If you forgot the password, use the VBA/XML editors on GitHub.
Never run an unknown .exe from GitHub. Instead, run the Python script yourself so you can read every line of code before execution.
It is crucial to understand what kind of password you are dealing with: Protection Type Description Difficulty Restricts editing specific cells. Very Easy (VBA/XML) Workbook Protection Restricts adding/deleting sheets. Very Easy (VBA/XML) VBA Project Password Locks the VBA code. Easy/Medium File Open Password Encrypts the entire file (.xlsx). Hard (Brute Force)
The GitHub community provides excellent free tools for removing Excel passwords. Tools like azmke/unprotexcel and aziascreations/Excel-Worksheet-Password-Remover are perfect for removing sheet protection in 2026. For more secure files, advanced tools like John the Ripper remain the industry standard. Excel Password Remover Github
What are you working with ( .xls or .xlsx )? What is your operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux)? Share public link
When you protect a worksheet with a password, Excel doesn't encrypt the entire file. Instead, it simply adds a small line of code, an XML tag like <sheetProtection .../> , into the relevant worksheet's XML file. The password is hashed (obscured), but the tag itself serves as the lock. The removal tools work by automating three steps:
You must first use a script like office2john.py to extract the cryptographic hash from the Excel file, then feed that hash into Hashcat along with a dictionary file (wordlist). 2. Office-Password-Break If you forgot the password, use the VBA/XML
Always keep a backup of your passwords in a password manager (Bitwarden, 1Password, or even a physical notebook). Prevention is infinitely easier than recovery.
The tool from jimbrig (written in C#) takes the same approach: it extracts the file, removes the <sheetProtection> tag from every worksheet, and saves the unlocked copy. This method is fast, reliable, and works across Windows, Linux, and macOS (provided Python is installed). The Unproted‑Excel project from ssarante similarly deletes the protection tag and works with Excel versions all the way from Office 2016 through Office 2024 and Microsoft 365.
If you can tell me the (Sheet protection vs. VBA password vs. "File Open" password) and the file format (.xlsx or .xls), I can point you toward the exact script that will work best for your situation. It is crucial to understand what kind of
The developers of these tools have been largely transparent about their limitations. Many include prominent warnings about potential formatting changes or the need for backups. Projects like Excelled-web, built by someone who just wanted to help their mother edit protected files, show that these tools often come from genuine, practical needs rather than malicious intent.
: For older .xls files, hex editors can directly modify the raw binary data to corrupt the protection flag, forcing Excel to ignore the original password setting. A common method involves searching for the "DPB=" string and changing the 'B' to another character.