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RemovinganExcelVBApasswordusingaHexeditor
March6th,2008adminLeaveacommentGotocomments
AVBAprojectpasswordcanberemovedwithahexeditor(IusedtheXVI32Freewareeditorfromhere).AlthoughIdidntdiscoverthis
method,Imhappytoposttheprocesswithscreenshotstohelpothers.Sometimesallweneedisthatlittlesnippetofcodeinanold
VBAprojectwevearchivedaway
Openyourchosenworkbookfile(.xlsor.xlafile)inthehexeditor.Itwilllooklikethefollowing

TheXVI32Hexeditor
NowsearchfortheTextstringDPBandchangeittoDPx(simplytypeoverthevalue).

Searchfortextstring"DPB"

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Completedsearch

ChangefromDPBtoDPx
Savethefileoverthetopoftheexistingworkbookandclose.

Saveprotectionsettings
Now,opentheworkbookinExcelandclickOKuntiltheworkbookisopen(youmayreceiveacoupleofVBAerrorsontheway).Press
ALT+F11toopentheVisualBasicProjectwindow,FromtheToolsmenu,choosethecommandVBAProjectProperties,navigatetothe
Protectiontab,andchangethepasswordbutdonotremoveit(notethenewpassword).
Savetheworkbook,close,andreopen.
Onceopen,pressALT+F11andenterthenewpassword.
Finally,chooseTools>VBAProjectProperties,navigatetotheProtectiontab,andremovethepassword.
Savetheworkbook.

