Learn how to unprotect Excel sheets or workbooks without a password using this simple step-by-step guide. No software required!

Whether you’ve forgotten the password or received a protected file from someone else, unlocking an Excel spreadsheet without the password may seem like an insurmountable challenge.

You can add or remove a password from your Excel spreadsheets through the File tab. You'll do it slightly differently on a Mac and PC.

If you have sensitive data you'd like to keep from prying eyes in a Microsoft Excel file, the easiest way to protect it is with Excel's built-in password tools.

At the file level, you can password protect an Excel workbook in two ways: You can determine who can get in and who can save changes.