This repository provides simple scripts to remove sheet protection tag from .xlsx (Excel) files. Useful for editing protected sheets or automating access to locked content.

Just run the command bellow:

python unprotect_sheet.py -i <xlsx_file>

A new file will be generated in the format Unprotect<xlsx_file>, adding "Unprotect" at the beginning of the original file name.

1. Compress the sheet file .xlsx to .zip archive.

os.rename('file.xlsx', 'file.zip')

2. Remove all <sheetProtection/> tags in all sheetn.xml files present in xl/worksheets folder on zipped file.

pattern = r'<sheetProtection\b[^<>]*?(?:/>|></sheetProtection>)'
cleaned_content = re.sub(pattern, '', original_content)

The files are named sheet1.xml, sheet2.xml, etc., each corresponding to a worksheet tab.

3. Restore the .zip file to a sheet file .xlsx.

os.rename('file.zip', 'file.xlsx')

• Windows 11 24H2
• Python 3.13.3

Jonas Lima