Share via

How do I truly secure an Excel file from being viewed?

Anonymous
2024-04-10T17:01:35+00:00

I keep sensitive information on a spreadsheet, and I'd like to protect the contents from being viewed. The spreadsheet is password protected, and I've macro-enabled it to keep the preview from showing in the folder. However, I decided to test the security, so I clicked to change the file name in the folder view, and I added the .xlsx extension to the file name. I was then able to open the sheet without a password. Can Microsoft fix this bug? All you would need is for the password to protect the file name from changes too.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | Other | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

Answer accepted by question author

  1. Anonymous
    2024-04-10T17:35:34+00:00

    Hi, thank you for reaching out. My name is Deeksha and I'm a Microsoft user like yourself and I will try to help you as best as I can today.

    Open the Spreadsheet: Open the spreadsheet containing your sensitive information using your preferred spreadsheet software (e.g., Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets).

    Encrypt the Spreadsheet: In Microsoft Excel: Go to the "File" menu, select "Info," then click on "Protect Workbook" and choose "Encrypt with Password." Enter a strong password and confirm it. In Google Sheets: Go to the "File" menu, select "Download," then choose "Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)" format. Open the downloaded file in Microsoft Excel and follow the encryption steps mentioned above.

    Hide the Preview: In Windows Explorer: Right-click on the spreadsheet file, select "Properties," then check the box that says "Hidden" and click "OK." This will prevent the preview from showing in the folder. In macOS Finder: Right-click on the spreadsheet file, select "Get Info," then check the box that says "Hide extension" to prevent the extension from being displayed.

    Limit Access: Store the spreadsheet in a secure location accessible only to authorised users. Consider using encrypted drives or folders for additional security.

    You could provide feedback to Microsoft to help get this changed.

    Visit Excel UserVoice: Go to the Excel UserVoice website. UserVoice is a platform where Microsoft collects feedback and feature requests from users. The Excel UserVoice website specifically addresses Excel-related suggestions.

    Sign In or Sign Up: If you already have a Microsoft account, sign in. If not, you'll need to sign up for an account to submit feedback. This allows Microsoft to track and respond to your suggestions.

    Search for Existing Suggestions: Before submitting your suggestion, search to see if someone else has already suggested the same feature. If you find a similar suggestion, you can upvote it to show your support.

    Submit Your Suggestion: If you don't find a similar suggestion, click on the "Suggest a feature" button. You'll be prompted to provide a title for your suggestion and a detailed description. Make sure to explain the feature you're requesting clearly and why you think it's important.

    Provide Details: In your suggestion, include specific details about the feature you're proposing. For example, you can mention that you'd like Excel to prevent file renaming or extension changes when a spreadsheet is password protected.

    Submit Feedback: Once you've filled out the required fields, click on the "Submit" or "Post" button to submit your feedback.

    Try these steps and hopefully, it resolves your issue. In case you need further help or assistance, please let us know. You can also contact Microsoft Support if the problem persists.

    Best regards Deeksha

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments

5 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Anonymous
    2024-04-10T18:13:04+00:00

    Thank you Deeksha, Hiding the file seems to work, even when I un-hid it. It's now asking for a password for the preview. I appreciate your answer!

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2024-04-10T18:09:23+00:00

    Did you try the steps above?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2024-04-10T18:07:03+00:00

    How am I letting you open the file? It's password protected. The bug is that someone can edit the file name of a password protected file.

    0 comments No comments
  4. Andreas Killer 144.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-04-10T17:57:28+00:00

    This is no bug, the sense of a sheet protection is to prevent users from making unintentional/accidental changes.

    There is no way to hide sensitive information in a file if you let me open the file!

    Anyone who claims otherwise is not telling the truth!

    You can claim that behavior using the Feedback function in your Excel.

    How do I give feedback on Microsoft Office? - Office Support

    Andreas.

    0 comments No comments