Cannot open protected workbook

Question

Hi,

I have password protected workbook on my personal OneDrive. I want to share it with my college, so I created a 'view only' anonymous link. When he use this link to open this document he will see error "We're sorry. We can't open the workbook in the browser because it uses these unsupported features: Workbook encryption"

It is totally fine I cannot view it using browser but I want to do one of following actions:

1. download this document and open using desktop Excel
2. Open document in desktop excel providing the url

Is it possible? I just want that my collage open it on his PC I don't want to send him this document by email and he don't have MS account.

Answer 1

Have you tried following the workaround we suggested prior? This way you can open the folder and not the file itself directly. Thus, you can download the file to your computer and open it using the Excel application.

Please keep us updated.

Answer 2

I did something similar to workaround this problem. I have created zip file and my college can now download this file.

Answer 3

1. I have installed Excel app on my PC
2. In Edge private window I am opening the url to the document
3. The dialog doesn't have option to open the document in Excel.

Answer 4

Hi Konrad,

We replicated the issue that your recipient is experiencing and if he has Excel installed on his computer, an option to open the workbook in Excel should also show in that error box.

However, we have a workaround for you. Create a new folder in OneDrive then put the file in it. After that, share the folder containing the file and your recipient should be able to download the file directly, no Microsoft account needed.

Please let us know how it goes.