Hello everyone, today I’m going to show you how to remove a password from an Excel file. This can be a real lifesaver if you’ve forgotten the password or if you’ve inherited a file with a password protection that you need to remove. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Open the Excel File
The first step is to open the Excel file that’s password-protected. Once you’ve located the file, open it in Excel by double-clicking on the file icon or using the File > Open option within Excel.
Step 2: Enter the Password
Upon opening the file, you’ll be prompted to enter the password. If you already have the password, enter it and proceed to the next step. However, if you’ve forgotten the password, don’t worry – I’ve got you covered.
Step 3: Use VBA Code to Remove the Password
One way to remove the password is by using a VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code. To do this, press ALT + F11 to open the VBA editor. Then, insert a new module by right-clicking on any existing module and selecting Insert > Module.
Next, you can paste the following VBA code into the module:
Sub RemovePassword()
Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer
Dim l As Integer, m As Integer, n As Integer
Dim i1 As Integer, i2 As Integer, i3 As Integer
Dim i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As Integer
On Error Resume Next
For i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66
For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66
For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66
For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126
ActiveSheet.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & _
Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & _
Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
If ActiveSheet.ProtectContents = False Then
MsgBox "One usable password is " & Chr(i) & Chr(j) & _
Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & _
Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
Exit Sub
End If
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
End Sub
After pasting the code, you can close the VBA editor and return to the Excel file. You can now run the macro by pressing F5. When the macro finishes running, the password should be removed, and you’ll have full access to the file.
Step 4: Save the File
Finally, don’t forget to save your changes. Once the password is removed, you can save the file as you normally would by using the File > Save or File > Save As option.
Conclusion
And there you have it! Removing a password from an Excel file can be a straightforward process with the help of VBA code. Whether you’ve forgotten the password or need to access a password-protected file, following these steps should help you regain access to your Excel file without a hitch. Happy data editing!
