Sending Excel files containing crucial financial and business data has risks. To add a layer of protection, you should learn to password protect an Excel file.

If you have sensitive data you'd like to keep from prying eyes in a Microsoft Excel file, the easiest way to protect it is with Excel's built-in password tools.

There are several options available to you to protect your Excel file with a password. Remember that once you protect the Excel file, you cannot open it without entering the password.

At the file level, you can password protect an Excel workbook in two ways: You can determine who can get in and who can save changes.

Working with an Excel workbook that contains confidential information such as financial data, personal details, or trade secrets? Here's how you can protect the data in your Excel file from prying ...