong tool works such as SysTools Excel Password Recovery Tool. It offers two smart modes called Brute Force for completely unknown passwords and Mask Attack for partially known passwords.

For forgotten and lost passwords, Brute Force mode is a smart choice. The tool tries all possible combinations of characters until it finds the correct password to unlock Excel file password protected. Download the free version to guess first two characters of password:

Download Now Purchase Now

Why Only This Software?

This software provides useful features to find forgot Excel sheet password quickly such as:

  • Support all types of characters.
  • Find maximum 15-character password.
  • Handle complex password structures easily.
  • Also, supports all file sizes of Excel file.
  • Mask attack is suitable for partially known password.
  • Works with both older and latest version of Excel including Excel 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019.
How to Unprotect Excel Workbook without Password? Steps
  1. Download the Software on your machine properly.

    tool

  2. Add your protected Excel (.xls and .xlsx) formats using the “Browse”

    forgot Excel sheet password

  3. Select the Modes: “Brute Force and Mask” as needed.

    mode

  4. Choose the settings like “Select Charset, Password Starts With, Password Length, and Prefix & Suffix” according to selected modes.

    advanced settings

  5. Select the “Start” button to get the forgotten Excel sheet password.

    get the forgotten Excel sheet password

  6. After completing the process, your password will show on screen, and choose “Copy Password”

    copy password

Method 8: Using Archive Utility on Mac

There is no possible way to unprotect Excel workbook without password on macOS. But we can perform changing file extension technique using Archive Utility or The Unarchiver.

  1. Create a backup copy of your locked file.
  2. Now rename your .xlsx file to .zip format.
  3. Double click on ZIP file using “Archive Utility or The Unarchiver”.
  4. Open the folder and navigate:
    • xl/worksheets/ – for sheet protection.
    • xl/workbook.xml – for workbook structure protection.
  5. Now open your XML file with TextEdit or any other text editor.
  6. Now find and remove the <sheetProtection> or <workbookProtection> tag.
  7. Save your file.
  8. After this, you can rename your file again as .xlsx.
  9. Finally, try to open workbook in MS Excel.
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 possible ways to unprotect Excel workbook without password using VBA code, by changing the file extension, using Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc etc. Manual tricks are better for those data files that are locked with a simple protection.

And if your Excel spreadsheet is protected with a strong password, then there is no possible way except an automatically suggested solution. For any queries, 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.