IronXL How-Tos Set Password to Workbook How to Set a Password to Workbook Chaknith Bin Updated:June 22, 2025 Ensuring that information or data is shared with the correct individual is crucial for maintaining proper authority. With IronXL, you can create password-protected spreadsheets and secure each individual worksheet. How to Set a Password to Workbook Download the C# library for password-protecting workbooks Access the password-protected workbook Apply password protection to the workbook Remove password protection from the workbook Export the encrypted workbook Get started with IronXL Start using IronXL in your project today with a free trial. First Step: Start for Free Access a Password-Protected Workbook A protected spreadsheet can be opened by providing the password as the second parameter to the Load method. For example: WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx", "IronSoftware"). Please noteIt is not possible to open a protected spreadsheet without the correct password Apply a Password to Workbook To password-protect a spreadsheet, use the Encrypt method as shown in the code below: :path=/static-assets/excel/content-code-examples/how-to/set-password-workbook-protect.cs WorkBook workBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx"); // Open protected spreadsheet file WorkBook protectedWorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx", "IronSoftware"); // Set protection for spreadsheet file workBook.Encrypt("IronSoftware"); workBook.Save(); Dim workBook As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx") ' Open protected spreadsheet file Dim protectedWorkBook As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx", "IronSoftware") ' Set protection for spreadsheet file workBook.Encrypt("IronSoftware") workBook.Save() $vbLabelText $csharpLabel Open a Password-Protected Workbook Remove Password from Workbook To remove the password from a spreadsheet, simply set the Password field to null, as demonstrated in the code below: Please noteThis action can only be performed after accessing the workbook. Therefore, it is necessary to know the original password. :path=/static-assets/excel/content-code-examples/how-to/set-password-workbook-unprotect.cs // Remove protection for opened workbook. Original password is required. workBook.Password = null; ' Remove protection for opened workbook. Original password is required. workBook.Password = Nothing $vbLabelText $csharpLabel IronXL provides the ability to protect and unprotect Excel workBooks and workSheets with a single line of C# code. Frequently Asked Questions How can I set a password for an Excel workbook in C#? To set a password for an Excel workbook in C#, you can use IronXL's Encrypt method. First, download the IronXL library, load your workbook, apply the Encrypt method with your desired password, and then save the workbook. What is the process to open a password-protected workbook using IronXL? To open a password-protected workbook using IronXL, use the WorkBook.Load method with the file path and password as parameters. This allows you to access the workbook securely. How do I remove a password from an Excel workbook? To remove a password from an Excel workbook using IronXL, first load the workbook with the correct password. Then, set the Password field to null using the Decrypt method, and save the workbook. Can I open a password-protected Excel file without knowing the password? No, you cannot open a password-protected Excel file without knowing the password when using IronXL. The correct password must be provided to access the contents. Where can I find the library for password-protecting Excel workbooks in C#? You can find and download the IronXL library for password-protecting Excel workbooks from the NuGet website at https://nuget.org/packages/IronXL.Excel/. Is it possible to protect individual worksheets within a workbook? Yes, IronXL allows you to protect and unprotect both Excel workbooks and individual worksheets using C# code, ensuring security at both levels. How can I ensure data security in Excel workbooks? To ensure data security in Excel workbooks, you can utilize IronXL's password protection features. By applying passwords using the Encrypt method, you ensure that only authorized users can access the data. What are the steps to apply password protection to an Excel workbook? The steps to apply password protection to an Excel workbook are: download the IronXL library, load the workbook, use the Encrypt method to set a password, and finally save the workbook to secure it. Chaknith Bin Chat with engineering team now Software Engineer Chaknith works on IronXL and IronBarcode. He has deep expertise in C# and .NET, helping improve the software and support customers. His insights from user interactions contribute to better products, documentation, and overall experience. Ready to Get Started? Free NuGet Download Total downloads: 1,558,208 View Licenses