How to easily Unprotect/Remove Password from a Protected Excel Worksheet

Open the excel file which is password protected and goto Macro's (I am using Office 2007 so the menu's maybe different View >> Macros). Click on "Record Macro >> OK" and then click on "Stop Recording" from the same menu. Now goto "View Macros", you will find a Macro with a default name E.g. Macro1 - Select the macro name and click on Edit. Now a Visual Basic Editor opens up. Re-place the default code and Paste the below code.

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Sub Macro1()
'
' Breaks worksheet and workbook structure passwords. Jason S

' probably originator of base code algorithm modified for coverage

' of workbook structure / windows passwords and for multiple passwords

' Jason S http://jsbi.blogspot.com

' Reveals hashed passwords NOT original passwords

Const DBLSPACE As String = vbNewLine & vbNewLine

Const AUTHORS As String = DBLSPACE & vbNewLine & "Adapted from Bob McCormick base code by" & "Jason S http://jsbi.blogspot.com"

Const HEADER As String = "AllInternalPasswords User Message"

Const VERSION As String = DBLSPACE & "Version 1.0 8 Sep 2008"

Const REPBACK As String = DBLSPACE & "Please report failure to jasonblr@gmail.com "

Const ALLCLEAR As String = DBLSPACE & "The workbook should be cleared"

Const MSGNOPWORDS1 As String = "There were no passwords on " & AUTHORS & VERSION

Const MSGNOPWORDS2 As String = "There was no protection to " & "workbook structure or windows." & DBLSPACE

Const MSGTAKETIME As String = "After pressing OK button this " & "will take some time." & DBLSPACE & "Amount of time " & "depends on how many different passwords, the "

Const MSGPWORDFOUND1 As String = "You had a Worksheet " & "Structure or Windows Password set." & DBLSPACE & "The password found was: " & DBLSPACE & "$$" & DBLSPACE & "Note it down for potential future use in other workbooks by " & "the same person who set this password." & DBLSPACE & "Now to check and clear other passwords." & AUTHORS & VERSION

Const MSGPWORDFOUND2 As String = "You had a Worksheet " & "password set." & DBLSPACE & "The password found was: " & DBLSPACE & "$$" & DBLSPACE & "Note it down for potential " & "future use in other workbooks by same person who " & "set this password." & DBLSPACE & "Now to check and clear " & "other passwords." & AUTHORS & VERSION

Const MSGONLYONE As String = "Only structure / windows " & "protected with the password that was just found." & ALLCLEAR & AUTHORS & VERSION & REPBACK

Dim w1 As Worksheet, w2 As Worksheet

Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer, l As Integer

Dim m As Integer, n As Integer, i1 As Integer, i2 As Integer

Dim i3 As Integer, i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As Integer

Dim PWord1 As String

Dim ShTag As Boolean, WinTag As Boolean

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

With ActiveWorkbook

WinTag = .ProtectStructure Or .ProtectWindows

End With

ShTag = False

For Each w1 In Worksheets

ShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContents

Next w1

If Not ShTag And Not WinTag Then

MsgBox MSGNOPWORDS1, vbInformation, HEADER

Exit Sub

End If

MsgBox MSGTAKETIME, vbInformation, HEADER

If Not WinTag Then

MsgBox MSGNOPWORDS2, vbInformation, HEADER

Else

On Error Resume Next

Do 'dummy do loop

For i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66

For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66

For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66

For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126

With ActiveWorkbook

.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)

If .ProtectStructure = False And .ProtectWindows = False Then

PWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)

MsgBox Application.Substitute(MSGPWORDFOUND1, "$$", PWord1), vbInformation, HEADER

Exit Do 'Bypass all for...nexts

End If

End With

Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next

Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next

Loop Until True

On Error GoTo 0

End If

If WinTag And Not ShTag Then

MsgBox MSGONLYONE, vbInformation, HEADER

Exit Sub

End If

On Error Resume Next

For Each w1 In Worksheets

'Attempt clearance with PWord1

w1.Unprotect PWord1

Next w1

On Error GoTo 0

ShTag = False

For Each w1 In Worksheets

'Checks for all clear ShTag triggered to 1 if not.

ShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContents

Next w1

If ShTag Then

For Each w1 In Worksheets

With w1

If .ProtectContents Then

On Error Resume Next

Do 'Dummy do loop

For i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66

For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66

For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66

For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126

.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)

If Not .ProtectContents Then

PWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)

MsgBox Application.Substitute(MSGPWORDFOUND2, "$$", PWord1), vbInformation, HEADER

'leverage finding Pword by trying on other sheets

For Each w2 In Worksheets

w2.Unprotect PWord1

Next w2

Exit Do 'Bypass all for...nexts

End If

Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next

Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next

Loop Until True

On Error GoTo 0

End If

End With

Next w1

End If

MsgBox ALLCLEAR & AUTHORS & VERSION & REPBACK, vbInformation, HEADER
'
End Sub

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Finally, run the Macro(View >> Macros >> View Macros >> Run). You will get the password of the protected workbook and worksheet in Excel. I have tested the above in Microsoft Office Excel XP / 2003 / 2007