Access Blog articles

Deprecation of Legacy Web Browser Control

Courtney Owen — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 23:08:36 GMT

We are announcing the planned deprecation of the legacy, Internet Explorer-based Web Browser Control in Microsoft Access, targeted for May 18, 2027, with version 2705. For Access LTSC 2024, the change is planned for May 11.

If your Access applications contain forms that use the legacy control, we recommend migrating those controls to the Edge Browser Control before the target deprecation date. This post explains how to identify affected forms, convert existing controls, and prepare your applications for the transition.

Why we are making this change

Microsoft retired the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application and ended its support on certain versions of Windows 10 on June 15, 2022, as explained in the Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

As part of Access’s continued modernization, we are now planning to deprecate the legacy, Internet Explorer-based Web Browser Control. We recommend migrating affected forms to the Edge Browser Control. (Use the Edge browser control on a form)

Moving your forms to the Edge Browser Control prepares your applications for the transition announced in this post.

What deprecation means for your applications

When this change takes effect in your version of Access, legacy Web Browser Controls will no longer load or display web content. We will provide an option under Access Options to automatically load them as Edge Browser Controls, but this will not be the default.

To preserve your application’s browser functionality, update the affected forms, review any associated VBA code, and test the updated application before deploying it to users.

Who should take action?

Review your Access applications if they include forms containing the legacy Web Browser Control. Include databases maintained by your organization, external developers, or solution providers.

Forms that already use the Edge Browser Control do not need their browser controls converted as part of this migration.

We recommend starting your review early so you have time to make changes, test your application’s workflows, and distribute updated forms to your users. For new forms that need to display web content, choose the Edge Browser Control rather than adding a new dependency on the legacy control.

Identify affected forms

Identifying affected controls is currently a manual process:

Open each form in Design View.
Inspect the form for legacy Web Browser Controls, distinguishing them from Edge Browser Controls.
Note each control that needs conversion. Include forms used as subforms in your review.

Repeat this process for each database you maintain. Allow time to convert the controls, update related code, test your application’s workflows, and distribute the updated database.

Convert an existing legacy Web Browser Control to the Edge Browser Control

You can convert an existing legacy Web Browser Control directly from your form’s Design View:

Back up your database. Make and retain a backup before modifying your forms.
Open the form in Design View. In the Navigation Pane, right-click the affected form and select Design View.
Select the legacy Web Browser Control on the form.
Convert the control. Right-click it, point to Change To, and select New browser control.
Save and test the form. Open it in Form View and verify that the converted control behaves as expected.

Repeat these steps for each legacy Web Browser Control in the forms you plan to migrate.

Review compatibility and test your forms

Treat conversion as the beginning of validation—not the end. Before deploying an updated database, we recommend testing:

VBA, DOM access, and events: The Edge Browser Control does not expose the legacy control’s Object property or MSHTML object model. Code that directly accesses the HTML document or DOM through those interfaces must be rewritten. Use ExecuteJavascript to run JavaScript in the page and RetrieveJavascriptValue to retrieve the value of a JavaScript expression. Review related event handlers as well.
Internet Explorer compatibility: Test websites and content that depend on Internet Explorer-specific behavior. They may require changes to work with Edge.
Authentication and navigation: Test sign-in flows, protected content, links, redirects, and URLs that change with the current record. Review the Trusted Domains configuration where necessary.
Local content: Test local files and review the Edge Browser Control’s local-file navigation requirements.
User environments: Validate the updated forms in the Access environments where your application will run.

For configuration guidance, including Trusted Domains and local-file navigation, see Use the Edge browser control on a form.

Developers should also review the Edge Browser Control object reference when updating browser-related VBA code. (EdgeBrowserControl Object)

Start preparing now

The planned deprecation date is May 18, 2027, with version 2705. Begin identifying affected forms and testing their conversion to the Edge Browser Control now, allowing time to resolve compatibility issues before deploying your updated application.

Fixes in Microsoft Access - Version 2610 (Build 16.0.20527.20088)

Shane Groff — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:05:21 GMT

Known issue in the initial Version 2610 release

Some databases may display an incorrect "There isn't enough memory or disk space" message when opening a report or exporting a report to PDF. A correction is planned for the next Version 2610 update.

UPDATE: This issue is now fixed in build 16.0.20527.20112. Use 'Update Now' to update to the new build.

Zoom

Issue	Fix
Datasheet subforms did not zoom with Ctrl+mouse wheel	Using Ctrl+mouse wheel over a subform displayed in Datasheet View now changes its zoom level as expected.
Context menus appeared in the wrong location on zoomed forms	Right-click menus now open at the selected location regardless of the form's zoom level, including near the lower-right edge of the form.
A form divider line could stop halfway across at 50% zoom	The divider between form sections now spans the full form width at 50% zoom and other supported zoom levels.
Rapid Ctrl+mouse-wheel input could jump from 10% to 1000% zoom	Zooming out quickly now stops at the 10% minimum instead of wrapping to the maximum zoom level.

Big Forms

Issue	Fix
Horizontal scrolling could snap very wide forms back to the left	Design View and Form View can now scroll to controls positioned far to the right without the form unexpectedly returning to its left edge.
Text formatting remained limited to 22 inches in wider controls	Text can now be formatted and displayed across the full width of fixed-size text controls wider than the former 22-inch form limit.

Forms and controls

Issue	Fix
ControlTip text could remain visible after typing began	ControlTips now close when keyboard input begins, preventing the tip from covering the form during data entry.
Property Sheet text could become unreadable after changing the Office theme	The Property Sheet now refreshes both its foreground and background colors immediately after a theme change, without requiring Access to be restarted.

Queries and data

Issue	Fix
Bracketed object and control names could occasionally be read incorrectly	Access now reliably preserves a name when removing its surrounding brackets.

Stability

Issue	Fix
Opening forms with grouped control layouts could cause Access to close unexpectedly	Access no longer closes unexpectedly while determining the bounds of grouped layouts when affected forms open in Form View.
Changing a subform's SourceObject could cause Access to close unexpectedly	Changing a subform's source from VBA during an event now completes without causing Access to close unexpectedly.

