Excel 2013 can encrypt a workbook with a password so someone must enter that password before the file opens. This is stronger than worksheet or workbook-structure protection, which is intended mainly to prevent accidental editing rather than to keep the file’s contents confidential.
Require a password to open an Excel 2013 workbook
- Open the workbook.
- Select File > Info.
- Choose Protect Workbook.
- Select Encrypt with Password.
- Enter a strong password and select OK.
- Enter the same password again to confirm it.
- Save the workbook.
Test the protection before distributing the file
Close Excel, reopen the workbook, and verify that Excel asks for the password. Keep an unencrypted backup only if your security requirements permit one, and store it somewhere appropriately protected.
Do not lose the password
Microsoft cannot simply reveal a forgotten workbook encryption password. Store the password in an approved password manager or organizational credential system rather than relying on memory or placing it in the same folder as the spreadsheet.
Editing passwords are not the same as encryption
Excel offers several protection mechanisms, including worksheet protection, workbook structure protection, and file-level encryption. If the goal is preventing unauthorized people from reading the workbook, use the password-to-open encryption feature.
Office 2013 is unsupported
Microsoft ended support for Office 2013 in April 2023. Although Excel 2013 still supports encrypted workbooks, a currently supported Microsoft 365 or Office version is preferable for security-sensitive files.
Before sharing confidential spreadsheets, also consider where the file is stored, who has access to the folder or cloud link, and whether your organization requires a specific approved encryption or rights-management method.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.