How to Break VBA Password in Excel 2021 and Previous Editions?

Mark Regan ~ Modified: 18-05-2023 ~ How To ~ 6 Minutes Reading

Looking for a technique that helps you to break VBA password in Excel? Don’t stress and continue to read as in this blog, we will discuss precisely the same. Here, BitRecover presents the step-by-step process to break Excel Spreadsheet VBA module password using multiple methods. But first, let’s revise some basics about VBA.

As we all know, VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is a substantive part of Microsoft Office Suite programs, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc. Therefore, VBA is Microsoft’s programming language for Office applications and plays an important role in developing automation processes, user-defined functions, Windows API (Application Programming Interfaces), etc. VBA is also helpful in manipulating the features of host applications.

how to break a vba password in excel

Why Do You Need To Break Excel  VBA Password?

Following are some scenarios in which one may need to break Excel VBA Macro password:

  • Sometimes, developers download some samples of password-protected Excel VBA projects. But, they are unable to use the defined Excel VBA macros and modules scripts because of passwords.
  • Users often forgot the password of their Excel Sheets and thus need to break Excel Spreadsheet VBA Code password to access their files. The technical support team at BitRecover receives many such requests.
  • If you want to create a duplicate VBA project in Excel but when they try to copy macros and modules, the sample project asks for a password.
  • You receive samples as well as crucial projects from their professional resources. However, the received projects are protected with passwords.

#1 Method – Break Excel VBA Module Password via Changing File Extension

  1. Change the VBA project file extension from *.xlsm to *.zip.
  2. Double-click on the ZIP file to open it with WinZip / WinRar programs.
  3. Click on the xl folder to continue.
  4. Extract the vbaProject.bin file and open it using Hex Editor.
  5. After that, search DPB in Hex Editor, replace it with DPx, and save it.
  6. Replace the old vbaProject.bin file with the new vbaProject.bin file under ZIP.
  7. Change the file extension from *zip to *.xlsm.
  8. Start Visual Basic in Microsoft Excel, select Tools, and VBAProject Properties.
  9. Choose the Protection tab, enter a new password and save the *.xlsm file.
  10. Finally, users can open the Excel VBA project file using the new password.

#2 Method – Remove Excel VBA Project Password with Hex Editor

  1. Generate a new Microsoft Excel XLS / XLSX file using any Hex Editor program.
  2. Then, you need to set a specific password in the VBA field (Alt + F11).
  3. Save the recently created file at any destination path and exit.
  4. Now open a file that you have recently generated using Hex Editor.
  5. Copy each file starting with CMG=…, DPB=…, and GC=….
  6. Open a file whose VBA password you want to break in Excel with the help of Hex Editor and paste the above-mentioned copied lines from the dummy file.
  7. After that, save Excel files and exit to break a VBA password in Excel.
  8. Open the Excel file in which you want to access the VBA code, and then enter the common password you used in the previous step for the dummy VBA file.

#3 Method – Break VBA Code Password in Excel Using Workbook

Open password-protected Excel Workbook VBA files.

  • Press Alt + F11 to open a visual basic editor.
  • Click the Inset Module option and paste the given code into the VBA module.
    formula
  • Press the F5 button and run the code to break the VBA password in Excel.
  • You can now open VBA projects in Excel without asking for a password.

Drawbacks of the Manual Method

Although there are multiple manual ways to break a VBA password in Excel. Follow the instructions:

Manual techniques allow us to break passwords one by one from each project, so it is very time-consuming if someone wants to remove Excel VBA password in bulk.

  • The manual method is a time-consuming process to break Excel VBA module password. These techniques allow you to break passwords one by one from each project. Moreover, it takes much time, if someone wants to remove Microsoft Excel VBA password in bulk.
  • If you are a non-technical person then, he/she wants to face some challenges while breaking VBA project passwords in Excel manually. As you have seen already, need to follow too many steps including some formulas.
  • There is no guaranteed success rate if you are using a manual method to break VBA password in Excel. We saw that in some cases, users may lose their important data.

#4 Method – Remove Excel VBA Password Using Professional Tool

Excel VBA Password Remover Software is a professional expert-recommended solution. This tool permits breaking VBA passwords in Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, etc. You just need to follow the given steps to finish the task without facing any trouble.

  1. Start the suggested application on your Windows computer. Choose any option from Select Files or Select Folders. Thereafter, browse the Excel VBA project’s micros and modules files for uploading in software GUI.
    how to break vba password in excel
  2. You can see all VBA projects in the Windows OS Tool. Which provides you with the File Explorer view so users can choose specific files easily. Click the Next button to continue.
    break vba macro password
  3. The software automatically chooses the desktop as the destination path. You can click the Browse button if you want to change a different destination folder. Thereafter, click the Remove button to remove VBA password in Excel.
    break vba module password

Instead Benefits of Manual Techniques

  • This is an effective solution for breaking passwords from multiple Excel VBA projects in bulk. There are no restrictions on the size of the Excel VBA projects database. This tool can successfully work with large-sized projects without reporting any error messages.
  • The above-mentioned manual techniques are defined to break a VBA password in Excel. However, this suggested software is able to break VBA passwords in Word / PowerPoint / Access / AutoCAD / ArcGIS / CATIA / CorelDraw and SolidWorks.
  • Users can upload an entire folder having an unlimited number of Excel VBA projects for breaking the password. After uploading Excel VBA files, users can see them in their software panel and choose only specific files to remove the password.
  • This is a completely risk-free software that allows you to remove VBA passwords in Excel without losing any crucial information. It keeps all VBA project macros and modules intact during the completion of the task.

Let’s Conclude

If you are one of those who forgot or lost their Excel VBA file password, then you can follow any of the mentioned techniques. If you go with manual methods, then we advise you to create a copy of Excel VBA projects for avoiding data loss possibilities. On the other hand, the automated tool can be considered a 100% safe way to break VBA passwords in Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, etc. Choose as per your requirements which one is better for your issues.