Build bigger forms in Microsoft Access

Shane Groff — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 23:36:12 GMT

For many years, Microsoft Access forms were limited to 22 inches in width and in the height of an individual section. That size works well for many solutions, but it can become restrictive when you are building a wide dashboard, arranging many controls, designing for a large display, or creating a detailed data entry workflow.

With Big Forms, a form can be up to 2,000 inches wide, and each individual vertical dimension can be up to 2,000 inches. The combined height of all sections and their Design View section headers can be up to 2,100 inches.

Continue using the familiar Access design surface, property sheet, rulers, and scrollbars, with substantially more space available when your solution needs it.

How to create a bigger form

Open your object in Design View.
Open an existing form, or create a new one.
Resize the design surface or a section.
Drag an edge beyond 22 inches, or enter a Width or Height value of up to 2,000 inches in the property sheet.
Position and size your controls.
Move controls into the expanded area or set larger Left, Top, Width, and Height values.
Save and reopen as usual.
Access preserves the expanded dimensions when you save the form.

No conversion required

You do not need to recreate existing forms. Open the form in a supported version of Access and extend the layout only when you need additional space.

Use Big Forms from VBA

You can read and set expanded dimensions through the existing VBA Properties collection. Values are expressed in twips, with 1,440 twips in one inch. The 2,000 inch maximum is 2,880,000 twips.

Public Sub ResizeCustomerOverview() Const TwipsPerInch As Long = 1440 DoCmd.OpenForm "CustomerOverview", acDesign With Forms("CustomerOverview") .Properties("Width").Value = 100 * TwipsPerInch .Section(acDetail).Properties("Height").Value = 50 * TwipsPerInch .Controls("Notes").Properties("Left").Value = 24 * TwipsPerInch .Controls("Notes").Properties("Width").Value = 60 * TwipsPerInch End With DoCmd.Save acForm, "CustomerOverview" End Sub

No new property names are required. Use Properties("Left"), Properties("Top"), Properties("Width"), and Properties("Height") to work with the new larger limits.

Why use the Properties collection?

Typed VBA members such as Control.Left retain their legacy 16 bit contract for compatibility with existing code. On an expanded form, those typed members return a value limited to the 16 bit range. The Properties collection reads and writes the complete Big Forms value.

Designed with compatibility in mind

Backward compatibility is determined for each form. Access only uses the new saved form format when a form actually exceeds a legacy limit. Forms that remain within the previous limits continue to use the existing format, even when they are saved by a version of Access that supports Big Forms.

When a form uses the expanded range, Access saves its full values in wider properties and marks that specific form as requiring Big Forms support. An earlier version of Access can still open the database and work with its other compatible objects. If someone tries to open the expanded form, Access displays a message explaining that the form requires a newer version.

Compatibility without silent data loss

Earlier versions do not truncate or reinterpret an expanded form. They stop before loading that form and show a clear compatibility message, while the rest of the database remains available.

Sharing a database?

Make sure everyone who needs to open an expanded form is using a supported Access build. This is especially important for shared front end databases and packaged Access applications.

Availability

Big Forms is rolling out on Current Channel, beginning with version 16.0.20430.20146. It is enabled for some customers now and is expected to reach everyone on Current Channel early next week. If you are on that build and do not yet see the expanded limits, check again in a few days.

Availability	Rolling out on Current Channel
Version	16.0.20430.20146 or later
Platform	Microsoft Access for Windows

To check your version, open Access and select File > Account > About Access.

Try Big Forms and tell us what you think

Use the expanded design surface with your forms, then share what works well and where you would like to see improvements.

Share feedback about Access

Feature availability and release timing can vary by update channel.

Fixes in Microsoft Access - Version 2609 (Build 16.0.20430.20092)

Shane Groff — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:59:34 GMT

Zoom

Issue	Fix
Label captions could be truncated after using Size To Fit	Labels sized to fit their captions could clip the final character at some zoom levels. Access now allows for font-size rounding so the entire caption remains visible.
VBA could return the wrong form's Zoom value	Reading the Zoom property of a named form could return the zoom level of the active window instead. VBA now returns the value for the form referenced by the expression.
The Edit List Items button appeared in the wrong location	At zoom levels other than 100%, the Edit List Items button for a value-list control could appear offset from the control. It now remains aligned with the lower-left corner of the list.
Captions could become misaligned on very wide forms*	On wide forms, controls positioned far from the left edge could drift away from their captions at zoom levels such as 110%, 120%, 130%, or 140%. Captions and controls now remain aligned throughout the supported zoom range.
A combo-box selection in a new sub-datasheet record could be discarded	The first value selected from a combo box in a new sub-datasheet record could be cleared, requiring a second selection. The initial selection is now retained.
The active editor in a sub-datasheet did not move when zoom changed	Changing zoom while editing a sub-datasheet cell could leave the editor at its old position. The editor now moves with the cell and remains correctly aligned.
Tiled background images did not fill forms below 100% zoom	At lower zoom levels, a tiled background picture could cover only part of the form window. The picture now tiles across the entire visible area.
Horizontal scrolling did not scale with zoom	Line and page scrolling could move a zoomed form by the wrong distance. Horizontal scrolling now moves by a consistent relative amount at every zoom level.
Controls could paint or align incorrectly after scrolling a zoomed form	Controls now remain aligned and repaint in the correct location when a zoomed form is scrolled, preventing shifted controls and display artifacts at zoom levels other than 100%.
Disabling Zoom could retain a non-default zoom level	When built-in Zoom is disabled for a database, the default zoom is now reset to 100% so the form window and its contents remain consistently sized.
A rich-text editor could disappear while zooming	Changing zoom while a rich-text field had focus could make its editor disappear at some zoom levels. The editor now remains visible and correctly positioned.

