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

Have you had a Microsoft office charge? To access the folder I swipe left to right and enter folder name in search box. Is there a quicker way? True the Excel function is better than the just view. RBLsr

This did not work for me. I’m trying to open a password-protected Word doc. I saved the doc to the documents folder and then downloaded the Microsoft Office app. I still get the Decryption failed (null) message when I try to open from the email directly. When I try to open from the saved document I just get a blank page. Any ideas? TIA.

F/U: opened MS Office app and was able to search for the saved doc and it did open from there. Is there any way to open it direct from the email until Apple fixes this bug?

TY

There is no way to open it from within Apple Mail, that's what this entire issue is all about. When you said "documents folder", what exactly is that? My work around is opening it from the Apples File app.

Thanks but I have no experience with that particular app. I see you have the Files app in your dock, give that a try, works for me and others. If the File app works and the Documents app doesn't then you will know the issue is within how the Documents app works.

Thank you so much for the sweet workaround! In my case the source for the file is Google Drive, so the only issue there is I have to re-download the file every time I need to use it since it’s not the synchronized version, whereas before I simply opened it directly from the Drive app. Apple, please fix this.

You're welcome cvdinh & AZTechGirl,

Glad the work around helps. BTW, I was on the phone with Apple senior support again on this issue doing some ancillary testing with password protected MS files and we both came to a preliminary conclusion that this change may not be accidental :-0 We won't know till a couple more iOS upgrades are released but it does seem to fit the path Apple is taking on third party apps. I'm actually starting to like the work around better and it only takes one second to open the file.

Get used to using the work around. If this is not an issue, meaning it was an intentional change by Apple, then it will never go back to the way it was. We've had two iOS updates since 14.2 and neither has fixed it. At least its good that the MS Office app is free.

Right you are Simpo79, if all one does is want to open a password protected Excel file, then they need MS Excel on their device, if they want to open a password protected Word file then they need MS Word on their device and so on. I just found it easier to install MS Office from the App store since it contains Excel, Word and PowerPoint, like a one stop shop.

However, I learned yesterday when helping my wife on her iPad that I could not find MS Office on the App store for an iPad, I could only find it for an iPhone. We first downloaded MS Office for the iPhone onto her iPad, it worked well to open the files but of course it was designed for the iPhone size screen so it only filled 25% of her iPad's screen. I zapped it and downloaded MS Excel instead because she only wanted to use it for Excel files and of course this worked like a charm.

So, I wonder why MS did not release Office for the iPad but did for the iPhone????

I don't know how Microsoft decide to released app for phone or tablet but the positive side of Excel now is that you can mod the file directly from iPhone. I use a file for passwords.. is not simple to type on 5" screen display but now i have the file in iCloud and is immediately available from iPhone, Mac or iPad.

And is one update anytime. Before I had to delete the pdf and create a new one everytime I insert a new pass because pdf are not editable. Now is only one file everywhere

I have the same issue with the iPhone 12 Pro that i just purchased. I have been a long time Android Samsung Galaxy user but I was forced into a situation where i had to switch to the iPhone. On my Samsung device, I have been able to store password protected Excel files within Dropbox, as well as using another third party encryption program to further protect the files. When I discovered on that platform that I was receiving errors opening the Excel file (using the Excel app), I switched to OfficeSuite and found that this program worked flawlessly.

Fortunately on the Samsung phone, I had the choice of which application to use to open the file. I am not getting the same option on the iPhone, even though I have installed the same paid version apps. Let's see if they can resolve this issue soon!

After reading the replies on here, I decided to download yet another app, (Microsoft Office). Am I just dense today? Because the Excel document I want from my desktop that is password protected isn't in the app. Yes, I've logged in. I'm going to assume it's because the document hasn't been flung up to the cloud, but if I've logged in, it seems like it would be.

Can anyone give me a dumbed-down instruction on what to do? Thanks.

eliciafromnashville, need some clarification on what you mean when you say "Because the Excel document I want from my desktop that is password protected isn't in the app" and you logged into what? I you read my blurb I posted just before yours, which one of my steps did you take? I have not signed into any cloud to do what I did. So come back with more info and I'll try to help you. What phone do you have? What iOS do you have? What computer do you have? Which method did you try?

Thanks, but I don't have a Mac. What I mean is - currently, on my Windows desktop I have an Excel file w/ a password. I have in the past been able to email it to myself and open it from my iPhone 11. Suddenly, I can't....as others have indicated.....

So I downloaded Microsoft Office app (suggested here) but then what? I've logged in to the Office app. But the Excel and Word docs on my desktop aren't syncing, if you will, with the app.

I assumed that was the benefit of downloading the Office app. Otherwise, what was the point in doing that? I'm still unable to open the Excel doc that is pw protected.

skhatri25, I think you are going to have to describe, step by step, exactly how you are doing it when it fails because plenty of others have successfully opened password protected MS files via the steps posted in this thread. For it not to work for you, I interpret as you are doing something differently. Also pls tell us which iPhone or iPad you have and what its iOS is. Pls do not leave out any steps.

Ok, step by step. First, I have the Microsoft Office App downloaded. I open it. It's already logged in and I see my name (initials) in the left corner on the Home screen, where it defaults.

Secondly, I click on the + sign in the middle. This gives me 3 options: Notes, Lens and Word, Excel, Powerpoint (the latter being one option).

I click on Word/Excel/PP. In the middle is Excel. There are 3 choices, but they are all if you want to set up from the beginning (because of the +, of course.)

I go back to the Home screen and choose the option called "Actions"

There are these choices: Share files, Convert text in images, do more with PDFs, More actions.

None of these will allow me to open the Excel document that I have on my desktop.

I don't know how to get the one from my desktop to this app.

All I want to do is email a password-protected Excel document to my email and downloading this app was what others have done and they say it works for them.

Clearly, I'm missing some big step in between.

Thanks.

Felicia