Do you have an important Excel file whose password you have forgotten and need to read or edit it promptly? Then there are two options: you try to remember the password, or you use software to remove the protection. Various services and software developers are available for this purpose - some of them only with the aim of bringing malware onto your computer. Only a few providers are safe and with a money-back guarantee, one of them is passer. Passper offers the bypassing of password protection in Excel files, among other things in a monthly subscription.
Chapter in this post:
Forgot your password in Excel file? Passper bypasses the protection!
Maybe you found a bunch of tables on an old hard drive or CD-ROM that you password-protected at some point. After a while, of course, you forget the character string that reveals the recordings. Then Passper for Excel also a suitable tool to reactivate the data believed to be lost. All information, downloading the software to crack Excel password and customer reviews can be found with this link. There is a free trial version as well as the full version for $ 19,95 a month or $ 29,95 a year.
Counselor: Never load software from CHIP, Softonic, Computer BILD or similar!
Passper only runs on the Windows PC
Unfortunately, Passper for Excel and other versions for ZIP, RAR, Word and other files are only available for Microsoft Windows. But if you have an Apple Mac on which the encrypted tables are stored, there is a workaround for you: use Parallels Desktop, VMware or, if necessary, Apple Boot Camp to run a version of Windows on the Mac. Removing the Excel file password works with the program mentioned under Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista and XP. This means you can also crack Excel password protection on an old Mac or PC. This is also reflected in the system requirements such as 512 MB RAM or 1 GHz CPU contrary.
These "attacks" are used to crack passwords
If you've forgotten the Excel file password and want to use Passper to bypass the protection, you might be interested in how the program works. There are a total of three "attacks" that are used:
- Dictionary Attack: Both the program's own and imported dictionaries are used to try out common or possible words and character combinations
- Mask Attack: In an input mask you can set parameters such as the password length to accelerate the process, if you remember it
- Brute-Force Attack: All possible character combinations are tried out, which usually takes the longest, but can also crack complicated passwords
Note: Only remove the protection from your own Excel files!
Of course, you should only use Passper to remove protection or restrictions from your own Excel files whose password you have forgotten. If you use the program or other procedures for data that is none of your business, then you can make yourself liable to prosecution. Incidentally, you will not make yourself liable to prosecution if you read one or the other post here in the blog - for example for Open BIN files on the Mac or whatever .aae files are ;)
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After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.
I had to do something like that once. But that went without any problems on the Mac with a hex editor, as far as I can remember. That was done in less than 5 minutes including goggling.
Hello Beatrix!
How did you do that? Is the password in plain text in the file so that it can be easily read with the editor ??? VG! Jens
I once goggled: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22663809/excel-vba-password-via-hex-editor . You have to unzip the file. You have to change something in a file with the hex editor. Then pack up the file again. As far as I can remember, the file then thinks it has no password.
Ah, thanks for Googling! This is of course also a practical way. Somehow reminds me of the early days of the C64, when you got an infinite number of lives by changing the line in which the lives were counted down. : D
Hello Beatrix, hello Sir Apfelot,
so unfortunately I can't get any further and need your help again.
I downloaded a hex editor (iHex), but when I use it to open the password-protected Excel file, I unfortunately never find the lines that need to be changed in the linked tip :-(!
Open xls file with a hex editor.
Search for DPB -> I can't find a result here :-(!
Replace DPB to DPx
Save file.
Open file in Excel.
Click “Yes” if you get any message box.
Set new password from VBA Project Properties.
Close and open file again, then type your new password to unprotect.
Even changing the file extension to a .zip file with this approach does not help me ...
For a .xlsm or .dotm file type you need to do it a slightly different way.
Change the extension of the .xlsm file to .zip.
Open the .zip file (with WinZip or WinRar etc) and go to the xl folder. -> I do not have this folder in the discovered file :-(!
Extract the vbaProject.bin file and open it in a Hex Editor (I use HxD, its completely free and lightweight.)
Search for DPB and replace with DPx and save the file.
Replace the old vbaProject.bin file with this new one in the zipped file.
Change the file extension back to .xlsm.
Open workbook skip through the warning messages.
Open up Visual Basic inside Excel.
Go to Tools> VBAProject Properties> Protection Tab.
Put in a new password and save the .xlsm file.
Close and re-open and your new password will work.
Do you have any ideas or can you help me?
Hello Tom! I think the structure of the files can differ from version to version. Therefore, the instructions may not apply to all versions of Excel. Unfortunately, I have no advice on this.
What is the format of your file? xls or xlsx? For the xlsx file you have to rename the file to .zip.
@ Beatrix: Thanks for stepping in! I have no idea about it. : D
@Sir Apfelot: Anyway, thank you very much! :-)
@Beatrix: it is an xlsx file. I then simply renamed it as .zip.
Since I only have a Mac, I couldn't use WinZip or WinRar to unpack afterwards, so I tried "The Unarchiver".
The unpacking itself also works, but unfortunately the “XL Folder” that I am supposed to go to in the next step does not result. :-(
Do you have another idea for me?
You either send me the file or we make an appointment so that I can take a look at the file via Skype / Zoom. You can find out my email address over the Internet.