Forms and reports

Issue	Fix
Text boxes left artifacts while scrolling over a tiled background	Scrolling a form with a tiled background picture could leave lines or remnants where text boxes had been displayed. The background and controls now repaint cleanly.
The Property Sheet icon disappeared after sorting properties	Sorting the Property Sheet could cause its icon to disappear. The icon now remains visible after switching the property order.
Line breaks were removed from ControlTip text	ControlTip text containing line breaks could be displayed as a single line. Access now preserves the intended line breaks in the tooltip.
The Option Group Wizard displayed its values grid on the wrong page*	The grid for assigning numeric values could appear on the following page and cover the options for storing the selected value. The grid now appears on the correct wizard page, leaving the next step usable.

* This fix is not included in the initial Version 2609 release, Build 16.0.20430.20092. It is scheduled for the September 29, 2026 update.

Queries and data

Issue	Fix
The Query Design splitter could draw outside the Access window	While dragging the divider between the query panes, the tracking line could appear over other applications or on another monitor. The divider is now clipped to the Query Design window.

Customization

Issue	Fix
Access options now accept non-standard font sizes	The font-size settings for the Property Sheet, Query Design, and default datasheet font are now editable, allowing values from 1 through 127 points instead of only the listed sizes.
Font-size boxes could truncate three-digit values	The font-size boxes in Access Options were too narrow to show the full value for sizes such as 127 points. They are now wide enough to display three-digit values fully.

Create cascading combo boxes and list boxes in Access - without VBA

Shane Groff — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:50:24 GMT

A simpler way to filter related choices

The two properties define how values on the form relate to fields in the control's row source:

Link Master Fields identifies the field or control on the form that supplies the value.
Link Child Fields identifies the matching field in the combo box or list box row source.

When the master value changes, Access automatically refreshes the dependent control and filters its row source to matching records. You no longer need an AfterUpdate event procedure simply to requery the control.

Example: Filter products by category

Suppose an order form contains:

cboCategory, where the user selects a product category.
cboProduct, where the user selects a product.

The product combo box uses a row source such as:

SELECT ProductID, ProductName, CategoryID FROM Products ORDER BY ProductName;

Set these properties on cboProduct:

Property	Value
Row Source	The product query shown above
Link Master Fields	cboCategory
Link Child Fields	CategoryID

After the user selects a category, cboProduct shows only products whose CategoryID matches cboCategory.

The child field does not have to be visible in the dropdown. It only needs to be included in the row source so Access can use it for filtering.

Use the same approach with list boxes

The properties work the same way for list boxes. This makes it easier to build:

Category and product selectors.
Country, region, and city pickers.
Customer and order lists.
Project and task selectors.
Any form where one set of choices depends on another.

Linked combo boxes and list boxes also work on continuous forms. Each visible record receives choices filtered using that record's master value.

Link more than one field

For relationships that use multiple fields, enter comma-separated field or control names in both properties. The fields are matched by position:

Link Master Fields: CompanyID, LocationID Link Child Fields: CompanyID, LocationID

The two lists must contain the same number of entries, and corresponding fields must use compatible data types.

Why this is useful

Using built-in linking instead of event code has several advantages:

Less code: No AfterUpdate handler is required for routine cascading behavior.
Clearer design: The relationship is visible in the property sheet.
Better reuse: Controls carry their linking configuration with them.
Consistent behavior: Access manages refreshing and filtering as records change.
Continuous-form support: Dependent combo boxes and list boxes can filter independently for each visible record.

Existing VBA-based cascading controls continue to work. The new properties provide a declarative alternative when all you need is to filter one control from values already available on the form.

Try it

Open a form in Design View, select a combo box or list box, and look on the Data tab of the property sheet for Link Master Fields and Link Child Fields.

Start with a simple one-field relationship, make sure the child field is included in the dependent control's row source, and let Access handle the filtering.

Availability

This feature is included in Microsoft Access Version 2609 (Build 20430.20092), now available in Current Channel. The build and the feature are both rolling out gradually, so you may not see them immediately. You can select Update Now to install the latest Current Channel build sooner; after updating, the feature may still take additional time to become available as its rollout expands.

Fixes in Microsoft Access – Version 2608 (Build 16.0.20326.20100)

Shane Groff — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:46:32 GMT

Important update: A regression introduced by an earlier security update could cause labels, text boxes, combo boxes, and other controls to lose their fonts, colors, or styles after printing or previewing reports that contain embedded images or OLE objects. It could also contribute to crashes during printing or PDF export. This issue is fixed in Version 2608 Build 16.0.20326.20132, released September 1. We recommend updating to this build or later.

Zoom

Issue	Fix
VBA Zoom did not work reliably with popup forms	Setting or reading a popup form's Zoom property through VBA could use the currently active document window instead of the form named in the expression. VBA now applies the Zoom property to the intended popup form.
Zoom set during Form_Open was replaced by the default zoom	When Form_Open code set the form's Zoom property, the default zoom-on-open logic could immediately overwrite it. Access now preserves the zoom level selected by the form's VBA code.
Combo boxes could show blank rows or reject selections at some zoom levels	At some zoom levels, a combo box could leave blank rows in its drop-down. At very low zoom levels, some values also could not be selected directly. Combo boxes now size and respond correctly as the zoom level changes.
Zooming out a large report could leave display residue	At low zoom levels, a large report could leave stale content at the bottom of the Report View window. The report now repaints the full window correctly after zooming out.
Control borders became too thick below 100% zoom	Borders could appear disproportionately thick when a form or report was zoomed below 100%. Border rendering now remains visually consistent at lower zoom levels.
Drag selection in a zoomed datasheet could use the wrong coordinates	When selecting a rectangular range by dragging in a datasheet at a zoom level other than 100%, Access could mix screen and document coordinates and hit-test the wrong cells. Drag selection now uses the correct coordinates at every zoom level.
The 25% Zoom keyboard shortcut was difficult to use	The keyboard shortcut for 25% zoom now uses the 2 key instead of requiring the percent-sign key combination.
Existing applications needed a way to disable built-in Zoom	A database-level option is now available to disable built-in Zoom when an application already provides its own zoom commands or keyboard shortcuts.
The screen-reader Zoom announcement was not localized	The announcement of the current zoom percentage used a hardcoded English phrase. It now uses localized text and word order for the selected Office language.

