EasyXLS
User Guide  Tutorials  VB6 tutorials  Tutorial 27: How to protect Excel file with password in VB6

How to protect Excel file with password in VB6

EasyXLS Excel library can be used to export Excel files in VB6. The library is a COM+ component that works without MS Excel installed.

Step 1: Download and install EasyXLS Excel Library for COM+

To download the trial version of EasyXLS Excel Library, press the below button:

Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for VB6

If you already own a license key, you may login and download EasyXLS from your account.

Step 2: Verify if EasyXLS is registered

Check if EasyXLS component is present in Component Services.

See also

How to verify if EasyXLS is registered?


Step 3: License file setup

Step required for EasyXLS v9.0 or later.

If you are using a trial, generate a trial license file from EasyXLS trials page. The trial license is valid for 30-days.

If you own a license key, you may login to the account that purchased the license and generate the license file from:
https://www.easyxls.com/my-orders

Setup the license file into your project using these guidelines.

Step 4: Add reference to EasyXLS (optionally)

Optionally, EasyXLS can be added as reference. Go to menu, select "Project" menu item, choose "References...", then check EasyXLS from the "Available References" list.

add reference vb6

Step 5: Run VB6 code that adds formula to Excel cell

Execute the following VB6 code that creates a password protected Excel file.

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'==============================================================================
' Tutorial 27
'
' This tutorial shows how to create an Excel file in VB6 and
' encrypt the Excel file by setting the password required for opening the file.
'==============================================================================

VERSION 5.00
Begin VB.Form Form1 
    Caption         =   "Form1"
    ClientHeight    =   4590
    ClientLeft      =   60
    ClientTop       =   345
    ClientWidth     =   6885
    LinkTopic       =   "Form1"
    ScaleHeight     =   4590
    ScaleWidth      =   6885
    StartUpPosition =   3
    Begin VB.Label Label1 
        AutoSize        =   -1
        Height          =   100
        Left            =   120
        TabIndex        =   0
        Top             =   120
        Width           =   100
    End
End

Attribute VB_Name = "Form1"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False

Private Sub Form_Load()

    Me.Label1.Caption = "Tutorial 27" & vbCrLf & "---------------" & vbCrLf

    ' Create an instance of the class that exports Excel files
    Set workbook = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelDocument")

    ' Create two worksheets
    workbook.easy_addWorksheet_2 ("First tab")
    workbook.easy_addWorksheet_2 ("Second tab")

    ' Set the password for protecting the Excel file when the file is open
    workbook.easy_getOptions().setPasswordToOpen ("password")

    ' Export Excel file
    Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & _
                           "Writing file C:\Samples\Tutorial27 - protect Excel with password and encryption.xlsx"
    workbook.easy_WriteXLSXFile ("C:\Samples\Tutorial27 - protect Excel with password and encryption.xlsx")

    ' Confirm export of Excel file
    If workbook.easy_getError() = "" Then
        Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & "File successfully created."
    Else
        Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & "Error: " & workbook.easy_getError()
    End If

    ' Dispose memory
    workbook.Dispose
End Sub

Related sections

How to encrypt and password protect Excel file?

Overloaded methods
For methods with same name but different parameters, only the first method overload retains the original name. Subsequent overloads are uniquely renamed by appending to the method name '_2', '_3', etc (method, method_2, method_3), an integer that corresponds to the order of declaration that can be found in EasyXLS.h, a file that comes with EasyXLS installation.

See also

How to export to XLSX file?


How to export to XLSM file?


How to export to XLSB file?


How to export to XLS file?

Related methods

ExcelOptions.setPasswordToOpen
ExcelOptions.setPasswordToModify
ExcelOptions.setEncryptionOptions
ExcelDocument.setWorkbookProtection
ExcelDocument.IsStructureProtected
ExcelDocument.IsWindowsProtected
ExcelDocument.setWorkbookPassword

EasyXLS Excel components:

.NET
Excel Library for VB6
full COM+ version to import, export or convert Excel files
Excel Writer for VB6
COM+ version to create and export Excel files
Download EasyXLS™ Excel Component for VB6

File formats:

Office 365
MS Excel 2021 - 2025
MS Excel 2007 - 2019
MS Excel 97 - 2003
XLSXXLSMXLSBXLS
XMLHTMLCSVTXT