Unprotect Excel Sheet & Workbook
Remove the editing protection from a locked Excel sheet or workbook in seconds. Runs entirely in your browser, so your file is never uploaded to a server.
This free tool removes "Protect Sheet" and "Protect Workbook" editing protection from an Excel file, even when you have forgotten the password, right in your browser. Drop in a .xlsx or .xlsm file and download an unlocked copy with every cell, formula, chart, and format left exactly as it was.
It works because sheet and workbook protection in Excel is not encryption. Microsoft designed it to stop accidental edits, not to secure data, so the contents are always readable and the protection is a single tag inside the file that this tool simply removes. Nothing is uploaded: your workbook is processed entirely on your own device.
How to unprotect an Excel sheet without the password
- Add your protected file
Drag a .xlsx or .xlsm file into the box above, or click to browse. The file is opened locally in your browser and never uploaded.
- Click Remove protection
The tool scans every sheet and the workbook structure and strips the protection tags. This takes a moment even for large workbooks.
- Download the unlocked file
An unprotected copy downloads automatically, named with an "-unprotected" suffix so your original stays intact.
- Edit freely in Excel
Open the downloaded file in Excel and every sheet is fully editable again, with all data, formulas, and formatting unchanged.
What this tool removes (and what it cannot)
Excel has two very different kinds of "password", and it is worth knowing which one you have:
- Sheet or workbook protection (this tool): set with Review > Protect Sheet or Protect Workbook. It stops editing but does not hide or encrypt the data. This tool removes it instantly, with or without the password.
- Open-password encryption (not this tool): set with File > Info > Encrypt with Password. Excel asks for a password the moment you try to open the file. That is genuine AES encryption, and it cannot be removed without the password by any tool that does not resort to brute-force cracking. If your file asks for a password just to open, open it in Excel with that password and clear it under File > Info.
If you drop in an encrypted file, this tool will tell you plainly rather than pretend to unlock it.
Why removing sheet protection is safe and legitimate
Microsoft's own documentation states that worksheet protection "is not intended as a security feature" and "simply prevents users from modifying locked cells". Because the data is never encrypted, unlocking a sheet you own, or one you were sent and are allowed to edit, is a normal productivity task, the same as any forgotten Review > Unprotect Sheet.
Doing it here keeps the file private: since the workbook is unlocked on your own device and never uploaded, sensitive spreadsheets (budgets, payroll, client data) never touch a third-party server, unlike most online "unlock Excel" services.
Prefer to do it by hand, or need the workbook-structure or Google Sheets method? Our guide on how to unlock an Excel spreadsheet walks through unprotecting with the password, the manual ZIP-edit trick, VBA, and what to do when a file is actually encrypted.
Why use this converter?
Private by design
Conversion runs in your browser. Your files are never uploaded, stored, or seen by anyone.
Genuinely free
No daily task limits, premium tiers, or watermarks. Local conversion costs nothing to run.
Instant results
No upload and download queues. Files convert in about a second, even on slow connections.
Works everywhere
Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android: any modern browser, no app or software install.
Frequently asked questions
How do I unlock an Excel spreadsheet without the password?
Drop the .xlsx or .xlsm file into the tool above and click Remove protection. It strips the sheet and workbook editing protection and downloads an unlocked copy, no password needed, because this kind of protection is not encryption. Everything runs in your browser.
Does this remove the password you need to open the file?
No. A password that Excel asks for when you open a file is real encryption and cannot be removed without it. This tool only removes sheet and workbook editing protection (Review > Protect Sheet / Protect Workbook), which is not encrypted. If you drop in an encrypted file, the tool tells you clearly.
Is my Excel file uploaded to a server?
No. The workbook is opened and modified locally in your browser. Your file never leaves your device, which makes this safe for budgets, payroll, and other sensitive spreadsheets.
Will my data, formulas, and formatting be preserved?
Yes. The tool removes only the protection tags and leaves the rest of the file untouched, so every cell, formula, chart, and format is exactly as it was in the original.
Is it legal to unprotect an Excel sheet?
Removing protection from a file you own or are authorized to edit is a normal task, and Microsoft itself states sheet protection is not a security feature. Do not use it on files you are not permitted to modify.
What file types are supported?
Modern Excel .xlsx and macro-enabled .xlsm files. The older binary .xls format uses a different structure and is not supported; re-save it as .xlsx in Excel first.
Why can I remove this protection so easily?
Because Excel sheet and workbook protection was never meant to secure data. The file is a ZIP archive of XML, the data is fully readable, and the protection is a single tag. Removing that tag is all it takes, which is exactly why you should use real encryption if you need to secure a file.