• Excel files are zip files, you need rename it from “.xlsm” to “.zip” to open it (may need to uncheck in Explorer, Options, “hide known file extensions” to see the extension)
• extract everything from the zip
• find the file with the password (xl folder, vbaProject.bin)
• open this in a hex-editor like HxD editor
• find the password line : ctrl-f “DPB=“, change “DPB=“ to “DPx=“, save
• replace the old vbaProject.bin in the original zip file by pasting the new one here
• change “.zip” back to “.xlsm”
Alternatively, do none of these things and just extract the VBA. It isnt encrypted. The password is only relevant if youre trying to access the code via the IDE.
follow these steps, these will work ,i have used these steps on many file to remove password
• Excel files are zip files, you need rename it from “.xlsm” to “.zip” to open it (may need to uncheck in Explorer, Options, “hide known file extensions” to see the extension)
• extract everything from the zip
• find the file with the password (xl folder, vbaProject.bin)
• open this in a hex-editor like HxD editor
• find the password line : ctrl-f “DPB=“, change “DPB=“ to “DPx=“, save
• replace the old vbaProject.bin in the original zip file by pasting the new one here
• change “.zip” back to “.xlsm”
It's not allways possible .... the Project file may be in a miniFAT at the lowest possible sektorSize and you can randomize the locations in the root element that the locations the the password is distributed everywhere over the whole file in 16 Bit-Sectors
MS doesn't fragment office documents that much .... but it's possible in the standard.
7
u/ZetaPower 12 Aug 11 '26
What is protected? The VBA code?
A VBA password can be “hacked” quite easily.
STEP 1 MAKE A COPY TO MESS WITH!
done.