Forms and reports

Issue	Fix
The date picker appeared for locked or read-only controls	The date-picker icon could appear for a locked or read-only text box even though its value could not be edited. The icon is now hidden when the control cannot accept a date selection.
Tab and Shift+Tab could change control stacking order in Design View	Using Tab or Shift+Tab to move between controls in Form Design View could unexpectedly change their front-to-back order. Keyboard navigation now leaves the control stacking order unchanged.
Horizontal report lines disappeared in some Version 2608 preview builds	Some customers who received early preview builds of Version 2608 found that horizontal Line controls with a height of zero appeared in Report View but disappeared in Print Preview, printed output, and exports. This was corrected before the general Current Channel release, and these separator lines render correctly in all report views and output formats.

Queries and data

Issue	Fix
The modern SQL editor could show an incorrect insufficient-memory error	Executing a query in the modern SQL editor could display "Insufficient memory to perform this operation," typically on the first execution in an Access session. Queries now run without this spurious memory error.
The query No Format setting could disagree with Object Properties	For some query types, including crosstab and delete queries, the No Format value shown in the property sheet could differ from the value stored in Object Properties. Both locations now display and save the same setting.
Calculated SharePoint columns displayed #Error in linked tables	Calculated columns from a linked SharePoint list could display #Error instead of their calculated values. Access now displays the values correctly.

Customization

Issue	Fix
Property Sheet font size can now be adjusted	Access Options now includes a setting for changing the font size used in the Property Sheet, making its text easier to read on high-resolution displays and for users who prefer larger text.

Zoom further in more Microsoft Access views

Shane Groff — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 22:08:12 GMT

Zoom from 10% to 1000%

Supported Access views can now be zoomed anywhere from 10% to 1000%, expanding the previous range of 50% to 500%. New 10%, 25%, and 1000% choices are available in the Zoom menu, and the status bar slider supports the full range.

The expanded range is also available when configuring the default zoom level for a database.

Zoom more types of forms

Zoom is now supported in both continuous forms and popup forms.

In a continuous form, zoom scales the repeating records and their controls together, making it easier to read individual records or see more records at once. Embedded continuous forms also scale with their parent form, keeping nested content visually consistent.

Popup forms can be zoomed without changing their underlying design. Because popup forms do not use the standard status bar zoom control, you can zoom them with Ctrl+mouse wheel or the zoom keyboard shortcuts.

Zoom reports in Report View

Zoom is now available for reports in Report View, bringing reports in line with forms, tables, and queries. You can enlarge a report to inspect individual values or zoom out for a broader view of its layout and data.

Reports displayed inside forms also scale with their parent, providing a more consistent experience for databases with nested forms and reports.

Choose how you zoom

Depending on the type of object you’re viewing, you can:

Select a percentage from the Zoom menu on the ribbon.
Drag the zoom slider on the status bar.
Hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel.
Press Ctrl+Alt+Plus or Ctrl+Alt+Minus to zoom in or out.
Press Ctrl+Alt+0 to return to 100%.

With a wider range and support for reports, popup forms, continuous forms, and nested content, it’s now easier to tailor your Access workspace to the task at hand—whether that means focusing on the details or taking in the bigger picture.

Fixes in Microsoft Access – Version 2607 (Build 16.0.20228.20110)

Shane Groff — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:36:09 GMT

🔍Zoom and display

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Mouse event coordinates were wrong while a button was held on a zoomed form	On a zoomed form (any zoom level other than 100%), the X and Y coordinates passed to mouse event handlers such as MouseDown and MouseMove reported incorrect values while a mouse button was held down. This broke drag-and-drop and other mouse gestures that customer apps implement in VBA using those coordinates. Mouse event coordinates now report correctly at all zoom levels, including while a button is held.
Tooltips (ControlTipText) did not scale with form zoom	When a form was zoomed, ControlTipText tooltips continued to display at their normal, unzoomed size. Because ControlTipText is a form property, the tooltip text now scales together with the form so it stays proportional to the zoomed controls.
Tooltips stopped appearing for controls near the bottom of a form when zoomed in	At zoom levels above 100%, ControlTipText tooltips stopped appearing for controls near the bottom of a form. Tooltips now appear for all controls at every zoom level.
Rich-text fields did not resize or scale when zooming in datasheet view	When zooming while editing a rich-text field in a datasheet, the in-place editor was not resized or repositioned correctly and its text did not scale. Rich-text fields now resize, reposition, and scale correctly when the zoom level changes.
Showing or hiding controls through VBA left display artifacts when zoomed	When controls were shown or hidden through VBA at zoom levels other than 100%, the form was not fully repainted, leaving stray or overlapping controls on screen until the zoom level was changed. Showing or hiding controls now repaints the form correctly at all zoom levels.
Only the selected rich-text control scaled on a zoomed form	On a zoomed form with multiple rich-text controls, only the control currently being edited scaled correctly while the others rendered at 100%. All rich-text controls now scale to match the form's zoom level.
Checkbox focus indicator did not scale with row height in datasheet view	In datasheet view, when a row's height was increased, a Yes/No checkbox scaled to fill the taller row but the focus indicator (the dashed box drawn inside it) continued to draw at the original size. The focus indicator now scales together with the checkbox.

♿Accessibility

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Keyboard focus left the Zoom out button after reducing zoom	When reducing the zoom level using the Zoom out button in the status bar, keyboard focus moved to the form canvas instead of staying on the button, making it hard to zoom out repeatedly with the keyboard. Focus now remains on the Zoom out button after each use.
Screen reader did not announce inserting a control in Form Design view	When inserting a control onto a form in Form Design view using the keyboard, screen readers did not announce that the control had been inserted. Access now announces the confirmation so screen reader users know the action succeeded.
Screen reader did not announce the selected zoom option in the Zoom menu	In the Zoom split-button menu on the Home tab, screen readers did not announce which zoom option was currently selected. The selected state is now exposed to assistive technology.

