Excel Sheet Protection Remover (Unprotect Excel Sheet)

Excel's "Protect Sheet" and "Protect Workbook" lock cells and sheet structure behind a password. Once that password is forgotten, the workbook can be read but not edited. In an .xlsx file this protection is only a marker in the sheet's XML: it does not encrypt anything. This tool removes those markers from your own copy inside your browser, so every sheet becomes editable again. Data, formulas, formatting, charts and macros are left untouched. Use it only on workbooks you own or are allowed to edit; it does not find, crack or reveal any password, and it cannot open a file that is encrypted with a password to open.

How to use this tool

1. Choose the .xlsx or .xlsm workbook.
2. Keep "Allow edit ranges" and "password to modify" ticked to remove those locks too.
3. Download the unprotected copy; the table lists what was removed from each sheet.
4. Open it in Excel. If sheets were hidden, you can now unhide them.

Formula

xl/worksheets/sheetN.xml: <sheetProtection … /> removed · xl/workbook.xml: <workbookProtection … /> removed

An .xlsx file is a ZIP package of XML parts. Sheet protection is the sheetProtection element, with the password stored as a hash and nothing encrypted. Workbook structure protection is workbookProtection, allow-edit ranges are protectedRanges, and "password to modify" is fileSharing. Only these elements are deleted; every other part of the package is copied as it is. A file with a password to open is truly encrypted (AES); removing that needs the password, and this tool does not try.

Example

A budget workbook with three sheets, two of them protected with a password and the workbook structure locked: the result lists Summary: removed sheet protection with a password, Data: removed sheet protection with a password, Notes: not protected, and "Workbook protection removed: Yes". The new file budget-unprotected.xlsx opens without any prompt and the Review tab shows "Protect Sheet" again.