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Excel Passwords

Excel password types

There are five different types of Excel passwords:

1. File open password
2. File modify password
3. Worksheet password
4. Workbook password
5. VBA password

1. File open password

File open passwords prevent unauthorised users from opening a document.

2. File modify password

File modify passwords allow others to open the document but only authorised users can make changes to it. Here, you can assign a password for modifying the document. You have to enter the password and open your document or open your document in read-only mode.

By the way, you can open the document in read-only mode, remove the file modify password and use "Save As" to store the document under another name. Then delete the original Excel document and rename the saved document. The new document will not have a password.

3. Worksheet password

This is the password assigned to the current worksheet to protect it against modification.

4. Workbook password

Workbook passwords protect the workbook against modification.

If a Workbook password is assigned to an Excel document but you didn't assign password to open (it's empty), the password to open is assigned automatically as VelvetSweatshop. Though you will not be asked about this password while you open the file, your document is password-protected with this password.

That's why you can't assign VelvetSweatshop to your document as a password to open. If you try to do this, you will not get an error message, but your document will be opened without any prompt for a password.

5. VBA module password

Excel documents can include VBA modules with macros. These modules can also be protected by a password.

» Read about Excel password recovery approaches