🗄Data and other

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Copying a large amount of text from a text box copied only part of it	When copying a large amount of text from a text box (for example, several hundred lines) to another application, only a portion of the text was placed on the clipboard. The full contents of the text box are now copied.
Exporting a report to PDF could show a false "not enough free memory" error	When exporting a report to PDF, Access could incorrectly display the message "There isn't enough free memory to update the display. Close unneeded programs and try again", even when plenty of memory was available. The report now exports to PDF without this spurious error.
DateTime2 columns showed fractional seconds by default	DateTime2 columns (in local tables or linked SQL Server tables) displayed seven fractional-second digits by default, even with the Format set to General Date or left blank, so they looked different from DateTime columns. DateTime2 columns now display the same as DateTime by default, without fractional seconds, while explicit format strings continue to work as before.

A Personal Note to the Access Community

lindalu-MSFT — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 22:39:35 GMT

Today is my last day at Microsoft.

After many wonderful years, I have accepted Microsoft's Voluntary Retirement Program (VRP) and am beginning a new chapter. It feels a little surreal to write those words. For much of my career, I've had the privilege of working with products, communities, and people I deeply care about. In recent years, that has included serving as Program Manager for Microsoft Access, one of the most passionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated communities in technology.

Before I go, there is one message I want to leave you with:

Access is alive, well, and continuing to evolve.

One of the most common questions I hear is, "Is Access going away?"

The answer remains the same as it has always been:

No.

Access continues to ship with Microsoft 365 and Office, continues to receive engineering investment, continues to receive bug fixes, security updates, accessibility improvements, and yes, new features. In fact, we've released multiple new capabilities recently, including improvements such as enhanced zooming support, larger form and report design capabilities, and new developer-focused functionality, with additional features already in various stages of development and rollout.

Over the last few years, I've had the opportunity to work alongside an incredibly talented engineering team that genuinely cares about Access and the customers who depend on it every day. I've seen firsthand the discussions, the prioritization meetings, the customer feedback reviews, the accessibility work, the bug triage sessions, and the long hours spent making sure Access continues to serve businesses, governments, schools, non-profits, and developers around the world. Access remains an important part of Microsoft's productivity ecosystem, and the team remains committed to keeping it relevant, reliable, and useful for years to come.

I know many of you closely follow the public roadmap and occasionally worry when it's quiet. What doesn't always make it into public announcements is the steady stream of work happening behind the scenes: security investments, compliance work, accessibility improvements, bug fixes, customer-requested enhancements, and the engineering work required to keep a 30-plus-year-old product healthy in a rapidly changing technology landscape.

As for what comes next, I don't yet know who the next Access PM will be or when that transition will occur. What I do know is that Access deserves thoughtful stewardship, active engagement with the community, and a clear understanding of why this product continues to matter. I am hopeful that whoever steps into that role will bring fresh ideas, curiosity, and a commitment to listening to the customers, MVPs, partners, and developers who make this community so special.

To our MVPs: thank you for your advocacy, your feedback, and your willingness to tell us what we're doing right and what we're doing wrong. Many of the features we've delivered started as customer requests, conference conversations, forum discussions, and MVP feedback. Your voices matter, and they have made the product better.

To the Access developers around the world: thank you for continuing to build solutions that solve real problems. Every time someone says Access is only a relic of the past, I inevitably hear from another organization running a mission-critical application, supporting a small business, managing a research project, tracking inventory, or helping people get work done. The creativity and ingenuity of this community never cease to amaze me.

And finally, thank you for letting me be part of your journey.

It's been an honor to help tell the story of Access, share new features, write documentation, engage with the community, and occasionally fight to get your favorite feature request prioritized.

While I'm retiring from Microsoft, I'll always be rooting for Access and the people who use it.

The future of Access belongs to all of you, and I believe that future is bright.

Thank you for your support, your passion, and your trust.

See you around,

Linda Cannon

Former Program Manager, Microsoft Access

Leaving Microsoft as an FTE for the last time with my Scottie dog, Bode.

Access begins rollout of Big Forms for Modern Monitors feature

lindalu-MSFT — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 20:09:49 GMT

We're excited to announce that support for large-sized forms is now available in Beta for Microsoft Access. This long-requested feature removes the longstanding 22-inch form size limitation and lays the foundation for a more modern, scalable, and accessible form experience. It's one of the most highly requested enhancements from the Access community and a top-voted request on the Access feedback forum. This feature is in Beta now and expected to be in the Current Channel preview by July 21st, 2026.

Why we're making this change

When Access was originally designed, form dimensions were constrained by underlying technology that effectively limited forms to approximately 22 inches in width or height. As monitor resolutions increased and ultrawide displays became common, that limitation became increasingly restrictive. Developers were forced to design for the lowest common denominator screen size, even when their users had significantly more screen real estate available.

The result? Complex business applications often required excessive scrolling, crowded interfaces, or compromises in design. With this Beta release, Access developers can now create forms that take full advantage of today's larger monitors and higher resolutions.

What's changing

The 22-inch limit is gone. The primary enhancement is simple but powerful:

Forms can now exceed the previous 22-inch size limitation.
Controls can be placed beyond the historical boundary.
Form sections can be designed at much larger dimensions.
Developers can create richer and more detailed business applications.

For customers building dashboards, operational workspaces, inventory systems, CRM solutions, or other complex applications, this means more content can be displayed simultaneously without forcing users to navigate between multiple forms.

Designed for modern workspaces

Large monitors have transformed the way people work. Many customers now use:

Dual-monitor setups
Ultrawide displays
High-resolution 4K monitors
Vertical monitors for specialized workflows

This feature allows Access applications to better leverage those environments. Developers are no longer forced to design around constraints that originated more than 20 years ago. As a result, users can:

View more information at once
Reduce unnecessary scrolling
Create more sophisticated layouts
Improve efficiency during data entry and review tasks

Accessibility benefits

Although the primary audience for this feature is Access developers and users working with larger displays, removing the size limitation also delivers important accessibility benefits. Larger form designs allow more flexibility in presenting information, increasing spacing between controls, displaying larger text, and reducing visual clutter. These improvements can make applications easier to use for customers with low vision and others who benefit from magnified content.

