This article explains which Access file format you would use based on your needs, and why you might want to use an earlier version file format in some instances.

When you create a new database, the database uses the new file format by default and is given the .accdb file extension. You should use the new file format whenever possible because it supports new …

Access creates databases in the .accdb file format. This format supports features such as multivalued fields, data macros, and attachment fields. You can convert databases that were created in Microsoft …

When you create a new, blank database, Access asks you to name the database file. By default, the file is given the ".accdb" extension — it is created in the Access .accdb file format for your version and is …

Databases created in the Access 2007-2016 format (which is also used by Access for Microsoft 365, Access 2024, Access 2021, and Access 2019) have the file extension .accdb, and databases …

This topic introduces the various ways you can save your Access database objects and ways to save to different Access file formats.

If you created an Access database in the (.accdb) file format, but you want to share the database with people who are using earlier versions of Access, such as before Access 2007, in most cases, you …

This article provides a basic overview of the structure of an Access database. Access provides several tools that you can use to familiarize yourself with the structure of a particular database.

When you have a database open with exclusive access, anyone else who tries to open the database receives a "file already in use" message. Click the arrow next to the Open button and then click Open …

An Access Deployment file comprises an application file and a digital signature that is associated with that file. This file format assures users that no one has changed the application file after you …