Key Takeaways : Excel spreadsheets can be protected by Edit Ranges, Sheet Protection, Workbook Protection, File Modify Password, VBA Project Password, and File Open Password.

You can make Excel always open old spreadsheets in Protected View. Enable or disable Protected View using in-built setting, Group Policy, Registry.

Elsewhere, users can now also access password-protected workbooks on Excel for the Web, meaning there's no need to switch back to a desktop in order to open & interact with secured files.

It is possible to create a macro in an Excel sheet that unlock the sheet which is already protected by a password. Users can easily prepare a document in the sheet and then lock it again with a ...

The Excel file may say it’s locked if the user who shared it with you is currently editing the document. It can also be because the Office app running in the background has already opened the file.

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.