Forgotten Excel password: how to recover or delete it?

Francis

Did you password protect an Excel document or spreadsheet, but forgot it ? Don't panic, there are methods to unlock your file without losing your data. In this article, we will show you solutions to recover or delete forgotten Excel password , depending on the type of protection you have applied.

What are the types of password protection in Excel?

There are two types of protection for an Excel file: workbook protection and sheet protection. Each of these types can be enabled or disabled independently, and requires a different password.

Workbook protection prevents opening the Excel file without the password. It helps protect the entire document against unauthorized modifications.
Sheet protection prevents you from editing locked cells in a worksheet without the password. It makes it possible to protect certain sensitive data or formulas against errors or manipulation.

To deactivate the protection of the workbook or the sheet, you must go to the Review of the Excel ribbon, and click on Unprotect the workbook or Unprotect the sheet . You must then enter the corresponding password.

How to recover forgotten Excel password from a workbook?

If you forgot the password for an Excel workbook, you cannot open it without the password. There is no official method to recover forgotten Excel password from a workbook because it is encrypted and stored in the file itself. However, there are alternative solutions to bypass this protection.

Method 1: Use Find and Replace

The first method we offer is the simplest and fastest . It involves using Excel's Find and Replace function to modify the source code of the file and remove the password. Here are the steps to follow:

Open the password-protected Excel file with a text editor like Notepad or WordPad.
Press Ctrl+F to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
In the Search box, type “DPB” (without the quotes).
In the Replace with field, type “DPx” (without the quotes).
Click Replace All.
Save the file and close the text editor.
Open the Excel file with Excel software. The password should be gone.

This method works for Excel files in .xls format (Excel 97-2003). For files in .xlsx format (Excel 2007 or higher), replace “DPB” with “sheetProtection” and “DPx” with “sheetUnprotection”.

Method 2: Use password recovery software

Method 1: Use an online Excel lost password tool

The second method we suggest is to use specialized Excel password recovery software. There are several in the market, like PassFab for Excel, Passper for Excel , Excel Password Recovery , etc. These software use advanced algorithms to find the password of an Excel file by testing different possible combinations.

This method is effective for all Excel file types , but it can be expensive because most software is paid and requires a license .

This software generally works in three modes:

Brute-force mode , which tests all possible combinations of characters until the correct password is found. This mode is effective, but can take a long time if the password is long or complex.
mode with mask , which optimizes the search by indicating known information about the password, such as its length, the characters used, the position of a character, etc. This mode is faster than Brute-force mode, but requires some clues about the password.
Dictionary Attack mode , which tests words contained in a predefined or custom dictionary. This mode is very fast if the password is a common or simple word, but ineffective if the password is random or complex.

To use software specialized in Excel password recovery, you must follow the following steps:

Download and install the software of your choice on your computer.
Launch the software and click Add File to import the password-protected Excel file.
Choose the type of attack to use to find the password. There are generally four types of attack: brute force attack, brute force mask attack, dictionary attack. Each type of attack has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the complexity of the password and what information you know about it.
Click Start to start searching for the password . The time required may vary depending on the length and complexity of the password, as well as the power of your computer.
Once the password is found, it is displayed on the screen. You can then copy the password and use it to open your Excel file.

The 3 best software to recover a forgotten password on Excel

PassFab for Excel : This software is compatible with all versions of Excel and can recover workbook and sheet passwords. It offers three recovery modes: brute force, brute force with mask and dictionary attack. It's easy to use and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Passper for Excel : This software is also compatible with all versions of Excel and can recover workbook and sheet passwords. It offers four recovery modes: brute force, brute force with mask, dictionary attack and smart attack. It's fast and secure and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Excel Password Recovery : This software is compatible with Excel versions from 97 to 2019 and can recover workbook and sheet passwords. It offers two recovery modes: brute force and brute force with mask. It is simple and effective and offers a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Method 3: Use an online service

The third method we recommend is to use an online service that offers to unlock password-protected Excel files. There are several websites that offer this service, such as Password-Find.com , LostMyPass.com , Password-Online.com , etc. These websites use powerful servers to decrypt the password of an Excel file within minutes. Here's how to do it:

Access the website of the online service you have chosen.
Click the Browse or Select File button to upload the password-protected Excel file to the website.
Click the Unlock or Start button to start the process of unlocking the file.
Wait for the website to notify you that the file has been unlocked. You can then download the Excel file without a password or receive a link by email to download it.

This method is convenient and quick, but it poses risks to the security and confidentiality of your data . This is because you need to entrust your Excel file to a third-party website, which can use it for malicious purposes or disclose it to other people. Additionally, some websites may ask you to pay a fee to unlock your file.