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Categories:Excel,GeekTags:excelpasswordhex,excelvbapassword,freevbapasswordremoval,Geek,vba
excelpasswordremove,vbapassword,vbapasswordhex,vbapasswordremovalhex
Comments(48)Trackbacks(0)LeaveacommentTrackback
1.
Patnaik
July6th,2013at14:35|#1
Reply|Quote
HelloAdmin
Stillwaitingforyourresponse
reallyappreciateonyourhelp
Thanks
Patnaik
2.
Ajay
July8th,2013at16:28|#2
Reply|Quote
Thanksalotitworks.YoucandownloadHexeditorfrom:http://www.hhdsoftware.com/Downloads/free
hexeditor
3.
AddInMacros?
July17th,2013at04:37|#3
Reply|Quote
Ihavedifferenttypeofissue:ThereisanExceladdininstalledwhichisamacro.SothereisnoXLS
sheetpersebuteverysheetIopenIcanseethismacro(xxxx.XLA).AnywayIcaneditthisone?Thanks
inadvance!
4.
Gordo
August14th,2013at00:10|#4
Reply|Quote
Tocracka2007/2010ExcelVBApassword:
1.Change.xlsmextensionto.zip
2.Openthezippedfolderandnavigateintothexlfolder
3.ExtractthevbaProject.binfileandopenitinaHexEditor
4.SearchforDPBandreplacewithDPx
5.ReplacetheoldvbaProjectfilewiththisnewoninthezipfolder(andrezip)
6.Changethefileextensionbackto.xlsm
7.Openworkbookandignoreallwarningmessages
8.Exportthecodemodulesandthenreaddthem(deletetheoldones)
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5.
Dawn
August30th,2013at21:57|#5
Reply|Quote
Gordo:
Tocracka2007/2010ExcelVBApassword:
1.Change.xlsmextensionto.zip
2.
3.
Steps47
8.Exportthecodemodulesandthenreaddthem(deletetheoldones)
Gordo,theveryclearinstructionsofyourposthavesavedme!IinheritedaclientsVBAProjectwith
passwordprotection,theoriginalownerlonggone.IfiguredIwasgoingtotrytocompletelyrewriteall
modulesintheProjectbasedonwhatIcouldseehappeningwhenthemacroswererun.Thiswouldhave
beenacompletenightmareasIdbeguessingonalotofthefunctionality.Thankstotheoriginalposted
article(March2008)andyourrecentcommentwithsimpleinstructions,Iamabletoexportallthe.bas
and.clsfileswithoutfussforfreshimporttoacleanProject.
THANKS!
6.
Bielan
September1st,2013at21:47|#6
Reply|Quote
Muitobomman,conseguifazerfilnooffice2010emcasa,masno2007lanaempresadeuproblema,
noseisefaltavaalgumabiblioteca(creioqsim),maseleexcluiaomdulodovbaeficavasomenteas
Sheetsnormaissemcdigo.mdulos,classeseformsnoapareciam.
7.
Steve
September5th,2013at10:54|#7
Reply|Quote
a)PeoplewhosaytheycantfindDPB:FilemustbeXLS(notXLA,notXLT).Alternateprocessfor
thenewerxformatsrequiresunzippingfirst,andeditingtheVBAProject.binfile.
b)CheckyouractuallysavingthechangesmyHexEditordidntsavenormally,soitwasfailing
becauseIwasntactuallysaving.BoyIfeltdumb.
c)Ignoretheunforseenerrormessage:thishacktellsXLtoallowyoutosetanewpassword.
WhenyouopenthefileyouhavetoSETANEWPASSWORDwhichyoucanthenremoveifyoulike.
Thefileisbrokenuntilyousetanewpasswordandsavethenthestupiderrorsgoaway.
8.
Dylan
September12th,2013at04:51|#8
Reply|Quote
ThanksalotGordon,itworked!
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9.
Surya
October16th,2013at03:51|#9
Reply|Quote
ThanksaTon!!!!Iamshortofwordsforhelpingmetorecoveralongforgottenxlapassword
10.
thiru
October18th,2013at20:01|#10
Reply|Quote
DPBisnotfoundinmyexcelfile,whattodonow??
11.
akmal
October18th,2013at20:31|#11
Reply|Quote
Thatsolvedmyproblem.withinlessminuteitsworkedgreatwithexcel2003and2007.thanksman.
12.
thiru
October18th,2013at23:11|#12
Reply|Quote
iwentthroughyourpreviousereplyonthesameissue,butiamnotabletofindtheDPBevenafteri
sangingthefilenameto.XLS.
13.
Bernardo
November26th,2013at02:55|#13
Reply|Quote
Hello.Ihavesomefiles(oldfilesfrom2000).Someofthenare.XLAandoneis.XLL.Iwouldliketo
useitonExcel2010/2013.ButVBAprojectsdisappearswhenIaddinthosexla.Thatsmyfirstproblem.
Thesecond,howIopenthefile.XLLeseewhatiswritteninside?Isitpossible,savetheXLLasXLAM?
tksalotpeople
14.
admin
November26th,2013at08:08|#14
Reply|Quote
ThisisabrilliantsolutionGordo,greatwork.Illpostupanewentrywithsomescreenshotsinthenear
future.GoodtoseetherearestillwaysaroundVBAprojectprotection!

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15.
Kelvin
December11th,2013at09:03|#15
Reply|Quote
IjustwentthroughtheprocessofextractingandeditingtheVBA.binfile.Thexlsmfilewillnotopenin
excelafterthechangebecauseitiscorrupt.anysuggestions?
16.
u
December12th,2013at08:26|#16
Reply|Quote
Hi,Iamgettingthesameerroraswell.canyoupleasecheck.
erroris.Theexcelcannotopenxlsmbecausethefileformatorfileextensionisnotvalid.Verifythatfile
hasnotbeencorruptedandthatthefileextensionmatchestheformatofthefile.
thanks.
17.
Edwin
January9th,2014at04:16|#17
Reply|Quote
Justunzippingandrezippinganxlsmfilecorruptsthefile(evenifnochangesaredoneinthefiles).
Imusing7zip.Ideas?
18.
Adam
January23rd,2014at11:43|#18
Reply|Quote
Changeto*.rar.It`sworks
19.
Larry
February1st,2014at06:27|#19
Reply|Quote
ThesameproblemdescribedabovebyKelvinoccurredinmycaseaswell.Anyideas?
20.
Patrick
February12th,2014at13:27|#20
Reply|Quote

