How to Unprotect an Excel Worksheet When You Don’t Know The Password

 in Tips, Tricks & Hacks  tagged Excel / password / unprotect by

If you’re unable to edit the data in an Excel worksheet because it’s password protected and you don’t know the password, then here’s a simple trick you can use to unprotect it.

Press ALT+F11 (or click on “View Code” on the “Developer” tab).

Enter the following code in the large text box area:

Sub UnprotectWorksheet()
    'Removes worksheet password protection.
    Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer
    Dim l As Integer, m As Integer, n As Integer
    Dim i1 As Integer, i2 As Integer, i3 As Integer
    Dim i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As Integer
    On Error Resume Next
    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
    ActiveSheet.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 ActiveSheet.ProtectContents = False Then
        MsgBox "One usable password is " & Chr(i) & Chr(j) & _
            Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & _
            Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
         Exit Sub
    End If
    Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
    Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
End Sub

Now just click on the “Run” button or press F5.

The sheet should now be unprotected and you’ll get a pop-up window showing you what the password is that you should be able to use to unprotect other worksheets in the same workbook.