Permission & Access Issues

How to Remove a Password Requirement from an Excel Workbook

Olivia Miller Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to disable a previously set password and turn off workbook or worksheet protection.

How to Remove a Password Requirement from an Excel Workbook

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A password was accidentally added to an Excel workbook or worksheet, and the user wants to remove it using the original password.
Observed behavior: The Excel file requires a password to edit the worksheet or modify the workbook structure.

Before you start

Ensure you know the current password for the workbook or worksheet, as Excel requires it to successfully turn off the protection.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove Password via the File Info Menu

Use the standard File menu settings to identify and disable the active workbook protection.

This is the most direct method to view all active protections on your document and selectively disable them.

Open File Info

Open the protected workbook in Excel, click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, and select 'Info'.

Access Protect Workbook Settings

Click on 'Protect Workbook' to open a dropdown menu. Active protection types will be highlighted.

Disable Protection

Click on the highlighted protection option to turn it off. When the password dialog box appears, type the original password and click 'OK'.

Save the Document

Press Ctrl+S or go to File > Save to apply the changes and permanently remove the password requirement.

Separate Settings: Workbook-structure protection and worksheet protection are separate settings. If you still encounter restrictions, repeat the steps to check if another protection type is active.

Solution 2

Disable Protection from the Review Tab

Quickly unprotect specific worksheets or the workbook structure directly from the Excel ribbon.

Solution 3

Copy Content to a New Workbook

A quick workaround to bypass worksheet restrictions if the file has very little content.

Remove Excel Passwords Easily

Manage Excel Permissions Seamlessly with WPS Office

WPS Spreadsheet offers a highly compatible and user-friendly interface to manage worksheet and workbook protections, making it incredibly easy to remove passwords from your Excel files.

1. Open the File: Open your password-protected Excel file in WPS Spreadsheet.
2. Go to the Review Tab: Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top menu ribbon.
3. Unprotect the File: Click on 'Unprotect Sheet' or 'Unprotect Workbook' depending on the active restriction.
4. Enter Password: Input the original password when prompted and click 'OK'.
5. Save Settings: Save the file to permanently remove the password requirement.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) formats and password protections.Easily manage, add, or remove workbook and worksheet passwords from an intuitive ribbon.Free and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office.Tabbed interface allows you to manage multiple spreadsheets efficiently.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove a password from an Excel workbook if I forgot it?

Microsoft Excel does not provide a built-in feature to recover or remove forgotten passwords for security reasons. You must know the original password to disable worksheet or workbook protection.

Why does the workbook still prompt for a password after I unprotected the sheet?

Worksheet protection and workbook structure protection are two different settings. You may have successfully unprotected the sheet, but the workbook itself is still protected. You need to disable all active protection settings from the Review tab or File > Info menu.

How do I remove the password required to open the Excel file?

To remove a file-opening password, open the file (entering the password), go to File > Info > Protect Workbook > Encrypt with Password. Delete the existing password so the field is completely empty, click OK, and save the file.

Document & File Issues