Method 4: Use a VBA macro

Method 3: Use a VBA Macro Excel Lost Password

The second solution is to use a VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) macro to remove the Excel workbook password. This is a code that will modify the Excel file and save it without a password. This solution is free and quick, but requires access to another unprotected Excel file.

To use a VBA macro to remove the password from an Excel workbook, you must follow the following steps:

Open an unprotected Excel file on your computer.
Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
On the Insert , click Module .
Copy and paste the following code into the module window:

Sub RemovePassword() Dim f As String Dim wb As Workbook Dim i As Integer f = Application.GetOpenFilename("Excel files (*.xls*),*.xls*", , "Select the file to remove the password") If f = "False" Then Exit Sub Set wb = Workbooks.Open(f, , True) For i = 1 To 3 On Error Resume Next wb.Password = "" wb.SaveAs f, , "", "" If Err. Number = 0 Then Exit For Next i wb.Close False MsgBox "Password removed" End Sub

To copy

Press the F5 to run the macro.
Select the Excel file for which you forgot the password and click Open .
Wait for the macro to remove the password and save the file without a password.
Open Excel file without password.

How to recover forgotten Excel password from a sheet?

Method 2: Use specialized software Excel lost password — Photo credit: FileCR

If you forgot the password for an Excel sheet, you can open it, but you cannot edit locked cells without the password. There is an official method to recover forgotten Excel password from a sheet, which is to use the Reset Password .

To use the Reset Password function to recover the forgotten Excel password from a sheet, you must follow the following steps:

Open the Excel file containing the password-protected sheet.
Go to the Review of the Excel ribbon, and click on Protect Sheet .
In the dialog box that opens, click Reset Password .
Enter your Microsoft email address and click Send .
Open your email box and view the message sent by Microsoft. There you will find a link to reset your password.
Click on the link and follow the instructions to create a new password.
Return to Excel and enter your new password to unlock the sheet.

Conclusion

Now you have all the keys to recover or remove forgotten Excel password from a workbook or sheet. You can then access your data again and modify it as you wish. Remember to write down your passwords in a safe place, or use a password manager to store them securely.

FAQs

How do I avoid forgetting the Excel password I use to protect my document or sheet?

There are several tips to avoid forgetting the Excel password you use to protect your document or sheet, such as:

Use a password that is easy to remember , but difficult to guess, by combining letters, numbers and symbols.
Use a password manager , such as [ LastPass ], [ Dashlane ] or [ 1Password ], which allows you to store and generate secure passwords.
Write down your password on a physical medium , such as a paper or notebook, and store it in a safe and discreet place.
Share your password with a trusted person , who can remind you if you forget it.
Back up your password in the cloud

How can I protect my document or Excel sheet with a password without risking losing my data?

If you want to protect your Excel document or sheet with a password , it is important to take certain precautions to avoid losing your data in the event of forgetting the password or technical problem, such as:

Make a backup copy of your Excel file before applying password protection, and store it in a secure location, such as an external hard drive or cloud service.

Verify that password protection is working properly after applying it, by closing and reopening your Excel file, and entering the password.
Choose a level of protection adapted to your needs , avoiding using protection that is too strong or too weak.

How do I change the Excel password I used to protect my document or sheet?

If you want to change the Excel password that you used to protect your document or sheet , just follow these steps:

Open your Excel file with Excel, and enter the current password if necessary.
If you want to change the document password, go to File > Save As > Tools > General Options , and enter the new password in the “ Password to open ” box.
If you want to change the password for a sheet, go to the Review > Protect Sheet , and enter the new password in the “ Password ” box.
Save the changes made to your Excel file.

How do I remove the Excel password I used to protect my document or sheet?

If you want to remove the Excel password that you used to protect your document or sheet, you also just need to follow these steps:

Open your Excel file with Excel, and enter the current password if necessary.
If you want to remove the password from the document, go to File > Save As > Tools > General Options , and clear the password in the “ Password to open ” box.
If you want to remove the password from a sheet, go to the Review menu > Unprotect Sheet, and enter the current password.
Save the changes made to your Excel file.

How do I know if my Excel document or sheet is password protected?

If you're not sure whether your Excel document or sheet is password protected, there are several ways to check, such as:

Try opening your Excel file with Excel, and see if a window asks you to enter a password. If so, this means your document is password protected for opening.
Try editing a cell or range of cells in your Excel file, and see if a message tells you that the sheet is protected. If so, it means the sheet is password protected for editing.
Look at the name extension of your Excel file. If it ends in “.xlsx” , this means that your document is not password protected. If it ends in “ .xls ,” it means your document can be password protected. If it ends in “.xlsm ”, this means that your document contains macros, and it may also be password protected.