I cannot open a password file in Excel on new laptop

Hello Ed Fichtner,

Thank you for sharing the details.

To better understand how the file is protected and why it cannot be opened on the new laptop, could you please confirm the following information?

• When you open the file, does Excel display a password prompt, or do you receive a permission or access-related error? Could you provide a full screenshot of the message displayed?
• Do you still remember the password, and have you entered it with the correct uppercase and lowercase letters?
• Are you signed in to Excel on the new laptop with the same Microsoft 365 account that you used on the previous laptop?
• Do you still have access to the previous laptop, and can the file still be opened there?
• Where is the file currently stored, for example, on the local drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, or as an email attachment?

If the file uses standard password encryption, moving to a new laptop should not normally affect access, provided that the correct password is entered. Please note that Microsoft cannot retrieve or reset a forgotten password for a password-encrypted Excel file: Protect an Excel file | Microsoft Support

If the file was protected using Information Rights Management (IRM) or Restrict Access, the new laptop may need to be signed in with the same authorized account and connect to the licensing service to download the required permission for the file. You can refer to the following article for more information: Restrict access to workbooks with Information Rights Management in Excel

In the meantime, please try to recall the exact password, look for an older backup or previous version of the workbook, and check whether an unprotected copy was saved in another location.

Please send me the requested information and the complete screenshot of the error so I can better determine whether the issue is related to the password, account permissions, or the file location.

Kind regards,