How do I unprotect a workbook in Excel?

To unprotect a workbook in Excel, navigate to the Review tab, click Unprotect Workbook, and then enter the password if one was set. This action allows you to modify the workbook's structure, such as adding, deleting, or renaming sheets.

Understanding Workbook Protection in Excel

Excel workbook protection is a feature designed to prevent structural changes to your workbook. This differs from sheet protection, which restricts changes to the content within individual worksheets. When a workbook is protected, you are typically prevented from:

• Adding, deleting, or renaming worksheets.
• Moving, copying, or hiding/unhiding worksheets.
• Resizing or moving workbook windows.

Step-by-Step Guide to Unprotect a Workbook

Unprotecting a workbook is a straightforward process, provided you have the correct password.

For Workbook Structure Protection

Follow these steps to remove protection from your Excel workbook's structure:

1. Open the Excel Workbook: Begin by opening the specific workbook you wish to unprotect in Excel.
2. Go to the Review Tab: Locate and click on the Review tab in the Excel ribbon at the top of your screen.
3. Click Unprotect Workbook: In the "Protect" group within the Review tab, you will see a button that says Unprotect Workbook. Click this button. If the workbook is currently protected, the button will appear as "Unprotect Workbook"; otherwise, it would be "Protect Workbook."
4. Enter the Password (if prompted): If a password was originally set to protect the workbook, a dialog box titled "Unprotect Workbook" will appear, prompting you to enter the password. Type the correct password into the field and click OK.
5. Workbook Unprotected: Once the correct password is entered, the workbook's structure will become unprotected, allowing you to make structural changes.

For Unprotecting Individual Worksheets

While the question focuses on workbooks, it's also common to unprotect individual worksheets. If you need to edit content within a specific sheet that is protected, follow these steps:

1. Open the Excel Workbook: Ensure the workbook containing the protected sheet is open.
2. Select the Worksheet: Click on the tab of the specific worksheet you want to unprotect at the bottom of the Excel window.
3. Go to the Review Tab: Just like with workbook protection, navigate to the Review tab in the Excel ribbon.
4. Click Unprotect Sheet: In the "Protect" group, click on the Unprotect Sheet button. If the sheet is protected, this option will be visible.
5. Enter the Password (if prompted): If the sheet was protected with a password, a dialog box will appear. Enter the password and click OK. Clicking Unprotect Sheet automatically removes the password from that sheet once correctly entered.
6. Sheet Unprotected: The selected worksheet is now unprotected, and you can freely edit its cells and content.

Differentiating Workbook and Worksheet Protection

It's crucial to understand the distinction between protecting an entire workbook and protecting individual worksheets, as they serve different purposes.

Feature	Workbook Protection	Worksheet Protection
Purpose	Prevents structural changes (e.g., adding, deleting, renaming, moving, or hiding sheets).	Prevents changes to cell content, formatting, objects, and scenarios within a specific sheet.
Access Point	Review tab > Unprotect Workbook	Review tab > Unprotect Sheet
Scope	Applies to the entire workbook's organization and window arrangement.	Applies only to the selected individual worksheet.
What it Affects	Sheet tabs, workbook windows.	Cells, rows, columns, objects within a sheet.

Important Considerations for Protection

• Password Management: Always keep a secure record of any passwords you use to protect your Excel files. Excel does not offer a built-in password recovery feature for forgotten protection passwords. Without the password, it can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to unprotect the file.
• Saving Changes: After successfully unprotecting your workbook or worksheet, remember to save the workbook (Ctrl + S or File > Save) to ensure the changes (i.e., the removal of protection) are permanently applied.
• Security Best Practices: Use strong, unique passwords for protection. Only share unprotected files or passwords with trusted individuals who need to make specific modifications.

For more detailed information, you can refer to Microsoft's official support documentation on protecting a workbook and protecting a worksheet.