I am receiving the error message: Decryption failed(null) when attempting to open a password protected Excel document on iPhone and iPad after update to ios 14.2
iPhone 11, iOS 14
Interim Success
Ok, I've found an interim solution though I still believe Apple has an issue since I have read that 14.1 does not have this problem but at least this works for now.. .. and don't believe that the issue lies with Dropbox, Synology DS File, Microsoft, etc, the issue is with Apple and they need to fix what they broke.
I took the Excel password protected file that I could not open directly from with the Apple Mail app on my iPhone 12 running iOS 14.2 (the same exact file worked fine in 13.6) and instead of opening it, I long pressed it in Mail until I got a pop up menu with choices. I like choices :-) I chose to Save that file in the Apple "Files" app on my phone. The File app comes standard with iOS. I then opened the Files app and tapped the password protected Excel file I just put there, it prompted for a password, I entered it and it opened just fine.
However, in order to get success, you first have to go to the Apple App store and download the free "Microsoft Office app for iOS", (see pic). Once downloaded to your phone you do not need to sign in to it or even have it open, just the fact that its on the same device as the file you want to open does the trick. The Excel file opened it in Excel.
I will assume this same procedure will work for Word and Powerpoint but haven't tried it yet.
So until Apple fixes the issue, there is another way to open a password protected Microsoft Office file on an iOS device running iOS 14.2
Posted this semi-solution to appbag, but wanted to make sure you saw it because you sound like you’re in a bind.
I’m actually relieved that this is an interface issue, as I was sick with worry that my file had somehow been corrupted. I have good news for you if you are a Office 360 subscriber. Although you can’t currently open/edit/save your encrypted MS documents online, you still have full access through the apps. Just download the Excel, Word, etc. apps and work directly through those.
Hope this helps.
I have the same problem but only through Dropbox on my iPad or iPhone. I keep an encrypted worksheet on Dropbox so I can access it from anywhere on my iPhone. Prior to iOS a14.2 it would open in the viewer with no problem. With iOS 14.2 the native file viewer won’t decrypt the file. If I open via Excel or Numbers on any of my Apple devices it works fine. On my PC (Windows 10) It also opens without problems in file explorer or on Dropbox.com so clearly it’s something to do with iOS 14.2. My workaround is to open in Excel but as I have no subscription to Office 365 I can’t do any updating or editing.
I was having this same problem with a password protected excel file but tonight around 10:45pm Pacific Time I can suddenly open my file.
Not sure why, I ran no update and didn’t see that Apple did either.
But Ive opened my file 3 times in the last 5 minutes and it’s working.
Downloaded the Microsoft Office apps Excel and Word. (Not sure if this actually had an impact on the solution or if Apple did the fix) Attempted to open the document by entering the password and it worked. I think the 14.2 update changed something that caused the initial issue, but after some time Apple (or Microsoft?) got it back to the way it was (ability to password protect a Microsoft document and have it open on iOS devices) Now its working the way I want and all is well.
My expertise, well I certainly don't call it that, more like stumbling around and accidental discovery, comes from having to deal with family and friends and their devices. For some reason they keep calling me and that has forced me to come to grips with some of this. I also call Apple a lot with questions and complaints. I get one iota smarter with each call :-)
Anyway, at least we all now have a work around that isn't painful while we await an Apple solution.
Open the password protected excel and word files in office and they will opens. Try opening them directly they will not. While earlier these files would open as a preview.
something has gone wrong with iOS 14.2. Hope they fix it
I have the same issue attempting to open a password protected Excel file via OneDrive app from my iPhone 12. It opens fine if accessed with any other device (non apple). I get the same "Decryption failed. (null)" error whether I try to open it through the OneDrive app or access OneDrive.com using Safari and attempt to open it from there.
Thanks AlbertoITALIA! That's what I thought. Since you have MS Office and Excel on your iPhone SE, what happens if you take your encrypted Excel file from your Mail app and save it to your "Files" app on your SE and then open it from there?
Instead of grabbing the Word app, grab the MS Office app which contains all three, Word, Excel and Powerpoint in one app. Still, even though you have this app on your device, you will not be able to open an encrypted file within Mail but can save the file in Apples File app and then open it from there. It will actually open in whatever MS Office file extension the file is.
As of the latest iOS 14.2.1 for the phone, its not fixed yet.
I have Excel and Word on my iPhone but I’m not subscribed to Office 365. It started off as legacy software from Office 2011 on my Mac (pre subscription). Initially they were fully functional but when Microsoft support was withdrawn for that version it reverted to read only versions of the software at the next iteration on the App Store.
Right, your complaint is the same as the rest of us, the ability to simply open a password protected MS Office file on our iPhone running 14.2 is gone till Apple fixes it.
Why not try downloading the free MS Office app from the App store, this is what worked for me. However, due to the issue Apple is having at the moment, you will still not be able to open your password protected file from within Apple Mail. However if you save that file to the Apple Files app, you will be able to open from there after installed MS Office.
You do not have to sign in to MS Office, just have it on your phone, its a stand along version, not 365. Try it and report back.
For Word Documents and Excel Spreadsheet files download free Pages and Numbers app. Once you have those apps installed, long tap on the file and from Share Menu list select the app you want to file import to.
It’s been working for me for a few days now. Absolutely nothing from Apple on this. I never saw an update notification.
But they for sure did something to fix it cause I did nothing myself to fix it.
Apple hasn't done anything yet. If you find that its working, then its because of something else or you need to explain what you mean by...its working. Apple cannot make any changes on your device without your consent or knowledge. Can you explain what you mean when you say its working? Details will help everyone understand how you are able to to open the password protected MS Office files and what other non-Apple apps you have on your device that may be facilitating it.
Hi LindaMGH,
This is very bazaar indeed. In the case that you are on to something, lets try to figure it out, ok? If you don't mind, can you tell us.. ..
Sorry, I know these are a lot of questions but I believe Apple monitors our posts, well I certainly hope so, and the more info we give, the greater the chance of them substantiating an issue and fixing it but in the meantime, if you can help uncover the secret here, then others can duplicate your process and open their password protect files too like we all used to do before 14.2.
Error message: Decryption failed(null) when attempting to open an Excel document on iPad
