Security and General Options
Overview of Security Features
Last Updated: October 19, 2025XLS Padlock offers many ways to protect your Excel workbook, including save options, feature restrictions, and conditions for opening your application, such as requiring an...
How to Improve the Protection of Your Workbooks
Last Updated: October 19, 2025Why Compiling to an EXE Is Not Enough When you compile a workbook into a protected application, the original workbook file (XLSX, XLSM, etc.) is...
How to Set Workbook Restrictions
Last Updated: October 20, 2025This topic covers the options available in the ‘Security > Restrictions’ section of XLS Padlock, allowing you to restrict certain user actions in your protected...
Hardware-Based Protection Options (Dongles & USB)
Last Updated: October 19, 2025With XLS Padlock, you can lock your Excel workbooks to a USB stick or a dedicated security dongle. This means that the compiled workbook application...
Do Not Allow Loading/Saving Other Workbooks (no OLE hack)
Last Updated: October 30, 2025One potential vulnerability is that Excel workbooks can be saved to disk using VBA or OLE commands. To prevent this data extraction method, XLS Padlock...
Workbook and Worksheet Passwords
Last Updated: October 19, 2025XLS Padlock allows you to manage both workbook and worksheet passwords to enhance your protected application’s security and functionality. This guide explains how to configure...
How to Manage Excel Add-ins
Last Updated: October 19, 2025By default, XLS Padlock disables most Excel add-ins when a secured workbook is loaded. This is a security measure to create a controlled environment for...
Set Required Excel Versions
Last Updated: October 19, 2025If your workbook requires features from a specific version of Excel, you can configure your application to check the end-user’s Excel version at runtime. You...
