How to Change Password in Excel Spreadsheet

Excel spreadsheet is an essential software application in the business world. It helps you manage data, perform mathematical functions, create charts and graphs and do many more things. It is also secure and to save you from problems with unauthorized access, it is always advisable to change your password regularly. This blog will assist you in changing your password in Excel spreadsheet.

Video Tutorial:

The Challenge of Changing Passwords in Excel Spreadsheet

Passwords are used to secure data in Excel spreadsheet. However, forgetting your password or being locked out of your account due to a lost or forgotten password can be frustrating. Changing passwords may also present a challenge for some users who do not know how to change a password or how to unlock their data-encrypted Excel file.

Things You Need to Prepare

Before you get started, there are a few things you will need to prepare:

• The Microsoft Excel software installed on your computer.
• Access to the Excel file where you want to change the password.
• The original password for the file.

Method 1: Using the ‘Save As’ Feature

The Save As feature enables you to create a copy of the original file with a different password. By following these steps, you can easily create a new password for your Excel spreadsheet:

1. Open the Excel file in question, then click on the ‘File’ tab on the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Click on ‘Save As’ option from the drop-down menu.
3. Select the location and give it a new name, then press ‘Save’.
4. Now, under ‘Tools’, select ‘General Options’.
5. Enter your new password in both the ‘Password to open’ and ‘Password to modify’ fields.
6. Click ‘OK’ once you have entered your new password.
7. Click ‘Save’ again to save your new password-protected file.

Method 2: Using ‘Protect Workbook’ Feature

Protect Workbook is also a useful feature in Excel spreadsheet that allows you to password-protect it. With the following steps, you can change your Excel spreadsheet’s password:

1. Open Excel and click on the ‘File’ tab on the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Select the ‘Protect Workbook’ option from the drop-down menu.
3. From the ‘Protect Workbook’ menu, select the ‘Encrypt with Password’ option.
4. Type in your new password and click ‘OK’.
5. Re-enter your new password and click ‘OK’ again.
6. Click the ‘Save’ button to save the file with the new password.

Method 3: Using ‘Review’ Feature

In Excel spreadsheet, you can use the ‘Review’ feature to password-protect your spreadsheet. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Excel spreadsheet and click on the ‘Review’ tab.
2. Select the ‘Protect Workbook’ option from the ‘Changes’ section.
3. In the ‘Protect Structure and Windows’ dialog box, enter your new password twice.
4. Click on ‘OK’.
5. Save the file.

Why Can’t I Change Passwords in Excel Spreadsheet?

Some common reasons why you might not be able to change passwords in Excel spreadsheet include:

1. You have forgotten the original password.
2. Your script has stopped working.
3. Your Excel file has become corrupt.

FAQs:

Q1: Can I recover my forgotten password?

A1:

Yes, you can recover your forgotten password by selecting the ‘iSumsoft Excel Password Refixer’ option. However, this feature is only available for Excel spreadsheet files that have been saved in .xlsx format.

Q2: What do I do if I cannot locate the ‘Protect Workbook’ option on the ‘Review’ tab?

A2:

You might not be able to find the ‘Protect Workbook’ option on the ‘Review’ tab if you do not have administrative access to the Excel spreadsheet. In this case, you need to contact your IT administrator or request for administrator rights from your organization’s data center.

Q3: How do I unlock my Excel sheet without knowing the password?

A3:

You can unlock your Excel sheet by using a third-party Excel password recovery tool that can crack the password or recover it. There are numerous software applications available that can perform this task. However, it is always advisable to approach this process with extreme caution to avoid damaging your data or system.

Q4: Can I change my password to an already encrypted Excel file?

A4:

Yes, you can change the password to an already encrypted Excel file. However, you will need to enter the original password to open the Excel file before making the changes.

Q5: How secure are passwords in Excel spreadsheet?

A5:

Passwords in Excel spreadsheet are relatively secure. The password encryption feature assures that only authorized users can access Excel files, and the password database is hidden and encrypted at all times. However, advanced hackers can still gain access to your Excel spreadsheet through various methods like brute-force attacks, dictionary attacks, and social engineering. It is always advisable to use strong passwords and keep them safe.

Conclusion

Changing your password is very important for security purposes. Excel spreadsheet provides various methods to enable users to change passwords with ease. In this blog, we have gone through the methods which can be used to change passwords in Excel spreadsheet. We hope this blog post has helped you.