It is common to use an open or restriction password in order to protect the Excel files. However, it becomes annoying at a time when you have to enter the password repeatedly to open the sheet. As a result, you find it better to remove the password. If you are also in the queue to know how to remove the password from the Excel file, this guide will come in handy.
In this particular guide, you are going to learn various ways to remove password from Excel file. In addition, these various ways can be performed on multiple versions of Microsoft Excel including 2016, 2013, 2010, or 2003. With no more delay, let us know how to remove password protection from Excel.
How to Remove Password Protection from Excel?
As mentioned earlier, you can follow various ways to remove password protection. For instance, users can remove the password considering the two types of scenarios; one is when you know the password already and the other one is when you forget the password. Below are the following ways to remove password from Excel 2016, 2010, 2013, and 2003.
Way 1: How to Remove Password from Excel Workbook or Worksheet with Known Password?
In order to remove password protection from Excel File 2016, 2010, 2013, or 2003, users can follow two types of conditions; remove the open password or remove the Excel restriction password. Let us know how to proceed with condition number 1.
Condition 1: Remove the Open Password from Excel
If you want to know how to remove password from Excel file when opening file, you can follow two of the following methods.
Method 1: Use Info Feature to Remove Password from Excel 2010 or other versions.
Since the very first way is the scenario when you know the password. Here the following steps that you can perform in Excel to remove the password using the Info feature.
- First of all, you need to open the Excel file from which you want to remove the password.
- As the file opens, you need to enter the password for that Excel file.
- Next to this, you are required to click on File and choose the Info options that appear on the left.
- At this point, you can click on the Protect Workbook option.
- Under the Protect Workbook, you will find Encrypt with Password option.
Note: If you are using an older version then you will have to click on Protect Document and then Encrypt with Password.
- Thereafter, you will see the dialog box through which you can erase the entered password.
- In the next step, you can hit the OK button.
- As the last step, you need to save the file.
This is how you can remove password protection from Excel sheets. In case this method does not work, you can switch to the next method mentioned down below.
Method 2: Use Save As Feature to Remove Password from Excel 2016 and other Versions
In this method, you can remove the password using the Save As Feature in Excel. Let us know how to do that with the following steps.
- To begin, open the Excel file with password protection.
- Next to this, you need to enter the password you have set for the file.
- Once the Excel file is opened, go to the File option.
- Then, you can select the ‘Save As’ option located on the left.
- After this, you will have to select a location where you want to keep this file after you remove the password.
Note: If you are an older version of Excel then you can go click on the Microsoft Office and then hit the Save As option.
- While you save the file, you need to click on the Tool.
- Here, you will find General Option in the drop-down menu.
- Once you do so, a dialog box appears where you will see a password in ‘Password to Open. You need to clear this text box and click on the OK button.
- In the end, you can save your file.
Now whenever you open the Excel file, you will not have to enter the password as you have removed it. This can be the best way to remove password protection from Excel. The above two methods were only to remove open passwords in Excel. To edit the Excel, if you want to remove the password
Condition 2: Remove the Excel Restriction Password
If you have set the password previously in order to protect the Excel file from editing, you can easily unprotect it using the following steps.
- To get started, you can open the Excel file.
- Then, you are required to go to the Review tab.
- Now here, select the Unprotect Sheet option or Unprotect Workbook Structure.
- At this point, you need to enter the password when the dialog popup appears on your screen.
- When you hit the OK button, your Excel file will have removed the password.
This is how you can remove password protection from Excel in just a few clicks.
Way 2: How to Remove Password from Excel File without Knowing Password?
There are scenarios when you are unable to remember the password. As a result, you need to hit the Forgot Password option in order to reset it. If you are one of those who have forgotten the password and now want to learn how to remove password from Excel file then you can look for the following guide.
We are basically going to cover a tool named PassFab for Excel which supports all the versions of Microsoft Excel and helps you with recovering or removing the passwords. Here, you will find two different conditions (open and restricted password) through which you can find out the answer to how to remove the password from Excel 2013 if forgotten.
Condition 1: Remove the Open Password from Excel
If you want to know how to remove password from Excel Workbook or Worksheet especially when you forget the password, here are the following steps one can perform.
- As the first step, you can launch this tool for Excel password recovery.
- Once you run the tool, you will find two methods from which you need to select the Recover Excel Open Password option for now and click on Continue.
- Now, you can import the Excel sheet that has password protection.
- Then, you can choose any decryption method. You can also customize the settings for the method you select.
- When you are done, click on the Recover button and the tool will proceed with password decryption procedure. The process may take time depending on the method you selected.
- Once the process is done, a dialog box appears on your screen with the password.
- To open your Excel file with no password, you can then follow the basic steps we perform earlier in Way 1 for open and restricted passwords.
This can be the easiest solution to remove password protection from Excel for an open password. For the restriction password and edit the file, you can switch to the next condition.
Condition 2: Remove the Excel Restriction Password
If you want to remove the password in order to edit the Excel sheet then you can follow the steps discussed below.
- To get started, you can launch PassFab for Excel. When it displays methods on the screen, choose to Remove Excel Restriction Password method this time.
- Next to this, you can add the file that you are unable to edit.
- Once done, you can click on the Remove button.
- After a short while, you will find the option Open Folder below. You can open this file with no requirement of a password. Then, you can edit the sheet.
This is how you can remove password from Excel 2016 and other versions. Whether it is an open or restricted password, the password recovery tool runs smoothly and lets you open the sheet with no password.
Conclusion
Password protection can be necessary for sensitive files or data in Microsoft Excel. However, if you no longer wish to keep the Excel file protected then you can remove the password from Excel 2016, 2010, and other older versions of Microsoft Excel.
If you want to know the easiest ways on how to remove password from Excel file when opening file then you can follow the aforementioned methods for open and restricted passwords. In case you are not aware of the password and unable to recall it then you can also learn how to remove password from Excel file without knowing password in this guide.
Furthermore, we have gathered the best solutions for using subtraction formula in Excel. Also, read how to freeze multiple rows in Excel.