Protecting Excel Files with Passwords

Excel files can be protected in a variety of ways. The easiest method is to use Excel’s built in password settings which allow the user to create a password when a file is saved. With this tool, you can create a password which prevents opening or modifying the file.  The following are the steps needed to save a file with a password:

• On the File menu, click Save As.
• On the Tools menu in the Save As dialog box, click General Options.

 

In the Password to open box, type appropriate “open” and “modify” passwords, and click OK. In the Re-enter password to open box, type the appropriate “open” and “modify” passwords again, and click OK. Click Save. You can establish different passwords for opening or modifying an Excel file.

For the truly paranoid, Excel offers a wide range of encryption options, including control over the encryption technology and size of the encryption key used.

The dialog boxes shown below are what you will see when you attempt to open a password protected Excel file:

 

You will later need your passwords to open the Excel file.

As you can see from the above screen capture you can create a password that will be needed to open the file, or a password that will be needed to modify the file, or both.  If you only create a password to modify the file, anyone can open the file, but will not be able to save the file unless they use a different file name or save the file in a different location. If you do not create a password for either but click the “Read-only recommended” check box, the person opening the file will simply get a suggestion that they open the file as a read only file.  However, they are not required to do so, and can, at their option open the file as an unrestricted normal file.

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