How to Password Protect an Excel File (for Windows and Mac)

Excel files tend to contain the sensitive data like employee details, financial records or project budgets. To keep the vital information safe, Microsoft Excel helps you to password protect the files so only the authorized users could upon or edit the Excel files.

We in this post are all to reveal how to password protect an Excel file on Mac and Windows. You'll also get to learn about protecting the individual sheets, locking the workbook structure, removing the passwords and recovering the lost Excel passwords.

Part 1: File vs. Sheet vs. Workbook: Which Protection Do You Need?

Before setting a password, it is fairly important to understand the Excel's three protection types. We'll compare all of these in tabular form below and will show which option is suitable and best for you.

Part 2: How to Encrypt an Entire Excel File

If you're looking to learn how to password protect an Excel file from opening, you don't need to do much as we've highlighted the complete guide of password protecting an entire Excel file on Windows and Mac below.

Once the password is set on an entire Excel file, you won't be able to access the file without entering the password.

Solution 1. How to make an Excel file password protected on Windows?

With just a few simple steps, you can set passwords to restrict access and editing permissions, ensuring that only authorized users can view or modify your spreadsheet.

Step 1: Launch an MicroSoft Excel file you're looking to protect.
Step 2: Navigate to the File options and choose Save as before clicking on the Browse button.

Step 3: After going into the drop down list, choose the General icon to proceed ahead.
Step 4: You can now set a password for opening the Sheet and for Editing, don't forget hitting the OK icon. After setting the password, you'll need to open the encrypted Excel file and we'll see a dialog box with a text box for entering the password.

Solution 2. How to protect an Excel file with a password on Mac?

If you want to protect your Excel workbook with a password on Mac, follow these simple steps:

Step 1: To begin with you'll need to start the Excel Workbook and press on the File icon before selecting the Passwords.
Step 2: In the pop up, all you need to do is to check the Require a password to open and enter and confirm the password.
Step 3: Press on the OK icon and then hit the Save to get the things done.

Part 3: How to Set a "Password to Modify" (Read-Only Access)

A Password to Modify helps others to read or view the Excel file but restricts other users from making any changes to the Excel file. Following is the guide to set a read-only password for Windows and Mac users.

Solution 1. How to Set a Password to Modify on Windows

For Windows users, you can follow the steps below to set up a read-only password on your excel files.

Step 1: Navigate to the File icon and then choose the Save as button.
Step 2: Select a location and then press the Tools icon before selecting the General Options.

Step 3: After entering into the Password to Modify Box, you'll need to input the Password. You could now also check the Read Only and then press the OK icon to confirm the password and hit the Save button afterwards.

Solution 2. How to Set a Password to Modify on Mac

Some users have reported that cannot print a PDF is solved by turning off the PDF/A View Mode.

Step 1: Navigate to the File icon on the Excell Sheet and choose the Passwords button.
Step 2: Under Password to Modify icon, you'll need to enter a password and then select the OK icon.
Step 3: Press Save button and doing so will help you to make the users without password open the file without making any adjustments or customization to the Excel file

Part 4: How to Protect a Single Worksheet

If you intend to prevent edits in only the certain sheets of Excel, you can protect a single worksheet by looking at the guide below.

Step 1: To start with, you'll need to launch the workbook having the sheet you wish to protect.
Step 2: Press on the Review tab and then choose the Protect Sheet.

Step 3: Now, you could see a pop-up of the Protect Sheet appearing there. Add the Password (Optional) along with the actions that are allowed for the users to perform and then press OK.
Step 4: Once the Reenter password to proceed dialog box appears, press on the OK to confirm the action.

Part 5: How to Protect the Workbook Structure

You can also stop users from adding, deleting, and renaming the worksheets by looking at the step by step guide below.

Step 1: Launch the Workbook on the computer and then press on the Review icon.
Step 2: Select the Protect Workbook and then check Structure.
Step 3: Press on OK after entering the password. Now the tabs and layout of workbook are locked against the unwanted edits.

Part 6: How to Remove a Password from an Excel File

After setting a password for an Excel file, you may get find it difficult to enter the password everytime you want to open the Excel files. In this scenario you may want to remove password from an Excel file and doing this won't be a extra struggle. You can put your eyes into the simple guide mentioned below to remove the encryption from an Excel file.

Step 1: After opening the Excel file, you'll need to input the password.
Step 2: Navigate to the File icon and choose the Info button. Tap on the Protect Workbook and select the Encrypt with Password button.

Step 3: Now, you could delete the password from the box and press the OK. Then you can save the file as it's no longer protected. To aim at the workbook or worksheet protection, navigate to the Review icon and then choose the Unprotect Sheet/Workbook and then remove the password afterwards.

Part 7: What to Do If You Forgot Your Excel Password

If after encrypting the Excel file, you forgot the password and are now unable to access the important Excel file, TunesKit File Password Recovery will come to rescue you. It provides a high speed when it comes to recovering the forgotten or lost Excel password. Irrespective of how difficult or lengthy your forgotten passwords are, the three outstanding modes of password recovery of this TunesKit will ensure that you don't have to wait for a long time eliminating all the limitations and restrictions from the Excel file.

How to recover forgotten Excel file password with Tuneskit File Password Recovery.

Step 1Download and Install Program

Install the TunesKit File Password Recovery on the computer and then start the software on the computer. After entering into the main interface of the TunesKit Password File Recovery, you'll need to choose the Excel/Word/PPT section.

Step 2Upload Excel to the Program

TunesKit File Password Recovery also help you to recover both the permission password and open password of your Office files.

Select the Recover Office Password if you're troubled by the Office file's open password. Then, click to drag or add an Office file to program for recovering.

Step 3Recover Excel File Password

Tap on the Start Recover icon as doing so begins recovering the lost Excel password. The time taken by TunesKit File Password Recovery is dependent on the type of method you've choosen. After getting finished with the recovery process, tap on the Copy icon to get the password.

Part 8: FAQs of Password Protecting Excel Files

Conclusion

To secure your data, learn to password protect Excel files on the Mac and Windows. You can encrypt the whole workbook, lock specific sheets, or restrict edits. If you forget your password, consider using TunesKit File Password Recovery, which offers a high success rate in recovering lost passwords quickly.