How to Password Protect an Excel File (2026)
Excel offers a few different “protections,” and they’re easy to mix up. Encrypting the file stops anyone from opening it without a password — the strongest option. You can also lock the workbook’s structure or a single sheet. Here’s each, and how to remove a password later.
1. Encrypt the File (Password to Open)
This is the real lock — the file’s contents are encrypted and unreadable without the password:
- Go to File > Info.
- Click Protect Workbook > Encrypt with Password.
- Type a password, click OK, re-enter it, and click OK.
- Save the file.
Next time anyone opens it, Excel demands the password first.
There is no backdoor. If you lose this password, Microsoft cannot recover the file. Store it in a password manager.
2. Separate “Open” and “Modify” Passwords
To let people view but not change a file (or require a password only to edit), use General Options:
- File > Save As > browse to a location.
- In the Save dialog, click Tools (next to Save) > General Options.
- Set a Password to open and/or a Password to modify. You can also tick Read-only recommended.
- Click OK, re-enter the passwords, and Save.
Someone with only the modify password is blocked; someone without it can still open the file read-only.
3. Protect the Workbook Structure
To stop people from adding, deleting, renaming, or reordering sheets (without encrypting the file):
- Review tab > Protect Workbook.
- Tick Structure, optionally set a password, and click OK.
4. Protect a Single Sheet
To make cells on one tab read-only, use sheet protection — see how to lock cells in Excel for the full workflow (Review > Protect Sheet). This guards a worksheet’s contents but does not encrypt the file.
5. Remove a Password
- File-open password: open the file (with the password), go to File > Info > Protect Workbook > Encrypt with Password, delete the password so the box is empty, click OK, and Save.
- Modify password: Save As > Tools > General Options, clear the password fields, and save.
- Workbook structure: Review > Protect Workbook again to toggle it off.
6. Troubleshooting
I forgot the password
A “password to open” (Encrypt with Password) cannot be recovered — that’s the point of encryption. A “password to modify” or structure password is weaker but still not officially recoverable; restore from a backup if you have one.
The file opened without asking for a password
You set a modify password, not an open password, or you forgot to save after encrypting. Re-check via File > Info > Protect Workbook.
Mac
Use Review > Protect Workbook / Protect Sheet, or File > Passwords to set open and modify passwords.
Excel for the web
Web Excel can open and edit password-protected files but can’t set encryption — use the desktop app to add or change the file password.
Related Excel guides: How to lock cells · How to create a drop-down list · How to remove duplicates · How to merge cells · How to use conditional formatting
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