is there a way to remove the protection to a sheet/workbook, so I can edit it? There seem to be macros online that say they do it but don’t seem to work. The usual some buffoon in work has written a workbook, locked it, and it’s crap!

C

Ask the buffoon for their password.

Look at it this way. Would you want it to be that easy to crack a password, thus rendering them pointless?

Can you just copy the contents of each sheet (not the worksheets themselves, that will keep the password) to a new workbook?

is there a way to remove the protection to a sheet/workbook, so I can edit it?

You are a recruiter for GCHQ and I claim my five pounds.

Do i get the job?

there used to be VBA methods for removing the password, but I dont think Ive ever used it on Excel later than 2003 or 2007. No idea if they’ve plugged the holes in 2010 and later but I wouldnt be surprised.

There were also keygen EXEs that could do it, but that’s risky as you cant be too sure what you’re installing.

I saw the VBA things and that’s what I’ve been trying. mmmm???

C

Copy the contents to a new document if you can..
You ccoul run a brute force attack on the password but that could take days/weeks.. It’d be more efficient to just recreate the spreadsheet.

I can usually do it, but not always…

Email me a copy if its suitable. It’ll be a while til I’m sat at a pooter though…

If you work where I work, all shared documents are password protected using the password “1”. Worth trying the standard bad passwords.

I use the VBA that one finds at the top of googled links. Never not been able to break a password (v 2010) although sometimes it may take two goes for it to work

That VBA code worked this time (ver 2010). Maybe you just need to do it a few times?

C

is there a way to remove the protection to a sheet/workbook, so I can edit it?

You dont need to go cracking passwords for this. Thats only for password protected access (ie opening) a workbook.

As others have said above, select the content of the sheet, copy, and paste to a new workbook.

Do you know what vintage of excel was used to create/apply the password? There’s possibly a different method depending on whether its xls or xlsx (or so a guy in the pub told me, apparently).
All that said, if you can view/copy the contents you are most of the way there anyway – you might be as well starting fresh?

Convert to PDF.

Convert PDF to excel.

This might not work, it’s just a guess.

Open Excel doc in Libre Office.

^ That works in Google sheets as well.

NB You can bypass the VBA password very easily, there’s an App which just tells Excel it’s been entered correctly and it just opens it for you…