Most people use Microsoft Excel as a spreadsheet program. A number of organisations and institutes use Excel files because of their compatibility and ease of use.
Some of these data are, however, considered confidential, and therefore should be protected by additional security measures. In this article, we will discuss how to password protect an Excel workbook.
How to add a password to an excel document
You’ll need Office 2013 or later if you want to password protect an Excel file. If you’re using an older version, you might not be able to do this.
- Open the Excel file that needs a password to be added.
- Click “File” on the top menu.
3. Click on the “Info” button on the left panel.
4. Check the box next to “Protect workbook“.
5. Select the “Encrypt with password” option from the menu.
6. Add the password to the workbook twice by entering it twice.
7.Before closing the excel file, save it.
You can now password-protect your excel file. Each time the file is opened, the password will need to be entered.
Here are some things to consider:
- Please do not forget your password. In Excel files, forgotten passwords cannot be recovered. Thus, it is recommended that you use a password manager or at the very least write down your password.
- The case of passwords is important. Make sure the password is written in the correct case.
- It is possible for an Excel file to be breached, even if it is password protected. Therefore, you should ensure that you add an extra layer of security when storing these documents.
How to add extra security to an excel file
To protect your data in excel files, you can take some additional steps. You should not automatically restrict the access of criminals to your data. users, Preventing accidents, verifying data, etc., is also part of it. You can find these options under File>Info>Protect a workbook.
Mark this as final
You can release a final version of the excel file if you have multiple people working on it.
Open only in read-only mode
The file can only be read when it is opened. In this manner, accidental changes to the workbook are avoided.
Protect the current sheet.
Changes to the current sheet will be limited as a result. A user can choose which rows or columns of a spreadsheet are editable.
Maintain the current structure
By restricting or deleting sheets, you will protect the file’s structure.
Adding a digital signature
If anyone changes the data in the file, the signature will be changed.
