Install and Open MyPassRecovery on macOS

MyPassRecovery for macOS is currently distributed without Apple notarization. macOS Gatekeeper may therefore block the downloaded app or display an alert such as “MyPassRecovery” is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash. On a Chinese-language Mac, the same warning may appear as “MyPassRecovery” 已损坏，无法打开。您应该将它移到废纸篓。 A similar alert can also mean that an app is genuinely incomplete, corrupted, or modified, so do not bypass the warning automatically.

Safety Check Before You Continue

  1. Download MyPassRecovery only from the official MyPassRecovery website or a download link supplied directly by MyPassRecovery support.
  2. Delete unexpected copies received through email, chat, forums, file-sharing sites, or search advertisements.
  3. If MyPassRecovery publishes an SHA-256 checksum, compare it with the downloaded installer before opening it:
shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/MyPassRecovery.dmg
  1. If the warning says the app will damage your computer, macOS reports known malware, or the file has an unexpected name or size, stop and contact MyPassRecovery support. Do not run the commands below.

Apple explains that macOS checks Developer ID signatures and notarization, and warns that overriding these protections can expose a Mac to malware. See Apple's guidance on safely opening Mac apps and Apple's explanation of modified or damaged apps.

Recommended Method: Open Anyway in System Settings

After confirming that the app came from the official source:

  1. Drag MyPassRecovery.app into the Applications folder.
  2. Try to open it once, then close the warning.
  3. Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security.
  4. Scroll to Security, find the message about MyPassRecovery, and click Open Anyway.
  5. Enter the administrator password or use Touch ID, then confirm Open.

Apple notes that the Open Anyway option is normally available for about one hour after an attempted launch. This creates an exception only for that app. See Open a Mac app from an unknown developer.

If macOS Still Says the App Is Damaged

Use this fallback only after MyPassRecovery support confirms that the download is authentic and intact. Open Terminal and first check whether the app has a quarantine attribute:

xattr -p com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/MyPassRecovery.app"

If the attribute is present, remove only that attribute from this specific app bundle:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/MyPassRecovery.app"

If the downloaded app bundle has a different name, replace the quoted path with its actual .app path. To avoid typing mistakes, type xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine (including the final space), drag the app from Finder into the Terminal window, and then press Return.

Then Control-click MyPassRecovery.app in Finder, choose Open, and confirm the prompt. The xattr -d option removes a named extended attribute and -r applies the operation within the app bundle; see the macOS xattr manual.

Do not use sudo spctl --master-disable, do not disable Gatekeeper globally, and do not clear quarantine attributes from the whole Downloads or Applications folder. If the targeted command does not solve the problem, delete the app, download a fresh copy from the official source, and contact MyPassRecovery support.

macOS Interface and Screenshot Note

The screenshots below are reused from the Windows guide because the MyPassRecovery document-processing workflow is the same: sign in, select the protected file, wait for analysis, submit or save the result, and verify the output. Window controls, file-picker appearance, fonts, and paths may look different on macOS. Follow the labels in your installed macOS build when a screen differs.

Page Summary

When an Excel workbook has editing restriction enabled, you may be able to open the file, but worksheets, locked cells, formulas, or workbook structure may not be editable. This guide shows how to use MyPassRecovery Desktop to remove Excel editing restriction by importing the protected workbook, analyzing the worksheet or workbook protection, saving the unrestricted output file, and confirming that the new Excel file can be edited normally.

What Is Excel Editing Restriction?

Excel editing restriction usually appears as worksheet protection, locked cells, or workbook structure protection. A protected Excel file may open normally, but users may not be able to edit cells, change formulas, insert sheets, rename sheets, or modify workbook structure.

MyPassRecovery Desktop can handle Excel files protected by editing restriction or permission protection. When the software recognizes this protection type, it can remove the editing restriction and generate a new Excel output file that allows normal editing.

When to Use This Guide

Use this guide when an Excel file opens successfully but worksheet editing, cell editing, or workbook structure changes are blocked by editing restriction.

  • The Excel workbook opens, but cells cannot be edited.
  • A worksheet is protected and the protection password is not available.
  • Workbook structure changes such as adding, deleting, or renaming sheets are blocked.
  • You need a new Excel file without editing restriction.

When This Guide Does Not Apply

If the Excel file asks for a password before opening, it is an Excel open password recovery case, not an editing restriction removal case. If the workbook is damaged or locked by macOS file permissions or cloud sync, that problem is not Excel editing restriction.

Before You Start

Before removing editing restriction, prepare MyPassRecovery Desktop and the protected Excel workbook. Close the workbook in Microsoft Excel for Mac or WPS Office for Mac before importing it.

  1. Install MyPassRecovery Desktop. The free quick check does not require sign-in; sign in only when submitting a subscribed cloud-recovery task.
  2. Prepare an Excel workbook with editing restriction. Supported formats include .xls and .xlsx.
  3. Place the workbook in a local folder, such as ~/Documents/MyPassRecovery/Excel Editing Restriction/.
  4. Close the workbook before importing it into the software.

Operation Steps

Step 1: Open MyPassRecovery Desktop

Open MyPassRecovery Desktop and make sure the app is online; sign in only if you are submitting a subscribed cloud-recovery task. The client should be online and ready to analyze the Excel workbook before you remove editing restriction.

Step 1: Open MyPassRecovery Desktop

Step 1: Open MyPassRecovery Desktop

Step 2: Import the Excel Workbook with Editing Restriction

In the Document Processing area, click the file selection button and choose the Excel workbook that has editing restriction. After import, MyPassRecovery Desktop reads the path and identifies the file type and protection method.

Step 2: Import the Excel workbook with editing restriction

Step 2: Import the Excel workbook with editing restriction

Step 3: Wait for Editing Restriction Analysis

After the file is imported, MyPassRecovery Desktop checks whether the workbook contains editing restriction, worksheet protection, workbook structure protection, an open password, or another protection type. For an Excel file that only has editing restriction, the client should indicate that the protection can be removed directly.

Step 3: The software detects Excel editing restriction

Step 3: The software detects Excel editing restriction

Step 4: Remove the Editing Restriction

After the software identifies Excel editing restriction, click Save or the available removal button. MyPassRecovery Desktop generates a new Excel output file without the previous editing restriction.

Step 5: Open the Output Excel File

Open the new output workbook in Microsoft Excel for Mac. Confirm that cells, worksheets, and workbook structure can be edited normally. If editing is available, the editing restriction has been removed.

Result

After the process is complete, the original Excel workbook remains unchanged, and MyPassRecovery Desktop creates a new Excel file with the editing restriction removed. Use the output workbook when you need to edit cells, formulas, worksheets, or workbook structure.