We hope you enjoy this improvement and as always, look forward to your comments.

(Thank you to MVP Colin Riddington for the thumbnail image.)

Bug fixes in Microsoft Access - Version 2606 (Build 16.0.20131)

lindalu-MSFT — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 01:54:37 GMT

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
German keyboard: AltGr key combinations triggered zoom shortcuts instead of typing characters	On German and other keyboard layouts that use AltGr for common characters (such as ~, }, and others), pressing AltGr+key combinations triggered the zoom keyboard shortcuts instead of inserting the expected character. These keyboard layouts now correctly distinguish AltGr from Ctrl+Alt so that character input works as expected.
Zoom was disabled for all ACCDE and MDE files	The new zoom feature was incorrectly disabled for ACCDE and MDE files. Zoom now works correctly in these file types.
Default zoom value in Access Options validated per-keystroke	When entering a custom default zoom percentage in the Access Options dialog, the field validated the value after every keystroke, which blocked multi-digit entry (e.g., typing "15" triggered a validation error after "1"). The field now validates on commit rather than per-keystroke.
Display issues when extending laptop to a large external monitor	When a laptop was extended to a larger external monitor, certain controls such as checkboxes and option buttons did not zoom correctly. These controls now scale properly when the form is displayed on a monitor with different DPI or resolution than the primary display.
Date selector control showed truncation and ghosting at certain zoom levels	At certain zoom levels, the date selector control displayed truncated text and visual ghosting artifacts. The date selector now renders cleanly at all zoom levels.
Screen reader did not announce zoom level changes via keyboard shortcuts	When using keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+Alt+Plus / Ctrl+Alt+Minus) to adjust the zoom level, screen readers did not announce the updated zoom percentage. The zoom control now exposes the updated value to assistive technology after each change.
Screen reader announced incorrect context for zoom controls	When navigating to the zoom split button on the Home tab, screen readers announced it as "Print Preview Zoom" instead of reflecting the current zoom context. The control now announces the correct context.
Zoom button on Home tab did not respond to keyboard activation	The Zoom button on the Home tab did not perform any action when activated via Enter, Spacebar, or mouse click. The button now opens the zoom dropdown as expected.
Added 125% and 175% zoom levels to the ribbon	The zoom dropdown on the Home tab now includes 125% and 175% as preset zoom levels, making it easier to select commonly used zoom percentages without typing a custom value.
Tab header font rendered incorrectly when zoomed	When zooming was enabled, tab control headers could render with an incorrect font size or style. Tab headers now render with the correct font at all zoom levels.
Dropdown list detached from its control when form was scrolled	When a form was scrolled while a dropdown list was open, the dropdown could become visually detached from its parent control and appear at the wrong position on screen. The dropdown now repositions correctly when the form scrolls.
Query with IS NULL predicate could return incorrect data	When a query used an IS NULL predicate on certain field types, the query could return incorrect results or trigger an internal error. The query engine now evaluates IS NULL predicates correctly in all cases.
Linked Table Manager showed a confusing dialog when re-linking tables	When using the Linked Table Manager to re-link tables, a confusing dialog appeared asking if you wanted to use new names from the source for the linked tables. If you choose a new source, we now skip the dialog, and use the existing table names from the remote source.
Reduced unnecessary repainting during horizontal scroll in Form view	When scrolling horizontally in Form view, Access was repainting the entire form window instead of just the newly visible area. This caused visible flicker and unnecessary CPU usage. Horizontal scrolling now repaints only the region that has changed.

Bug fixes in Microsoft Access - Current Channel Version 2605 (Build 16.0.20026.20118)

lindalu-MSFT — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:03:53 GMT

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Edge Browser Control didn't render PDFs on some machines	When the Edge Browser Control was used to display a PDF, on some machines the PDF would not render at all if the registry value "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pdf\Content Type" was missing. Access now provides the missing content type, so the Edge Browser Control can render the PDF.
Export to SharePoint failed for tables with both lookup fields and attachment columns	When exporting an Access table to a SharePoint list, if the table contained both a lookup field and an attachment column, the export could fail with an error. The export now handles this combination correctly, so the export completes successfully.
Conditional Formatting color picker showed a reduced palette in Version 2604	A regression introduced in Version 2604 caused the Conditional Formatting color picker to display a smaller set of color choices than previous versions. The full legacy color palette has been restored.
Some Unicode characters displayed incorrectly in objects exported to Excel	When exporting an Access object whose name contained certain extended Unicode characters, the resulting file's sheet name displayed the characters incorrectly. These characters are now preserved correctly during export.
Power BI Gateway couldn't refresh semantic models from .accdb files	Refreshing a Power BI semantic model that connected to a .accdb file via the on-premises gateway could fail with "Unspecified error". Connection setup has been adjusted so the gateway can successfully refresh the model.
Monaco SQL view: Ctrl+Z didn't undo Ctrl+Shift+K line deletion	In the new Monaco-based SQL editor, pressing Ctrl+Shift+K to delete the current line removed the line, but a subsequent Ctrl+Z would not restore it. Undo now works correctly for this and similar editing operations.
Document tab text didn't scale with Windows text-size setting	When the Windows display setting for text size was increased, document tab labels and the record navigation bar continued to render at the standard size, while other Access UI scaled correctly. The document tabs and record navigation bar now honor the system text-size setting.
Error when editing a Long Text field after a write conflict	When a write conflict occurred on a record containing a Long Text field, subsequent attempts to edit the field could fail with an error. The data path now refreshes the cached field values correctly after a conflict so that further edits succeed.
Access terminated unexpectedly when reading Edge Browser Control properties in form design view	In form design view, retrieving the ReadyState or LocationUrl property on an Edge Browser Control could cause Access to terminate unexpectedly. Both properties now return safely in design view.
"Copy" prefix was prepended instead of appended to copied object names	When duplicating a database object, Access named the copy "Copy of Form1" instead of "Form1 - Copy". This made copies of related objects sort apart from their originals in the Navigation Pane. Copy-of names now append the suffix, so related objects stay together when sorted alphabetically.

