Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 21, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Paul has a workbook containing sensitive information. This workbook is password protected. However, the password may have been compromised. Paul wonders if there is a way to change the password associated with a workbook.
Assuming this is actual workbook protection (as opposed to worksheet protection), changing the password is fairly easy. It is important to remember, though, that there are two ways you can password-protect a workbook.
If you can open the workbook and actually see the contents, without needing to enter a password, then follow these steps to change the password:
At this point your workbook has a new password.
In Paul's situation, though, I suspect it is the second type of password that has been applied to the workbook. This password is required of the user when you first attempt to open the workbook. To change this password, follow these steps:
That's it; the password for opening the workbook has been updated. There is also another way to make changes to the password, and that is to open the workbook and then use Save As (press F12). In the resulting dialog box, click Tools | General Options. Here you can, once again, set the passwords for the workbook.
Remember that if there are older copies of the workbook in existence, changing the password doesn't affect them—it only affects the workbook you just saved.
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