What if I Need to A Remove a Password from an Excel Workbook?

Workbooks or worksheets can be protected to prevent the manipulation of data either intentionally or accidentally. Excel classes can help you learn how to protect your documents from this kind of ruin, but this Excel tutorial can offer the same information. Passwords can be put in place to ensure only those employees who have the password can access the workbook or worksheet.

The following article will detail how to remove password from Excel that is password protected, unprotect a workbook that is password protected, and how to save the information in a password protected workbook when the password is forgotten or lost.

But first understand that a protected worksheet limits the users’ ability to edit within a single worksheet and a protected workbook prevents users from making structural changes like moving, deleting or adding sheets to the workbook.

Neither of these protections will prevent someone from opening the Excel workbook. They only limit the freedom within the workbook or worksheet. That being said, protecting a workbook or worksheet should be used when you want to prevent the tampering of your data or structure of your workbook. However, this should not be used as a security measure to protect sensitive data.

Want to Learn How to Remove Password from Excel Worksheet?

A protected worksheet limits the ability to edit, as this Excel course will illustrate.

Go to the review tab in the ribbon and select “unprotect sheet” or “unprotect workbook.” You will now be free to make changes within the worksheet. Just remember to protect it again once all work has been completed. My Excel classes will teach you the importance of remembering this final step before exiting your workbook.

How to Remove A Password from Excel

If the worksheet or workbook is password protected, when you click on unprotect sheet or unprotect workbook a dialogue box will open asking you to enter the password. Once the password has been entered the worksheet or workbook will be unprotected and you will once again be able to make changes or edit.

It is literally that easy to know how to remove a password from Excel. You don’t need to take a beginner course in Excel to understand this, but if you struggle with the finger points, some additional Excel training could be helpful.

How Can I Save The Data from A Password Protected Worksheet or Workbook?

If you have forgotten the password to a workbook or worksheet there is an easy way to retrieve your information and once again be able to edit or make changes.

1. Select all the data within the first worksheet by clicking the select all button in the top left corner (highlighted).
2. Control + C to copy or right-click and select copy.
3. Open a new Excel workbook (control + N).
4. Click anywhere within the new workbook and control + V to paste or right-click and select paste special (to ensure any custom formatting is withheld).
5. Continue this process with each worksheet within the workbook.
6. This method will only work if when protecting the worksheet, the boxes remained checked to allow users to select locked cells and select unlocked cells.

Are There Other Ways to Unprotect Excel Worksheets and Workbooks?

Above are the easiest ways to unprotect Excel worksheets and workbooks, but there are several other ways to unprotect them. We will detail them in this Excel tutorial.

You can right click on the worksheet tab and select unprotect sheet.

From the home tab in the ribbon select, click format and select unprotect sheet.

Click the file tab in the ribbon. Or from the home screen, you can also click unprotect to unprotect the workbook or the worksheet. Now you’ve learnt how to remove password from Excel, you can try some of our other Excel courses and further expand your Excel skills.

Excel Classes Will Help You Keep Your Data Safe

Though this is a fairly simple, beginner Excel class lesson, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on your information. When you are managing private or sensitive information, there is never any harm in adding extra protection to your documents. My Excel classes will help you to effectively protect the workbooks and spreadsheets that you don’t want interfered with.