Remove the edit lock on a protected Excel sheet
Someone locked the cells, or you locked a sheet and forgot the password. The lock is a removable XML element, not encryption. This tool strips it out in your browser.
or drag it here. .xlsx and .xlsm files only.
Nothing is uploaded. The unlock runs on your machine.
Scanning the workbook locally, checking sheets for protection elements. Your file has not left this browser.
What the free scan tells you
| Element | What it protects |
|---|---|
| <sheetProtection> | Prevents editing cells on a specific worksheet. Removed per-sheet. |
| <workbookProtection> | Prevents adding, deleting or renaming sheets. Removed from the workbook root. |
| OLE2 / CFB encryption | File-open password. Real AES encryption. This tool cannot remove it, and says so clearly. |
The three steps
Drop the file, scan is free
The workbook is read by your browser. We scan every worksheet XML for protection elements and tell you exactly which sheets are locked and how many markers will be removed. If the file has no protection, we say so and there is nothing to pay for.
See the free preview
Before you pay anything, you see which sheets are protected and a plain explanation of what the lock is and what it is not. No surprises.
Pay $9 once, download immediately
The protection elements are stripped from the XML, the file is re-zipped locally, and the download starts. Your cell data, formulas and formatting are left exactly as they were. Only the lock is gone.
Straight answers
What exactly is "sheet protection" and why can you remove it?
An .xlsx workbook is a ZIP of XML files. Worksheet protection is a self-closing XML element stored inside the sheet's XML. Excel reads that element and refuses edits. Removing the element makes Excel treat the sheet as normal. The actual cell data, formulas and formatting are not encrypted or modified in any way. It is a removable marker on your own file, not a security system that protects someone else's content. It is entirely legitimate to remove it from a file you own.
What about files that need a password to open?
Those are completely different. A file-open password scrambles the entire workbook with AES encryption. The file starts with a CFB/OLE2 magic header. Removing that password requires the key. We do not try to crack encryption and we will not offer to. If you drop an encrypted file, you get an honest refusal with a clear explanation and no pay button. This tool only removes the edit lock on files you already own and can open.
Is my spreadsheet really not uploaded anywhere?
Really. The scanning and unlocking are JavaScript running in your browser tab. The only network request this page makes is to Stripe for payment. Open your browser's developer tools and watch the network tab. Your spreadsheet is not in the traffic.
What if the file has no protection?
We tell you so immediately, for free. "This workbook has no edit lock to remove." There is no pay button when there is nothing to unlock.
What shows up on my card statement?
WEDGEWORKS* XLUNLOCK. FileQuiet is made by Wedgeworks. $9, one time. No subscription and nothing recurring. The same file re-unlocks in this browser for free, forever.
I paid but my browser lost the file (private mode). Am I stuck?
No. Drop the same .xlsx again and the unlocked download starts without another charge. Your payment is remembered by this browser. Because the file never touches our servers, we cannot store it for you. The unlock simply runs again locally. If anything goes sideways, email support@shotfold.com with your Stripe receipt and we will make it right.
Which lock do you actually have?
- Sheet protection versus file encryptionExcel has three locks people all call the password. The ten second test that tells you which one is in front of you.
- Forgot the password on a protected sheetThe free route in full, including the exact re-zip step that otherwise leaves you with a file Excel calls corrupt.
More on workbooks that will not behave is in the guides.