Learn how to secure your sensitive data by adding a password to your Excel workbook. This prevents unauthorized users from opening and viewing your file.
Open your Excel workbook and click on the File tab in the top-left corner of the ribbon.
From the menu on the left, click on Info. This section provides details about your workbook and protection options.
Click the Protect Workbook button. A dropdown menu with several security options will appear.
From the dropdown menu, choose the Encrypt with Password option. This will open a dialog box to set your password.
In the Encrypt Document dialog box, type your desired password and click OK. You will be prompted to re-enter the password to confirm it. Click OK again.
A message will appear stating that a password is required to open the workbook. Save your file to apply the password protection.
Important Tips for Workbook Protection
Microsoft cannot recover lost or forgotten passwords. Store your password in a secure location, like a password manager.
For better security, use a password that includes a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Encrypting with a password protects the entire file from being opened. 'Protect Workbook Structure' only prevents changes to the sheet layout.
Consider saving an unprotected copy of your workbook in a secure, separate location as a backup in case you forget the password.
Explore other Excel guides and shortcuts