To remove password protection from Excel, you need to open the spreadsheet and go to the File > Info section. Then, click on the Protect Workbook option and select the Encrypt with password option ...

If you see The file couldn't open in protected view error while opening Microsoft Excel, the fixes listed in this post will help you.

It is possible to create a macro in an Excel sheet that unlock the sheet which is already protected by a password. Users can easily prepare a document in the sheet and then lock it again with a ...

A recommended approach to secure your most private documents — whether it’s a PDF, Word file, or Excel spreadsheet — is to lock them with a passcode. While this does help keep sensitive ...

Or you could try opening it in OpenOffice and see if that removes the protection. Is it actually password protected or was the file attribute change to "read only" (which you can change yourself)?

If you have sensitive data you'd like to keep from prying eyes in a Microsoft Excel file, the easiest way to protect it is with Excel's built-in password tools.

There are several options available to you to protect your Excel file with a password. Remember that once you protect the Excel file, you cannot open it without entering the password.