How to Recover Excel File Password (2 Easy Ways)

If you forget the password for your Excel file, you won’t be able to extract data from it or make new inputs. However, there are a few ways to retrieve the password.

Excel File Encryption Types

You can encrypt the Excel workbook with a password. This encryption requires passwords to open or view the file.

If you open the encrypted file, Excel will display a Password window to input the password to open or view it.

On the other hand, file encryption with Protect Sheet protects only a singular worksheet. In that case, the user needs to enter his/her password to edit or modify the worksheet.

In this article, we focus on the file encryption with Protect Sheet and demonstrate VBA Macro to recover encrypted file passwords. If users open the password-protected sheet, Excel displays a disclaimer, stating the file is a protected file and the user needs to input a password to edit or modify as depicted in the below image.

Method 1 – Applying VBA Macro to Recover an Excel File Password

The code tries iterations of probable passwords and generates a workable password to unprotect the worksheet.

This method works if the encrypted file is saved as the Excel 97-2003 Workbook(*xls) type as shown in the following picture.

Steps:

• Use Alt + F11 or go to the Developer tab and click on Visual Basic (in the Code section).
• The Microsoft Visual Basic window opens. Select Insert and click on Module.

• Paste the following macro in the Module.

Sub RecoverExcelFilePassword()
Dim u As Integer, v As Integer, w As Integer
Dim x As Integer, y As Integer, z As Integer
Dim u1 As Integer, u2 As Integer, u3 As Integer
Dim u4 As Integer, u5 As Integer, u6 As Integer
On Error Resume Next
For u = 65 To 66: For v = 65 To 66: For w = 65 To 66
For x = 65 To 66: For y = 65 To 66: For u1 = 65 To 66
For u2 = 65 To 66: For u3 = 65 To 66: For u4 = 65 To 66
For u5 = 65 To 66: For u6 = 65 To 66: For z = 32 To 126
ActiveSheet.Unprotect Chr(u) & Chr(v) & Chr(w) & _
Chr(x) & Chr(y) & Chr(u1) & Chr(u2) & Chr(u3) & _
Chr(u4) & Chr(u5) & Chr(u6) & Chr(z)
If ActiveSheet.ProtectContents = False Then
MsgBox "Can use this Password: " & Chr(u) & Chr(v) & _
Chr(w) & Chr(x) & Chr(y) & Chr(u1) & Chr(u2) & _
Chr(u3) & Chr(u4) & Chr(u5) & Chr(u6) & Chr(z)
Exit Sub
End If
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
End Sub

The macro generates iterations of probable passwords and uses them to break the protection.

• Press the F5 key to run the macro. The macro takes quite some time to finish and returns an alternative password to unprotect the Worksheet.

⧭ Warning: Executing the macro may cause freezing or lagging. Refrain from running other memory- and CPU-intensive programs while running the code.

Method 2 – Removing Excel File Password Using the Zip Tool

Steps:

• In the device directory, select the encrypted file, and go to View in the Files Manager ribbon.
• Check File name extensions. File Explorer will show the file types (i.e., xlsx).

• Modify the File Extension to .zip.

• You’ll get a confirmation window, so click on Yes.

• The file gets converted into a zip file.
• Double-click on it.

• Double-click on the folder named xl.

• The xl folder holds the protected sheet or sheets. In this case, sheet1.xml is the zipped version of the encrypted Excel file. Copy the file to the Desktop or any location.

• Open the file using Notepad.

• Use Ctrl + F to bring out the Find window.
• Type in protect then click on Find Next in the window.
• Notepad highlights the “protect” text within the file text.

• Delete the entire <sheetProtect…..SelectUnlockedCells=”1”/> portion from file text.

• Save the file using File and going to Save.

• Copy and Replace the newly saved sheet1.xml file into the zip.

• Change the File Extension from zip back to xlsx.

• Open the modified xlsx file and you should be able to edit this version of the file.

Read More: How to Remove Password from Excel File

Download the Excel Workbook

Related Articles

• How to Unprotect Excel Workbook without Password
• How to Remove Password from Excel File

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