The article shows how to unprotect Excel spreadsheet without password if you forgot or misplaced it.
How to unprotect Excel sheet without password:
If you need to edit a password protected sheet but you cannot remember the password, try to unlock that Excel spreadsheet by using the following method:
Unlock Excel spreadsheet with VBA code (for Excel 2010 and lower)
If you are using Excel 2016 or older version, you can unlock a password-protected sheet with the following macro.
Download the code file from here!
Step 1: Open your Excel document and switch to the password-protected sheet (it should be active when you run the macro).
Step 2: Press Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor.
Step 3: Right-click the workbook name on the left pane (Project-VBAProject pane) and select Insert > Module from the context menu, or press F7; In the window that appears, paste in the following code:
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Public Sub AllInternalPasswords()
'Breaks worksheet and workbook structure passwords.
'Bob McCormick probably originator of base code algorithm
'Modified for coverage of workbook structure / windows
'passwords and for multiple passwords
''Reveals passwords NOT "the" passwords
Const DBLSPACE As String = vbNewLine & vbNewLine
Dim Mess As String, Header As String
Dim Authors As String, Version As String
Dim RepBack As String, AllClear As String
Dim PWord1 As String
Dim ShTag As Boolean, WinTag As Boolean
Dim w1 As Worksheet, w2 As Worksheet
Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer, l As Integer
Dim m As Integer, n As Integer, i1 As Integer, i2 As Integer
Dim i3 As Integer, i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As Integer
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Header = "Unprotecting"
Version = "Click OK"
With ActiveWorkbook
WinTag = .ProtectStructure Or .ProtectWindows
End With
ShTag = False
For Each w1 In Worksheets
ShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContents
Next w1
If Not ShTag And Not WinTag Then
Mess = "This Workbook Is Password Free"
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
Exit Sub
End If
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
If Not WinTag Then
Mess = "This Will Take 2 Minutes" & DBLSPACE & _
"Proceeding to unprotect sheets." & DBLSPACE & _
"Please Wait..." & DBLSPACE & Authors & Version
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
Else
On Error Resume Next
Do 'dummy do loop
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
With ActiveWorkbook
.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 .ProtectStructure = False And _
.ProtectWindows = False Then
PWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & _
Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & _
Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
Mess = "You had a Worksheet Structure or " & _
"Windows Password set." & DBLSPACE & _
"The password found was: " & DBLSPACE & _
PWord1 & DBLSPACE & "Note it down for " & _
"potential future use in other " & _
"workbooks by same person who set this " & _
"password." & DBLSPACE & _
"Now to check and clear other passwords." & _
Authors & Version
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
Exit Do 'Bypass all for...nexts
End If
End With
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Loop Until True
On Error GoTo 0
End If
If WinTag And Not ShTag Then
Mess = "Only structure / windows protected with " & _
"the password that was just found." & _
AllClear & Authors & Version & RepBack
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
Exit Sub
End If
On Error Resume Next
For Each w1 In Worksheets
'Attempt clearance with PWord1
w1.Unprotect PWord1
Next w1
On Error GoTo 0
ShTag = False
For Each w1 In Worksheets
'Checks for all clear ShTag triggered to 1 if not.
ShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContents
Next w1
If Not ShTag Then
Mess = AllClear & Authors & Version & RepBack
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
Exit Sub
End If
For Each w1 In Worksheets
With w1
If .ProtectContents Then
On Error Resume Next
Do 'Dummy do loop
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
.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 Not .ProtectContents Then
PWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & _
Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & _
Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
'leverage finding Pword by trying on other sheets
For Each w2 In Worksheets
w2.Unprotect PWord1
Next w2
Exit Do 'Bypass all for...nexts
End If
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Loop Until True
On Error GoTo 0
End If
End With
Next w1
Mess = AllClear & Authors & Version & RepBack
MsgBox Mess, vbInformation, Header
End Sub
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Step 4: Press F5 or click the Run button
Step 4: Press F5 or click the Run button
Step 5: Now, a popup massage will appear on the screen click “OK” 3 times and wait 2 minutes; and Your Excel Sheet is Password Free.
Download the code file from here!
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