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.

I have an old file that was saved using Word (Office 2000) that I password protected. As it has been some time since I used the file I have forgotten the password.

How to remove Excel password if forgotten? To remove a forgotten Excel password, you need to use a third-party software called PassFab for Excel. or Passper Excel Password Recovery Tool.

If you lost work to an Excel workbook because of the program crashed or because of an unexpected shutdown, Excel actually has a built-in way to recover your file or the changes made to a file.

Microsoft Excel has several features designed to help you recover unsaved versions of files and prevent data loss.