Zoom in or out of forms, tables, and queries when in Form View or Datasheet View

lindalu-MSFT — Tue, 19 May 2026 21:52:29 GMT

Access now lets you zoom in and out when you’re working with forms, tables, and queries in Form View or Datasheet View. Zoom in for a closer look at your data or zoom out to see more on screen at once. You can adjust the zoom level using the Zoom button on the ribbon, the zoom slider on the status bar, or keyboard shortcuts. Zoom is also available in Print Preview for reports. Zoom isn’t supported in Report View or Design View. This feature is available in Access for Microsoft 365, version 2605 and later.

Choose a magnification setting from the ribbon

On the Home tab, select Zoom and choose one of the following options: 50%, 75%, 125%, 150%, 175%, 200%, or 500%.

To return the view to 100% zoom, click Zoom 100%. If you prefer to use the keyboard, you can press Ctrl + Alt + 0 (zero).

Use the zoom slider to quickly zoom in or out

On the status bar in the lower right-hand corner of Access, select the zoom slider.

Slide to the percentage zoom setting that you want. Press – or + to zoom in gradual increments.

Use zoom keyboard shortcuts or mousewheel

To zoom in, press Ctrl + Alt + Plus (+).

To zoom out, press Ctrl + Alt + Minus (-).

To return to 100% magnification, press Ctrl + Alt + 0 (zero).

To use the mousewheel and scroll to zoom in or out, press Ctrl + mousewheel.

Change your default zoom percentage

Access doesn't save zoom settings on closing and reopening a form. Instead, it opens your form using the default zoom setting. To set your zoom default percentage, choose File > Options > Current Database > Application Options and choose the Default Zoom setting.

Note Content inside of ActiveX controls, such as the text in a TreeView control, doesn't resize when zoomed. Zooming in Access only affects Access-native controls. If a form uses ActiveX controls, consider replacing them with native Access controls so they scale with the rest of the form.

Access fixes released in Version 2604 (Build 16.0.19929.20090)

lindalu-MSFT — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:59:52 GMT

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Values display in the wrong control when using a form as a sublist	When a form was used as a sublist (subdatasheet), field values could display in the wrong control, showing data in incorrect positions. Values now display in the correct controls.
Applications that use the Access Database Engine (ACEOLEDB) terminate unexpectedly on exit	Third-party applications using the Access Database Engine (ACEOLEDB) provider could terminate unexpectedly when closing. The shutdown sequence has been corrected.
Long Text field corrupted when a query updates a record while a user is editing it	When a query updated a Long Text field on a record that was simultaneously open for editing, the field data could become corrupted. The record update now correctly handles concurrent access to Long Text fields.
Rendering errors with Aptos (Detail) font	Controls using the Aptos (Detail) font variant could render incorrectly, with characters appearing misaligned or garbled. The font rendering has been corrected.
Standard colors in Access didn't match other Office apps	The standard color palette in Access used different color values than other Office applications like Word and Excel. The color palette has been updated to match the rest of Office.
Option Group with Vertical Anchor Bottom: option buttons show incorrect visual state after clicking	When an option group control had its Vertical Anchor property set to Bottom, clicking an option button would not correctly update the visual state of the buttons. The visual state now updates correctly regardless of the anchor setting.
Query Design: Insert/Delete Columns don't work when ribbon is set to Show Tabs Only	In Query Design view, the Insert Columns and Delete Columns commands on the ribbon did not work when the ribbon display option was set to "Show Tabs Only." The commands now work correctly regardless of ribbon display mode.
SQL View: Ctrl+K should toggle pretty formatting off/on	In the Monaco SQL editor, the Ctrl+K keyboard shortcut did not toggle SQL formatting. Ctrl+K now correctly toggles pretty formatting on and off.
Monaco editor incorrectly converts Unicode characters in SQL view	When switching between Design View and SQL View, the Monaco SQL editor could incorrectly convert certain Unicode characters, corrupting the SQL text. Unicode characters are now preserved correctly.
Importing text files with Unicode characters in the filename fails	Attempting to import a text file whose filename contained certain Unicode characters would fail. File imports now handle Unicode filenames correctly.
Added VarP and StDevP to the Totals query aggregate dropdown	The VarP (population variance) and StDevP (population standard deviation) aggregate functions were missing from the Totals row dropdown in Query Design view. They have been added alongside the existing Var and StDev options.
Added VarP and StDevP to the datasheet totals row dropdown	The VarP and StDevP aggregate functions were missing from the Totals row dropdown in Datasheet view. They have been added to match the options available in Query Design view.
Access hangs at shutdown when VBA holds temporary DAO field references	Access could hang during shutdown when VBA code created temporary DAO field references. The shutdown process now correctly cleans up temporary field references.
Full Screen Mode ribbon display option does nothing in Access	Selecting "Full Screen Mode" from the ribbon display options had no effect in Access. This option now works correctly, hiding the ribbon to maximize the available workspace.

Access fixes released in Version 2603 (Build 19822.20114)

lindalu-MSFT — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:10:12 GMT

Here's a summary of bug fixes in the latest version of Access:

