Excel: Unprotect password - how to do it

If you want to protect your workbook or individual worksheets from unauthorized access in Microsoft Excel, you can set up password protection. Learn how to remove a password in Excel and what options you have if you want to change the password.

Remove password protection - this is how it works

If you have set up your Excel workbook so that it can only be opened with a password, you can remove the protective measure again via the security settings.

1. Open the Excel file where you want to remove the password protection.
2. Click on "File" and then on "Information".
3. Click on the "Protect workbook" button and select "Encrypt with password" from the menu.
4. Remove the existing password from the input field and confirm the change by clicking "OK".

The workbook can then be opened again without entering a password. If you want to unprotect a workbook or worksheet, follow these steps:

1. Open the protected file.
2. Switch to the "Review" tab.
3. Under the "Protect" item, click either "Protect Workbook" or "Unprotect Sheet" and enter the password to remove password protection.

Change password - you must note

If you want to replace an existing password with a new one, this also works via the security settings.

1. Open the Excel document and click on "File" and then on "Information".
2. Click on "Protect workbook" and select the function "Encrypt with password".
3. Simply replace the existing password with a new one and confirm at the end with "OK".