Office Password Recovery Guides
Deep guides on every Microsoft Office file format — Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook PST, Access, OneNote, Publisher, MS Project and enterprise 365 coverage. Realistic success rates, DIY methods, and when cracking is the only option.
In-Depth Guides
10 long-form technical articles
Recovering an Excel VBA Project Password — How It Actually Works
Technical GuideExcel VBA project passwords are weak by design — verification-only, not encryption. Step-by-step guide on how the protection works and why structural removal works without any cracking.
Read guide
Fix Corrupted XLSX Files — Step-by-Step
Repair GuidePractical 2026 guide to repairing corrupted .xlsx files. Diagnose the corruption type, recover what's possible, and avoid common mistakes that destroy salvageable data.
Read guide
Excel 365 Online vs Desktop — Password Recovery Differences
Microsoft 365How Excel password recovery differs between Microsoft 365 Online and Desktop. Encryption differences, workbook protection models, and what each means for recovering a forgotten password.
Read guide
Word Macro Security vs Document Protection — Differences Explained
Word Security GuideMicrosoft Word has two separate security systems: macro security (code execution prevention) and document protection (editing restriction). This guide explains both, their recovery implications, and how they interact.
Read guide
Outlook PST Password Crack Speed — What Actually Matters
Speed AnalysisHow Outlook PST password recovery really works: the password is a CRC-32 checksum, not an encryption key, and it is tested with John the Ripper --format=pst. What that means for crack speed, PST vs OST differences, and realistic expectations.
Read guide
PowerPoint Restrict Access vs Password Protection — Complete Guide
PowerPoint SecurityPowerPoint offers two security features: 'Restrict Access' (IRM-based) and password protection (file encryption). Learn the differences, recovery options, and when to use each in 2026.
Read guide
Office 2024 Encryption — Did Anything Actually Change?
Version AnalysisOffice 2024 did not change document encryption. It keeps the Office 2013+ Agile defaults (AES-256-CBC, SHA-512, 100,000 spins), so files extract to the same hashcat mode 9600 format — and the widely repeated Argon2 and 200,000-iteration claims are not real.
Read guide
Remove Password from Word Document: Free vs Paid Methods
Comparison GuideComplete comparison of free vs paid methods to remove a password from a Word document. When DIY XML edit works, when you need paid recovery, and how to tell the difference.
Read guide
Best Excel Password Remover 2026 — Complete Comparison
2026 Complete Guide2026 comparison of Excel password removal methods and tools: free XML edits for sheet and workbook protection, hashcat for file-open passwords, desktop products and pay-on-success services. Which approach fits which protection layer.
Read guide
Corporate Batch Recovery: Unlock 100+ Excel Files at Once
Enterprise GuideEnterprise guide to batch recovery of password-protected Excel files. Automate XML structural removal for sheet/workbook protection, script hashcat for bulk file-open password recovery, and manage large-scale Office password recovery workflows.
Read guide
Excel Password Recovery
5 guides
Excel Password Recovery Overview
MainStarting point for every forgotten Excel password. Formats, versions, realistic success rates, and what to try first.
Read guide
Unprotect Excel Sheet Without Password
5 DIY methods: XML surgery on .xlsx, Google Sheets round-trip, VBA macro, LibreOffice trick, and online unlockers compared.
Read guide
Excel Password Recovery by Version
How recovery odds collapse from Excel 2003 (guaranteed) to Excel 2019 (AES-256 SHA-512 100k iterations). Version-by-version breakdown.
Read guide
Excel VBA Project Password Recovery
Hex-edit the DPB entry to bypass VBA project passwords. Works on .xls and .xlsm — no cracking required.
Read guide
Best Excel Password Recovery Tools 2026
Side-by-side comparison of Passware, Elcomsoft, PassFab, John the Ripper, hashcat and free online services.
Read guide
Word & PowerPoint
4 guides
Word Password Recovery
MainComplete overview for .doc and .docx. Open password, modify password, read-only flags and recovery odds by version.
Read guide
PowerPoint Password Recovery Guide
PPT vs PPTX, RC4 vs AES, realistic success rates for presentations, and when guaranteed recovery applies.
Read guide
Remove Restricted Editing in Word
How to lift the 'Editing restrictions' block without the password. XML edit, Save As, and the DOCX trick.
Read guide
Word: Read-Only vs Edit Restriction
The 4 tiers of Word protection explained — mark as final, read-only recommended, editing restrictions, full encryption.
Read guide
Other Office Files
5 guides
Outlook PST Password Recovery
The weak CRC32 PST password is trivially recoverable. How the format works and why every tool succeeds instantly.
Read guide
MS Project .mpp Password Recovery
Project file encryption across versions. Weak legacy obfuscation vs modern AES, and realistic recovery paths.
Read guide
Microsoft Publisher .pub Password Recovery
Publisher uses the same Compound File format as Office 97-2003. 40-bit RC4 weakness applies — guaranteed.
Read guide
Access Database Password Recovery
How to recover .mdb (Jet) and .accdb (ACE) database passwords. Format differences and toolchains that work.
Read guide
OneNote Section Password Recovery
OneNote encrypts individual sections with AES. How section passwords work and recovery realities.
Read guide
Enterprise & Context
4 guides
Office 365 vs Desktop Password Differences
Cloud IRM, sensitivity labels, and AIP vs desktop file-level encryption. Which attack surfaces apply where.
Read guide
Excel Protected View & Safe Mode
Protected View is NOT encryption — it's sandboxing. How to distinguish sandbox from actual password protection.
Read guide
SharePoint Permissions vs Encryption
ACL-based access control (SharePoint) vs file-level encryption. Why a 'locked' SharePoint doc may still be readable offline.
Read guide
Enterprise Office Password Policy Guide
GPO templates, password complexity, BitLocker integration, and how IT should handle forgotten document passwords.
Read guide
Have a file that needs recovering right now?
Skip the reading — drop your Office file on the home page. We detect the encryption type locally and show whether a bounded recovery attempt is realistic before any paid release.