How to Unprotect Excel Workbook Structure without Password

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Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used software applications. It is a powerful tool for organizing, analyzing, and presenting data. Excel workbooks can contain valuable financial, business, and personal information. But sometimes, you may forget the password to unprotect the Workbook Structure. In such cases, it becomes difficult to access the content of the worksheet. In this blog post, we will discuss some methods to unprotect Excel Workbook Structure without a password.

Video Tutorial:

Why You Need to Unprotect Excel Workbook Structure

There are several reasons why you may want to unprotect Excel Workbook Structure. Some common reasons include:

  • You forgot the password to unprotect the Workbook Structure.
  • You received an Excel file from someone else, and they forgot to give you the password to unprotect the Workbook Structure.
  • You downloaded an Excel file from the internet, and it is protected.

Regardless of the reason, if you have an Excel file that is protected, and you do not have the password, you will need to unprotect it to access the content of the worksheet.

Method 1: Using VBA Code

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is a programming language used in Excel to automate tasks. You can use VBA code to unprotect the Workbook Structure of an Excel file. Here are the steps to do it:

  1. Open the Excel file you want to unprotect.
  2. Press "Alt + F11" to open the Visual Basic Editor.
  3. Click on "Insert" in the menu bar, and select "Module".
  4. Paste the following code in the blank space on the right side of the screen:

"`
Sub Unprotect_Workbook()
Dim wb As Workbook
Set wb = ActiveWorkbook
wb.Unprotect
End Sub
"`

  1. Press F5 or click on "Run" to execute the code.
  2. Close the VB Editor and try to access the content of the worksheet. The Workbook Structure will be unprotected now.

Pros:

  • Fast and effective method.
  • Does not require any third-party software.

Cons:

  • If the Excel file contains macros, this method may not work.
  • If the Excel file is password-protected, this method may not work.
  • If you are not familiar with VBA, this method may seem complicated.

Method 2: Using Excel Password Remover Tool

Excel Password Remover Tool is a third-party software that can be used to remove passwords from Excel files. You can use this tool to remove the password to unprotect the Workbook Structure of an Excel file. Here are the steps to do it:

  1. Download and install Excel Password Remover Tool on your computer.
  2. Open the Excel file you want to unprotect.
  3. Click on "Add File" in the Excel Password Remover Tool window.
  4. Click on "Remove Password" and wait for the tool to remove the password.
  5. Save the file with a new name, and try to access the content of the worksheet. The Workbook Structure will be unprotected now.

Pros:

  • Easy and convenient to use.
  • Can remove password protection from any kind of Excel file.

Cons:

  • May not be free.
  • May not be compatible with some versions of Excel.
  • May not work if the Excel file is corrupted.

Method 3: Using ZIP Tools

ZIP tools are software programs that can be used to extract files from compressed archives. You can use a ZIP tool to extract the content of the Excel file, and then edit the XML code to remove the password to unprotect the Workbook Structure. Here are the steps to do it:

  1. Right-click on the Excel file you want to unprotect, and select "Rename". Change the file extension from ".xlsx" to ".zip".
  2. Extract the content of the ZIP file to a folder on your computer.
  3. Open the folder, and navigate to "xl" folder, and open the "workbook.xml" file with a text editor.
  4. Find the following code in the "workbook.xml" file:

"`

"`

  1. Delete the code between "".
  2. Save the "workbook.xml" file and close the text editor.
  3. Repackage the files in the folder to a ZIP archive.
  4. Change the file extension from ".zip" to ".xlsx".
  5. Open the Excel file with Microsoft Excel, and try to access the content of the worksheet. The Workbook Structure will be unprotected now.

Pros:

  • Does not require any third-party software.
  • Can be used to unprotect any kind of Excel file.

Cons:

  • May be complicated for users who are not familiar with editing XML code.
  • May not work if the Excel file is corrupted.
  • May not be compatible with some versions of Excel.

What to Do If You Can’t Unprotect Excel Workbook Structure

If you have tried all the methods mentioned above, and you still cannot unprotect the Workbook Structure of an Excel file, here are some things you can try:

  • Contact the person who created the Excel file, and ask for the password to unprotect the Workbook Structure.
  • If the Excel file is a work-related document, contact your IT department for assistance.
  • If you have a backup copy of the Excel file, try to restore it from the backup.

Bonus Tip

To prevent yourself from losing the password to unprotect the Workbook Structure, it is recommended to create a backup copy of the Excel file with an unprotected Workbook Structure. This way, if you forget the password, you can use the backup file to access the content of the worksheet.

5 FAQs

Q1: What is Workbook Structure Protection in Excel?

A: Workbook Structure Protection in Excel is a feature that allows you to protect the structure of an Excel file. When you protect the Workbook Structure, users cannot add, delete, rename, move, copy, hide, or unhide worksheets. They also cannot view, edit, or remove VBA code.

Q2: How can I tell if an Excel file is protected?

A: An Excel file that is protected will have a message at the top of the worksheet that says "This workbook is protected with a password". You will be prompted to enter a password to access the content of the worksheet.

Q3: Can I unprotect an Excel file if I don’t know the password?

A: Yes, you can unprotect an Excel file if you don’t know the password. You can use VBA code, Excel Password Remover Tool, or ZIP tools to unprotect the Workbook Structure.

Q4: Will unprotecting an Excel file cause any data loss?

A: Unprotecting an Excel file does not cause any data loss. However, if you make changes to the content of the worksheet, and then protect the Workbook Structure again, the changes you made may be lost.

Q5: How can I protect the Workbook Structure of an Excel file?

A: To protect the Workbook Structure of an Excel file, you can click on the "Review" tab, and then click on "Protect Workbook". You will be prompted to enter a password. Once you enter the password, users will not be able to make changes to the structure of the Excel file.

Final Thoughts

Unprotecting the Workbook Structure of an Excel file can be useful in many situations. The methods we discussed in this blog post can help you to access the content of the worksheet, even if you don’t know the password. However, it is essential to keep in mind that unprotecting the Workbook Structure may compromise the security of the Excel file. Therefore, it is recommended to keep your Excel files password-protected and to use unprotecting methods only when you really need to access the content of the worksheet.