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Password protect an Excel workbook

Password protect an Excel file (.xlsx, .xlsm, .xltx, .xltm, .xlsb) so Microsoft Excel asks for the password. Free, no account, and the file never leaves your device.

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How it works

  1. Choose your Excel workbook (.xlsx, .xlsm (macro-enabled), .xltx, .xltm and .xlsb, up to 50 MB).
  2. Type a password and confirm it.
  3. Choose the Protect button.
  4. Download the protected copy, then open it once to check that Excel asks for the password.

What it is good for

Sending a budget, payroll sheet, invoice list or financial model by email or chat so that only people who know the password can open it.

Supported files and limits

Files: .xlsx, .xlsm (macro-enabled), .xltx, .xltm and .xlsb, up to 50 MB. Also Office "XML Document" files from a current version of Office, which are converted to the regular file they describe first. Old binary files (.doc, .xls, .ppt), 2003 XML files and files that already have a password are not supported.

  • If you forget the password, the file cannot be opened. PDFScanner never sees the password and cannot recover it.
  • Old .doc, .xls and .ppt files are refused: open them in Office and save in the current format first.
  • Macro-enabled files are encrypted exactly as they are. Macros are not run, changed or removed, and the application decides whether to run them after you enter the password.
  • A file's contents must match its type: a macro-enabled file saved under a plain .docx, .xlsx or .pptx name is refused.
  • The password protects the file at rest. Anyone you give the password to can open, copy and edit it.
  • Protected files open in Microsoft Office 2010 and later and in apps that support Office file encryption. Some other apps and online viewers cannot open them.
  • Choose a password that is not easy to guess, and send it separately from the file.

Your files and privacy

Your file is processed in your browser, on your own device. It is not uploaded to PDFScanner's servers. PDFScanner counts basic usage, such as which tool was opened, but never sees what is inside your document.

Questions and answers

How do I password protect an Excel workbook for free?
Choose your file, enter a password twice, and choose the Protect button. Then download the protected copy. It is free and needs no account.
Is my file or password uploaded?
No. The file is encrypted by code running in your browser, so neither the file nor the password is sent to PDFScanner.
Will Excel ask for the password?
Yes. The protected file uses the same password format as Excel's own File > Info > Protect > Encrypt with Password, so Excel asks for the password before it opens.
Are formulas, sheets and formatting changed?
No. The workbook is encrypted exactly as it is. It is not opened, recalculated or rewritten.
Can I protect an Excel XML file?
An Excel "XML Workbook" saved from a current version of Excel is converted to a regular .xlsx first, without changing its content. Excel 2003 XML Spreadsheets and other XML files cannot be converted and are refused.
Can I protect an old .doc, .xls or .ppt file?
No. Those formats cannot be password-protected the way Office does it. Open the file in Office, save it in the current format, then protect that file.
Can I recover a forgotten password?
No. Nobody, including PDFScanner, can open the file without it.

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