How to Remove Excel Sheet Protection in 2 Minutes - No Password Required
In this video, I’ll show you how to remove Excel sheet protection in just 2 minutes, even if you’ve forgotten the password! Follow these simple steps to unlock your Excel sheets and regain full access. Remember to back up your file before starting.
Steps Covered:
00:00 – Introduction & Overview
Quick intro to the process and what you'll need.
00:20 – Step 1: Convert Old .XLS File to .XLSX
Open your old .xls file.
Go to the File menu, click Info, and select Convert.
Press OK and Yes to reopen the file. Your file is now in .xlsx format.
00:50 – Step 2: Rename .XLSX to .ZIP
Make a copy of the .xlsx file.
Press F2 to rename it and change the extension to .zip.
01:05 – Step 3: Extract and Edit XML Files
Open the .zip file with WinRAR or 7-Zip.
Navigate to 'xl' folder then open worksheets and extract a sheet.
Open the sheet in Notepad, find the "Protect" tag, and delete everything between the angle brackets.
Save the file and drag it back into the .zip.
01:45 – Step 4: Rename .ZIP Back to .XLSX
Rename the .zip file back to .xlsx.
Open the Excel file, and your sheets are now unprotected!