Check before you share
Your workbook can share more than you see.
Hidden tabs, invisible text and old stored values can travel with an Excel file. Workbook Inspector helps you find them, see where they are and decide what belongs in the copy you share.
No login. No daily limit. One .xlsx file at a time, with every supported check and the full report included.
Example findings
Example workbook.xlsxA whole tab is hidden
Reveal the tab in a copy and check its contents.
An editor’s name is stored
Check “Last saved by” in the file’s properties before sharing.
Your workbooks stay on your device.
Inspection runs locally in your browser. Your files are not uploaded.
The problem
A tidy sheet can still carry hidden details.
A workbook is more than the cells on screen. It can keep hidden staff lists, comments, editor names and old values behind charts — even when the visible sheet looks ready to send.
Whether you’re answering an FOI request, sharing a report or sending data to a client, check the file itself before it leaves your hands.
Tested in desktop Excel
Some hidden text survived Document Inspector.
In our fictional demo, Excel’s Document Inspector did not report text hidden by the ;;; number format. After its offered removals and a save, the text was still there. Workbook Inspector reported it.
Recorded on Windows desktop Excel 16.0.20527.20088, 28 October 2026. This is a result for that file and build; behaviour can differ between versions. Excel still reported an external-link warning.
Scan. Review.
Save your report.
Start with the workbook you already have. Your original file stays unchanged.
Scan your workbook
Choose an .xlsx file. Turn on optional sensitive-data search if you need it, then start the inspection.
See what needs attention
Open a finding for its location and next step. Use the X-ray preview to see supported hidden cell content in place.
Review your copy. Keep the report.
Make any changes in your spreadsheet app, then scan again. Download the full findings and any areas that need a manual check.
See what’s easy to miss.
Each finding explains what was found, where to look and what to do next. Any area needing a manual check is named in the report.
Hidden content
Sheets, rows and cells
Check for hidden worksheets, rows and columns, plus supported formatting that hides populated cells.
Stored details
More than the visible data
Review comments, editor names, attached files and supported stored values behind charts and formulas.
X-ray preview · Free
See hidden cells in context
Switch between Normal and X-ray, move between worksheet tabs and jump from a cell finding to its location. Revealed values stay on your device and are not added to reports.
Optional search
Possible personal information
Look for supported patterns, such as email-like values, and recognised column headings. See counts and locations; matched values stay out of the report.
Pro · for regular reviews
Check batches.
Keep a review record.
Check up to 50 workbooks in one batch, record dated review decisions and compare saved scans. Both plans use the same supported checks.
Pro for one reviewer: £10 a month or £100 a year. For a team or organisation, contact us about your requirements.
Sign in with an active subscription, or create an account and upgrade. Choose monthly or annual card payments, or an annual invoice.
Prices are the total payable; no VAT is charged.
Coming soon
A command-line tool.
For teams that want workbook checks in their own scripts and automated workflows. A supported CLI is planned; it is not available yet.