Search many protected workbooks at once

[mrblister]

I would like to search (using Windows File Explorer) many protected workbooks for specific content (at once). I don't NEED to use File Explorer, but I need a way to search all of these protected workbooks easily. There are over 200 workbooks in different sub-directories. Note the workbooks don't have password protection. Other than manually opening each one and saving as unprotected, what other options are there?

 

[Candyman8019]

Have you tried indexing the content of the folders? right click on the root folder, on the General tab there should be an 'advanced' button...

 

[mrblister]

Yes, that box is ticked for the directory. I should also mention that File Explorer search works on unprotected excel workbooks in that directory (but won't search the protected workbooks).

 

[Candyman8019]

I just did a few tests and tried protecting with Review | protect workbook as well as protecting from the file | info | protect menu and my windows file explorer searches contents (on my personal computer). Are you working on a corporate network or personal computer…I’m wondering if there is a network setting or corporate O365 setting preventing contents search?

 

[mrblister]

It's a personal computer. And it turns out I made a mistake; the files aren't protected. I assumed they were, because they were opening in "protected view", but that's because the files "came from the internet". I disabled protected view so I don't get that message anymore. BUT File Explorer still won't search the contents of those files; File Explorer will only check contents of files that I created or ones that I downloaded and modified, but not the original files that I downloaded (but again, File Explorer will search the file if I modify and save a copy of the file). Those original files won't index for some reason, unless I save a modified version of the file, or copy/paste a new version of the file.

 

[mrblister]

OK, so I found a work-around. I copied the main directory of files and pasted it elsewhere. I then deleted the original directory. I then moved my new copy to where the main directory was. For some reason, this worked, I can now search the contents of all those files. My problem is solved now, but if someone can explain WHY it works now, that would be appreciated.

 

[Candyman8019]

Happy to hear you got it sorted. If you run into that issue again, check the file properties and see if security is blocking it.