If you have a desktop or laptop, you might have created some Microsoft Excel files. Some of your Excel files may be sensitive for you, and so you don’t want to let others access them.
On the other hand, Microsoft Excel documents are used by different kinds of people and institutions, from the average person, business owners to government institutions. No matter the type of information you store in an Excel file, protecting an Excel document’s data with a password is always advantageous. Moreover, let’s see how you can secure an Excel file through a password.
How to protect an Excel document with a password
- We are assuming that you are in Excel. Under Excel, you have to open a file that you have to protect using a password.
- Hit on the File option from the upper left corner. When the new menu opens, you have to tap on the Info option.
- Here you have to choose the button called Protect Workbook. And then, select Encrypt with Password option in the drop-down menu.
- Now the software will ask you to enter the password. So, create a unique and completed password and note it down in a password manager or any other safe place.
After securing the file with a password, it is essential for you to keep it remember. You can also store the password in a safe place if you think you can forget it. Because if you don’t know the password, you won’t be able to access your Excel document, and recovering the file may be completed for you.
Unfortunately, you can’t recover a forgotten password, and for this good reason, you should consider a password manager program if you don’t want to lose your Excel file.
A password-protected file will ask for the password if you or anyone want to access it. Keep in mind, when you set an Excel file with a password, you can only secure that individual file, not the entire Excel file available on your computer. You can also protect all files on your PC, but you will need to protect all of them individually.
If you want to ensure the password protection of a file, you can check it using the Info tab for a file and see the Protect Workbook option.
Try additional security alternatives
You can add an extra layer of protection on your Excel files through other security options. Let’s see the other alternatives for protecting an Excel file. All these options offer different types of security. You can consider the one that is perfect for you.
- Mark as Final: To be honest, you don’t get any security with this tool. For example, it won’t protect your Excel file with a password. It can only show the file as completed, so others can’t make any changes in the file.
- Protect Current Sheet: It protects your worksheet with a password. You can use it if your workbook contains only one sheet, and if someone looks at the file information, it doesn’t matter to you. You only don’t wish to let them change anything.
- Restrict Access: Restrict Access is an excellent option for businesses that have employees.
Add a Digital Signature: You can create a digital signature over your Excel file to restrict your file access by others.
Read Official Blog Post – Excel File: Protect it through a password