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Hianotherconfirmationthatthisworksjustdontforgettosavethebinfilebacktoitsoriginal
directorybeforerezippingmanythanks!!
21.
Rob
February26th,2014at06:24|#21
Reply|Quote
WhatworkedformeisafterchangingtheVBA.binfileandplacingbackinthezipfile,Irenamedthezip
fileto.xls,not.xlsm,andopeneditfromthere.Gottheerrorstoclickthrough,thenopenedtheVBeditor,
enteredanewpw,savedthefileas.xlsm,openedagain,andthereallthecodewas.FromthereItookthe
pwoffandsaved.NowIcangetinthecodewithnoproblem.
22.
Mynewlifex
March18th,2014at05:49|#22
Reply|Quote
Notwrokedformestillgivemefilecorrupted,anyadvice,ichangedtheHEXeditortwisestillgotthe
sameproblemuseXLSinsteadofXlsmsameproblem,howcanovercomethecorruption.
23.
Putri
March20th,2014at15:25|#23
Reply|Quote
Thanksalot,itworks
24.
Ranjit
April7th,2014at03:37|#24
Reply|Quote
@Ajay
HiAjay,
CouldyoupleasehelpmetobreakVBAcodepassword..orexplainmethestepshowtodo.AswhenI
openthefileinhexeditorandsearchforDBPstringitdoesntfoundanymatch..
Regards
RS
25.
PP
April23rd,2014at21:58|#25
Reply|Quote
Hello,

