Error message: Decryption failed(null) when attempting to open an Excel document on iPad

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.

After upgrading to iOS 14.2 I was getting the error “Decryption Failed” and the word “Null” below it when I tried to open my password protected excel file attached to an email.

The next day I tried again. Same result initially. But then about an hour later, I tried it again and it opened and I’ve opened it several times since.

I received no notification from Apple of any fix or upgrade.

Very strange.

The consistent theme here is the 'upgrade' to 14.2. I've had exactly the same apps and the same p/w protected document that I accessed on my phone. Before 14.2, no problems accessing. After 14.2, problems. So stand by, I'm shouting: YES, APPLE! IT IS YOUR PROBLEM! FIX IT! There, I feel better. Please, Apple, this is transparently your problem with 14.2. Quit worrying about your next "woke" emoji and fix this baseline operational problem....

I agree 100%. When I first encountered the issue, it was with my brand new iPad Air, running 14.2. I had not yet updated my iPhone XR to 14.2 and the same file, using exactly the same steps opened with no issue. Yesterday, I updated the iPhone to 14.2. You guessed it, I can not open the password protected excel file. Yes, I did get the MicroSoft app suite from the Apple store and the file may be opened, but why should I have to install a competing product to get functionality Apple trashed with the latest IOS update?

I have a slightly different take on it, I think it pretty fantastic that Apple allows us to open Microsoft products on their phones without needing to install Microsoft on the phone. I'm happy about that and can very easily remember the days when Apple and Microsoft would have nothing to do with each other. Plus, you can download and install the MS Office app for free and its only 414Mb.

Now, if we can only get Apple to fix this issue then I can remove the MS Office app from my phone and go back to the way it used to be. 14.2.1 did not fix it so am waiting for the next release.

Go to page 2 of this thread and read my post entitled Interim Success. This works for me and I suspect it will for you and all others too. I do not have a Microsoft acct, I do not subscribe to Office 360 so the work around I posted is free and works. This will have to make due till Apple fixes this issue.

I use the standard email for IPad. I password protected on my windows PC on a standalone license for office. I send the excel spreadsheet to my icloud email on the IPad. I download it and it asks for a password. I have been doing this for years and up until 14.2 it worked. So really the questions begs did Apple have a check off sheet list that lists all the things that need to be tested before sending out an upgrade

I think not which is really the issue

I. I have an iPhone 8

2. And 8. I have gmail and I get to it using the mail icon on the bottom of my iphone screen.

3. I don’t have msoffice or excel on my phone.

4. And 6, 7. Not sure on 4. I just go to the mail icon on the bottom of my phone screen. It takes me into my gmail. I open the email, then click on the excel, it prompts me for my password and the excel file opens. haven’t tested entering a wrong password yet. I’ll post when I do.

9. I back up my phone automatically each night to iCloud.

10. I did no updates to iOS or to any apps between the time my excel got this error and when it started opening again. The only thing I did was go onto my pc opened and edited the excel file and reemailed myself the excel file. Initially it did not open either. But a couple hours later I tried to reopen it again from within the new email and it worked. Then I opened the older email with the previous version of the excel file and it worked too!

11. I don’t have any auto updates for any apps.

not sure if this is helpful but hopefully I’ve answered your questions.

Well bummer. I had deleted the gmail with the pass word protected excel file that I was able to open with iOS 14.2 so I resent it to myself just now.

and once again I cannot open it like everyone else!

boo hoo Apple!

Ugh... :-) what happens if you go into your deleted folder, find that email and try to open the Excel file?

Thanks for all your answers, I am wondering if your phone stored the password and allowed that file to open without going through the same process as it would if you had to type the password in and that is why it worked for you. I can shoot holes in that theory but just trying to figure it out. May be a moot point now though if that email is deleted and you cannot get it back. Now you are in our sinking boat! :-0 By rights, it should not have worked so am still thinking about it.

I can only open it because I downloaded the Word App and my file is now there (tap on files); password still needed to open it. It still won’t open as an email attachment. Hopefully Apple is working on fixing this.

Interim solutions are good but they don’t resolve the issue. By using the MS Excel app on my iPhone 7+, I can open protected spreadsheets but the reading on such a small screen is quite challenging. At this point, I would like Apple to put out an interim solution to remove the 12.2 update so we can get back to normal.

I want this resolved appropriately. Having to download a Microsoft Office App works but it creates a new issue that opens the spreadsheet differently when viewed. My iPhone 7+ is up for an upgrade and if this issue isn’t resolved soon I may be forced to go with a non-Apple phone upgrade😡

The good news is, I can now open my Excel files on both iPad and on iPhone 12pro. My question may now go to Dropbox—I wonder why I still receive the Decryption failed (null) message above the invitation to “open” the file in Excel. I used to get a preview copy of the Excel file before I actually opened the Excel file for editing. This is not a real problem—but I’m curious if the change lives with Dropbox? Apple? or Microsoft? Anyway, I’m relieved I can now go directly to opening the Excel files.