Excel Protection vs Encryption: Critical Differences Explained (2026)
Understand the key differences between Excel protection and encryption. Learn which to use for your data security needs. Complete guide with examples and best practices.
Secure and free
Remove Excel Password Without Password
Forgot your Excel password? Remove sheet and workbook protection instantly — free, secure, nothing stored.
Drag your Excel file here
or click to select
Supports .xlsx, .xls and .xlsm (max. 5MB)
✓100% free✓No account needed✓Secure in-memory processing✓Nothing stored on our servers
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Common Reasons to Remove Excel Protection
Inherited Protected File
A colleague left the company and their Excel file is protected. No one has the password to edit it.
Forgotten Password
You protected your Excel file months ago and can't remember the password. You need to regain access to edit it.
Client or Vendor File
You received a protected Excel file to review but can't make the necessary edits without the password.
Most viewed articles
Key reads on Excel security and protection.
How to Unprotect Excel Without Password: Complete Guide 2026
Learn how to unprotect Excel sheets and workbooks without password. Step-by-step methods to remove Excel protection safely. Works with .xlsx, .xls, .xlsm files. Free and secure.
Manual Guide: How to Unprotect Excel Without Tools (XML Method 2026)
Technical step-by-step guide to manually unprotect Excel by editing XML files. Learn the ZIP method to remove sheet and workbook protection without software.
Excel Password Best Practices: Create Strong & Memorable Passwords
Learn when to encrypt Excel files, how to create strong passwords, and store them safely. Complete guide to Excel password management without losing access.
Excel Security Checklist Before Sharing Files (2026 Guide)
Practical checklist to review Excel protection, hidden data, external links, and metadata before sharing. Prevent data leaks and ensure file security.
How to Unlock Specific Cells in Excel (Keep Sheet Protected)
Step-by-step guide to unlock specific cells in Excel while keeping the rest of the sheet protected. Allow editing in selected ranges only. Quick tutorial.
What types of protection do we remove?
✓
Sheets with locked cells
You can't edit certain cells
Unprotect sheet →✓
Workbooks with protected structure
You can't add, delete, or hide sheets
Unprotect workbook →.xlsx files are ZIPs with XML inside. Protection is just a configuration tag, not real encryption.
Three simple steps to unprotect your Excel file
1
Upload your file
Select or drag your protected Excel file. Secure processing with automatic deletion.
2
Instant processing
We remove sheet and workbook protection in seconds. Processed in memory, nothing stored.
3
Download the result
Download your unprotected Excel file, ready to edit. No watermarks or limitations.
Methods comparison
Choose by time, difficulty and risk
| Method | Speed | Difficulty | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files-To | Seconds | Very low | Very low |
| ZIP + XML | Minutes | Medium/High | Medium (can corrupt) |
| Macro VBA | Minutes | High | Medium/High |
Frequently asked questions
Yes. We use encrypted connections (HTTPS) and delete files after processing. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Files-To can remove sheet protection and workbook structure protection. It cannot remove file encryption that requires a password to open.
This tool is designed to recover access to your own files when you have forgotten the password. Using it on third-party files without authorization may violate intellectual property laws. You are responsible for how you use it.
The practical limit is 5MB. Very large files may take longer to process.