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Whatdoyoumeanby:
Exportthecodemodulesandthenreaddthem(deletetheoldones)
HowdoIdothat?
Regards,
P.
26.
Abraham
August20th,2014at02:12|#26
Reply|Quote
Ididallthestepssuccessfullybutnotreceiveerrormessageswhileopenexcelfile,andthepasswordis
stillthere ImusingExcel2010
BestRegards.
27.
AnthonyGentle
August22nd,2014at06:52|#27
Reply|Quote
Ihaveapasswordprotectedxlammacrofilethatspasswordprotected.Justwantedtomentiontoany
futurereaderswhomayhavegottenslightlyconfused,thisiswhatIdidanditworkedperfectly:
1.copiedthe.xlamtomydesktop
2.changed.xlamto.zip
3.madeacopyofthezipfile(calledname_copy)
4.extractedname_copy.zip
5.inahexeditor,editedDPBtoDPxtwiceinthevbaProject.binfile
6.intheoriginalzipfile(whichwasneverextracted,replacedthevbaProject.binfilewiththeeditedone
fromthecopiedzipfolder
7.renamedtheoriginalzipfilebackto.xlam
8.openedthexlamandclickedYestoabout1520messages,thenwentintodeveloper>VisualBasic,
andcannowseeallthemodules!
BasicallyitsGordosstepsandidea,justbrokenoutintoslightlymoredetail,incaseanyoneelseislike
meandneedsitallspelledout.Allthesestepsmaynotberequired,butwhenIextractedtheoriginalzip
fileandeditedthebinthenrezippedit,thatdidntwork,soIthinkneverextractingtheoriginalzip,but
insteadmakingacopyofitthenextractingandeditingthecopy,ithelpspreventthatissue.
Thanksforthisposteveryone!certainlysavedmyday!
28.
Mayank
September16th,2014at19:09|#28
Reply|Quote
hellothere!
Ihaveaexcelfile(.xlsx)whereiputinastrongpasswordtoOPENandnowforgotit.
isthereanywayyoucanhelpmetoopenit?
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bestregards
29.
Mayank
September16th,2014at19:11|#29
Reply|Quote
forgottomentionitsexcel2007
30.
sohail
November12th,2014at03:33|#30
Reply|Quote
Hi,
MIneisaXLSfile,howveriamunabletofindDPBwhenfindin.Ipressctl+fforfind.
howcanisenduaprintscreentoshowthis.itriedallthewayicould.
31.
AJC
November19th,2014at10:17|#31
Reply|Quote
IvefoundDPBandchangedtoDPx.Saved.ThensenttoZIPandthenchagedextensiontoxlsm.When
tryingtoopenitgivesmeamessageofcorrupetedandthenasecondboxsayingitscorruptedandcant
opentheefile.Helpplease
32.
Cody
January27th,2015at13:30|#32
Reply|Quote
ThisaddinseemstoquicklyremovetheprotectionofVBAprojectswithoutneedingtogobehindthe
scenesandmesswiththesourcecode.Mightbeasimplersolutionforthoseofuswhoarenotastechnical
http://www.thespreadsheetguru.com/passwordrecovery
33.
michael
February10th,2015at17:54|#33
Reply|Quote
@AnthonyGentle
Ihavegotapasswordprotectedxlammacrofile.Justwantedtomentiontoanyfuturereaders,Ididallthe
mentionedstepsanditworkedperfectly.
Instep5IeditedDPBtoDPxonlyonceinthevbaProject.binfile.NosecondDPBwasfound.
WhileopeningthexlamIclickedYes/OKtoseveralmessages,thenwentintodeveloperVBandcannow
seeallthemodules!
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bestregards
34.
Venk
March29th,2015at18:45|#34
Reply|Quote
@Mayank
HiMayank,Idonhavethesameissue.Didyougetanyworkaround?
35.
Vin
March31st,2015at22:31|#35
Reply|Quote
@Gordo
ThanksGordo,workedperfectly!
36.
Steve94928
April29th,2015at04:39|#36
Reply|Quote
Thisisgreat.Thankyoualot,itworksbeautifully.Itsavedmesomuchtimeandwork.
37.
RC3
May7th,2015at05:03|#37
Reply|Quote
IamusingExcel2010torecoverthepasswordforanXLSM.
ThisiswhatIhadtodo.Itisacombinationofstepsfromthispost(AnthonyGentle)andfromanother
websitereferencedbelow.
1.copiedthe.xlsm
2.changed.xlsmto.zip
3.madeacopyofthezipfile(calledname_copy)
4.extractedname_copy.zip
5.inahexeditor,editedDPBtoDPx(searchtwiceinanXLAM)inthevbaProject.binfile
6.intheoriginalzipfile(whichwasneverextracted,replacedthevbaProject.binfilewiththeeditedone
fromthecopiedzipfolder
6b.IhadtoopentheuneditedzipfileinwinRARandaddthevbaProject.binfileintotherar/zipfileatthe
