Remove a Password
Excel treats two different things as a "password," and only one of them is real encryption. Sheet or workbook-structure protection (Review > Unprotect Sheet, or Protect Workbook) is a UI restriction, not encryption — the file itself stays fully readable — so typing the password you already know removes it instantly. A file-open password is different: it genuinely encrypts the file with AES, and Excel only strips it (File > Info > Protect Workbook > Encrypt with Password, then clear the field) once you've already typed the correct password to open the file. Forget that one, and there's no menu path around it — the file is encrypted, not merely locked.
A worked example
A workbook has Protect Sheet turned on with a password you set yourself, and you want to edit cells in it again.
Review > Unprotect Sheet, then type the password
The lock icon on the Review tab clears and every cell becomes editable again — nothing about the data or formulas changes, only the restriction. The same password removes workbook-structure protection under Review > Protect Workbook, and file-open encryption under File > Info > Protect Workbook > Encrypt with Password (clear the password field once the file is already open).
Which one do I need?
| If you want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| You know the password and want to remove file-open encryption from your own workbook | Open the file with the password, then File > Info > Protect Workbook > Encrypt with Password, clear the field, and click OK |
| You know the password protecting a specific sheet | Review > Unprotect Sheet, then type the password |
| You know the password protecting the workbook's structure (sheets can't be added, moved, or hidden) | Review > Protect Workbook toggles it off, prompting for the password if one was set |
| You've genuinely forgotten a file-open password on a modern .xlsx or .xlsm | There is no way to remove it without the password — the file is AES-encrypted, not just locked, and no legitimate feature recovers or bypasses that |
| You've forgotten a sheet- or workbook-structure password instead | There's no built-in recovery for that either, even though this kind of protection is a much weaker UI restriction than file-open encryption |
| You just want cells locked from accidental edits, with no password at all | Protect Sheet with the password field left blank still restricts editing — choose which cells stay unlocked first |
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove a forgotten file-open password from an .xlsx file?
No. A file-open password on a modern .xlsx or .xlsm genuinely encrypts the file with AES rather than just locking a menu option, so Excel needs the exact password to decrypt it. There is no setting, add-in, or command that recovers or removes it — if the password is truly lost, the data inside is not retrievable through Excel.
What's the difference between a file-open password and a sheet-protection password?
A file-open password encrypts the file itself, so nothing can read it without the password. Sheet protection and workbook-structure protection don't encrypt anything — they restrict what you can do once the file is already open and readable, which is why entering a known protection password removes the restriction instantly, with no decryption involved.
Does Google Sheets have a file-open password like Excel?
No. Google Sheets has no equivalent to Excel's file-open encryption — a Sheets file can't be locked with a password at all. Access is controlled by sharing permissions (who can view, comment, or edit), and within a sheet, Data > Protect sheets and ranges restricts editing to specific people rather than requiring a password to open the file.
Why does Unprotect Sheet reject the password I'm sure is correct?
Protection passwords are case-sensitive, so check Caps Lock and any trailing space added by autocomplete first. If it still fails, the sheet may have been protected with a different password than the one you're remembering — there's no legitimate way to override that without the exact password that was set.
New guides and tools, once a month
DE + EN · double opt-in · no spam