How to easily Unprotect/Remove Password from a Protected Excel Worksheet

I found this website to help remove 'Password-Protected' Worksheets within an Excel file:

http://jsbi.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-to-easily-unprotectremove-password.html

You may already know how easy it is to protect Microsoft Office Excel worksheets and workbooks from unauthorized changes with the help of a password. But, what to do if you can’t remember the password you used for protecting OR you downloaded an excel from the internet and would like to have a look at the formula's or the embeded information - but all that data might be inaccessible due to the password protection.I have a very simple method by which you can easily recover the password and also un-protect the worksheet or workbook. Please note : this method will only remove the protection from the excel file and not the password used to open the excel file itself.Open the excel file which is password protected and goto Macro's (I am using Office 2007 so the menu's maybe different View >> Macros). Click on "Record Macro >> OK" and then click on "Stop Recording" from the same menu. Now goto "View Macros", you will find a Macro with a default name E.g. Macro1 - Select the macro name and click on Edit. Now a Visual Basic Editor opens up. Re-place the default code and Paste the below code.

Sub Macro1()'' Breaks worksheet and workbook structure passwords. Jason S' probably originator of base code algorithm modified for coverage' of workbook structure / windows passwords and for multiple passwords' Jason S http://jsbi.blogspot.com' Reveals hashed passwords NOT original passwordsConst DBLSPACE As String = vbNewLine & vbNewLineConst AUTHORS As String = DBLSPACE & vbNewLine & "Adapted from Bob McCormick base code by" & "Jason S http://jsbi.blogspot.com"Const HEADER As String = "AllInternalPasswords User Message"Const VERSION As String = DBLSPACE & "Version 1.0 8 Sep 2008"Const REPBACK As String = DBLSPACE & "Please report failure to jasonblr@gmail.com "Const ALLCLEAR As String = DBLSPACE & "The workbook should be cleared"Const MSGNOPWORDS1 As String = "There were no passwords on " & AUTHORS & VERSIONConst MSGNOPWORDS2 As String = "There was no protection to " & "workbook structure or windows." & DBLSPACEConst MSGTAKETIME As String = "After pressing OK button this " & "will take some time." & DBLSPACE & "Amount of time " & "depends on how many different passwords, the "Const MSGPWORDFOUND1 As String = "You had a Worksheet " & "Structure or Windows Password set." & DBLSPACE & "The password found was: " & DBLSPACE & "$$" & DBLSPACE & "Note it down for potential future use in other workbooks by " & "the same person who set this password." & DBLSPACE & "Now to check and clear other passwords." & AUTHORS & VERSIONConst MSGPWORDFOUND2 As String = "You had a Worksheet " & "password set." & DBLSPACE & "The password found was: " & DBLSPACE & "$$" & DBLSPACE & "Note it down for potential " & "future use in other workbooks by same person who " & "set this password." & DBLSPACE & "Now to check and clear " & "other passwords." & AUTHORS & VERSIONConst MSGONLYONE As String = "Only structure / windows " & "protected with the password that was just found." & ALLCLEAR & AUTHORS & VERSION & REPBACKDim w1 As Worksheet, w2 As WorksheetDim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer, l As IntegerDim m As Integer, n As Integer, i1 As Integer, i2 As IntegerDim i3 As Integer, i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As IntegerDim PWord1 As StringDim ShTag As Boolean, WinTag As BooleanApplication.ScreenUpdating = FalseWith ActiveWorkbookWinTag = .ProtectStructure Or .ProtectWindowsEnd WithShTag = FalseFor Each w1 In WorksheetsShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContentsNext w1If Not ShTag And Not WinTag ThenMsgBox MSGNOPWORDS1, vbInformation, HEADERExit SubEnd IfMsgBox MSGTAKETIME, vbInformation, HEADERIf Not WinTag ThenMsgBox MSGNOPWORDS2, vbInformation, HEADERElseOn Error Resume NextDo 'dummy do loopFor i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126With ActiveWorkbook.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 .ProtectStructure = False And .ProtectWindows = False ThenPWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)MsgBox Application.Substitute(MSGPWORDFOUND1, "$$", PWord1), vbInformation, HEADERExit Do 'Bypass all for...nextsEnd IfEnd WithNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextLoop Until TrueOn Error GoTo 0End IfIf WinTag And Not ShTag ThenMsgBox MSGONLYONE, vbInformation, HEADERExit SubEnd IfOn Error Resume NextFor Each w1 In Worksheets'Attempt clearance with PWord1w1.Unprotect PWord1Next w1On Error GoTo 0ShTag = FalseFor Each w1 In Worksheets'Checks for all clear ShTag triggered to 1 if not.ShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContentsNext w1If ShTag ThenFor Each w1 In WorksheetsWith w1If .ProtectContents ThenOn Error Resume NextDo 'Dummy do loopFor i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)If Not .ProtectContents ThenPWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)MsgBox Application.Substitute(MSGPWORDFOUND2, "$$", PWord1), vbInformation, HEADER'leverage finding Pword by trying on other sheetsFor Each w2 In Worksheetsw2.Unprotect PWord1Next w2Exit Do 'Bypass all for...nextsEnd IfNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextLoop Until TrueOn Error GoTo 0End IfEnd WithNext w1End IfMsgBox ALLCLEAR & AUTHORS & VERSION & REPBACK, vbInformation, HEADER'End Sub

Finally, run the Macro(View >> Macros >> View Macros >> Run). You will get the password of the protected workbook and worksheet in Excel. I have tested the above in Microsoft Office Excel XP / 2003 / 2007