originallocation.
7.renamedtheoriginalzipfilebackto.xls
8.openedthe.xlsandclickedYestotheerrormessagesthatcameup
9.Thengointodeveloper>VisualBasic(clickOKorYESonanymessagesthatcomeuphere):
9b.ChooseTools>VBAProjectProperties,navigatetotheProtectiontab,enternewpasswordofyour
choceandthenconfirmitagain(ifyouwantnewpassword).Otherwisesimplyleavethetextboxblank,
removecheckfromlockprojectforviewing,thenSAVEandcloseexcelandreopenit!
(http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16847059/access2007unexpectederror40230)
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10.Afterclosingtheworksheetandreopneing,IstillgotanerrorwhenIopenedtheXLSfile,soIsaved
asXLSMandnowIcanseethemodulesandcodeappearstoworkcorrectlystill.
38.
admin
May7th,2015at10:25|#38
Reply|Quote
Thanksforthedetailedsummary,thatsveryhelpful.IthinkitshightimeIupdatedtheposttocaterfor
.XLSMfiles.
Cheers
39.
Vladimir
July1st,2015at01:06|#39
Reply|Quote
Ivegotaslightlydifferentproblem.Thereisa*.xlsmtablewithVBAprojectwhichisprotectedbutdoes
notas?foranypassword.WhenImtryingtoopenthemodule,Isimplygetamessagethattheprojectis
lockedandunviewable,nothingelse.
40.
SAmmy
October16th,2015at22:24|#40
Reply|Quote
Whataboutxlsxfiles?istherethesamewaytofindthepassword?isthereatrick?
41.
rashu
October21st,2015at05:01|#41
Reply|Quote
thanksforthishelpitshelpmealotsthanksverymuchagain..
42.
Hagia
November25th,2015at15:10|#42
Reply|Quote
Thisworkedforme.Thankyousomuchforthehelp.
43.
Hustaon
January29th,2016at01:06|#43
Reply|Quote
Hi,Icannotopenmyfileithaspasswordtoreadit.HowcanIopenit
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44.
admin
January29th,2016at08:33|#44
Reply|Quote
Unfortunatelythistechniquecantbeusedonpasswordprotectedfiles.Thatrequiressomebruteforceor
apaidsolution.
45.
Najam
February2nd,2016at22:16|#45
Reply|Quote
CrackSheetProtectionPassword
Thisroutineprovidesapasswordtounprotectyourworksheet.However,itmaynotgiveyoutheoriginal
passwordthatwasused.
Opentheworkbookthathastheprotectedsheetinit.HitAlt+F11toviewtheVisualBasicEditor.Hit
InsertModuleandpastethiscodeintotherighthandcodewindow:
SubPasswordBreaker()
Authorunknownbutsubmittedbybrettdjofhttp://www.expertsexchange.com
DimiAsInteger,jAsInteger,kAsInteger
DimlAsInteger,mAsInteger,nAsInteger
Dimi1AsInteger,i2AsInteger,i3AsInteger
Dimi4AsInteger,i5AsInteger,i6AsInteger
OnErrorResumeNext
Fori=65To66:Forj=65To66:Fork=65To66
Forl=65To66:Form=65To66:Fori1=65To66
Fori2=65To66:Fori3=65To66:Fori4=65To66
Fori5=65To66:Fori6=65To66:Forn=32To126
ActiveSheet.UnprotectChr(i)&Chr(j)&Chr(k)&_
Chr(l)&Chr(m)&Chr(i1)&Chr(i2)&Chr(i3)&_
Chr(i4)&Chr(i5)&Chr(i6)&Chr(n)
IfActiveSheet.ProtectContents=FalseThen
MsgBoxOneusablepasswordis&Chr(i)&Chr(j)&_
Chr(k)&Chr(l)&Chr(m)&Chr(i1)&Chr(i2)&_
Chr(i3)&Chr(i4)&Chr(i5)&Chr(i6)&Chr(n)
ActiveWorkbook.Sheets(1).Select
Range(a1).FormulaR1C1=Chr(i)&Chr(j)&_
Chr(k)&Chr(l)&Chr(m)&Chr(i1)&Chr(i2)&_
Chr(i3)&Chr(i4)&Chr(i5)&Chr(i6)&Chr(n)
ExitSub
EndIf
Next:Next:Next:Next:Next:Next
Next:Next:Next:Next:Next:Next
EndSub
46.
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ShobhitSharma
February7th,2016at13:37|#46
Reply|Quote
HiihaveanexcelandIforgotpassword,Kindlyguidemewithentireprocess,soicanopenit.
Thanksalot.
47.
Gibus
February29th,2016at13:54|#47
Reply|Quote
Itisagreatideal.Howeverthisisnotagoodchoiceforuserswhodontknowcodingmuch.Hereis
anotherwayoutthatworksinasimpleway:
http://www.iseepassword.com/recovermsexcelpassword.html
hopethishelpswhofinditshardtofollowtheabovetutorial.
48.
Ashishsingh
April26th,2016at23:16|#48
Reply|Quote
thanksalotitsworksformethankyouverymuch.
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