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Edge Browser Control didn't navigate from code when inside a tab control	When the Edge Browser control was hosted in a tab control, calls to the Navigate method from VBA succeeded, but the control didn’t refresh to show the new page. Switching tabs forced the refresh. The control now refreshes automatically after navigation, even when it’s hosted in a tab control.
Some Unicode characters displayed incorrectly in Quick Import	Certain extended Unicode characters were displayed as squares when importing data using Quick Import. These characters are now displayed correctly.
Modern Chart titles truncated in Print Preview	When viewing a report containing Modern Charts in Print Preview, chart titles might be truncated. Chart titles now render correctly in Print Preview.
Some Unicode characters displayed incorrectly in exported object names	When exporting an object whose name contained certain extended Unicode characters, the sheet name in the exported file displayed the characters incorrectly. These characters are now preserved correctly during export.
Some Unicode characters displayed incorrectly in error messages for long object names	When renaming a database object to a name that was too long, the error message displayed certain extended Unicode characters incorrectly. These characters now display correctly in error messages.
Standard colors in Access didn't match other Office apps	The standard color palette in Access used different color values than other Office applications like Word and Excel. For example, the standard red in Access was #ED1C24 instead of the updated Office standard red #EE0000. The color palette has been updated to match the rest of Office.
Field.Properties("Precision") and Properties("Scale") on a query column caused the query to execute	Accessing the Precision or Scale properties of a field in a query's Fields collection caused the query to execute. This was a regression that broke add-ins and code that enumerate field properties, since query execution can be expensive and have side effects. These properties are now returned without executing the query.
Toggle filter button in status bar didn't work when no records were displayed	When a form filter resulted in no matching records, clicking the Toggle Filter button in the status bar to remove the filter had no effect. The button now properly removes the filter even when the filtered result set is empty.
PDF files with capitalized extension didn't render in Edge Browser Control	When navigating to a PDF file using the Edge Browser control, if the file extension was capitalized (e.g., ".PDF" instead of ".pdf"), the file contents were rendered as raw text instead of as a formatted PDF document. The extension comparison is now case-insensitive.
Monaco SQL editor inserted blank lines in multi-line comments	When switching between Design View and SQL View, the Monaco SQL editor inserted blank lines between each line inside /* multi-line comment */ blocks. This affected both local and passthrough queries. The editor now preserves the original comment formatting.

Please continue to let us know if this is helpful and share any feedback you have.

Access announces retirement of Database Compare tool in June 2026

lindalu-MSFT — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 20:47:11 GMT

MS Access currently ships a standalone Database Compare tool (DATABASECOMPARE.EXE) that enables comparison of two Access databases. As of June 2026, this tool will no longer be distributed and installed with Office.

Access is retiring the Database Compare tool because it depends on components that are no longer available and fails to launch reliably on many Office installs. Because we can no longer provide updated components, it will no longer install with new Office setups.

This applies to:

Access 2019 volume licensed and Enterprise plans
Access 2021, Access 2024, and Microsoft 365 subscriptions
Access 2021 and Access 2024 as part of the Office 2021 and Office 2024 perpetual licenses (standalone versions)

DatabaseCompare.exe is installed typically under the DCF folder of your Office installation (for example, C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\DCF\DATABASECOMPARE.EXE), and it often comes alongside Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare as part of Office Professional Plus or Microsoft 365. In addition, supporting DLLs and configuration files are located within the same DCF subfolder. These files handle database connections, reporting, and comparison functions. These files will be removed.

If you're running an older version of Office and have a working version of this tool, you can continue to use it until June 20, 2026. After that, it will be removed and will not be available for download. Therefore, we advise you to find a replacement for Database Compare.

You can find similar standalone tools that compare two Access databases from other vendors:

AccessDiff: This tool easily compares all objects in Access, including forms, code modules, queries, macros, and more. It is designed to help users retrieve lost software and compare all objects in Access databases.
AccdbMerge: This tool is an easy-to-use diff and merge tool for Microsoft Access database files. It compares table definitions, data, forms, modules, and more. A free version is available for the main database objects.
DataWeigher: This tool compares and synchronizes data between two MS Access databases. It provides a visual result with each type of record (added, deleted, changed) represented by a different color. The comparison results can be saved as a report or SQL script for data synchronization.
Total Access Detective: This tool allows you to find differences between any two objects in one Microsoft Access database, including fields, controls, properties, macro lines, module code, and data. It also supports comparing two blocks of text from text files on disk or the text you copy and paste.

We recognize this change may require planning, and we encourage customers to review these alternatives and plan a transition away from Database Compare ahead of its retirement in June 2026.

Access fixes released in version 2602 (Build 19725.20126)

lindalu-MSFT — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 23:57:46 GMT

Here's a summary of bug fixes in the latest version of Access:

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Monaco query editor applied unwanted autoformatting to passthrough queries	The Monaco SQL editor was applying automatic formatting (such as adding whitespace or changing capitalization) to passthrough queries. Since passthrough queries are sent directly to the server's SQL engine without Access interpreting them, autoformatting could alter the SQL in ways that break server-specific syntax. Autoformatting is now disabled for passthrough queries, preserving the exact SQL as written.
Monaco query editor font size did not match Access settings	When using the Monaco SQL editor, the font size in the query editor didn't match the font size configured in Access's client settings. An incorrect unit conversion resulted in text appearing slightly larger than expected. The conversion has been corrected so the editor font size now matches the configured setting.
Datasheet selection could extend past the last column	When selecting cells in a datasheet by clicking and dragging, it was possible to extend the selection rectangle past the rightmost column into an empty area. Releasing the mouse and then clicking elsewhere would leave the selection highlight drawn in that empty area, since Access did not erase the over-extended selection. The selection is now properly limited to the actual columns of the datasheet.

Please continue to let us know if this is helpful and share any feedback you have.

Access bug fixes — Versions 2511 through 2601

lindalu-MSFT — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:04:38 GMT

Version 2511 (Build 19426)

Bug Name

Issue Fixed

Query Design view showed incorrect joins after selecting SQL text

When using the Monaco SQL editor with a query containing multiple joins, selecting text in SQL view with Ctrl+A and then switching back to Design View could trigger a spurious alert and cause one of the joins to appear removed in the design grid. The underlying SQL wasn't actually affected, but the Design view displayed incorrect join information. This is corrected so that switching between SQL view and Design view preserves all joins accurately.

Version 2512 (Build 19530)

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Datasheet forms with nested subforms showing errors after system changes	When using datasheet forms containing nested subforms on systems where a system change occurs — such as disconnecting and reconnecting a Remote Desktop session — Access could display a GDI error. This happened because collapsed sublists held references to system brushes that were destroyed during the system change. This is fixed so that all sublists properly handle system resource changes.
F4 key did not open the Properties pane in the Query SQL editor	When the Monaco SQL editor was enabled, pressing F4 in the Query editor's SQL view didn't properly open the Properties pane. Instead, the pane would either flash briefly or appear incorrectly positioned in the top-left corner of the screen. The F4 shortcut now correctly opens the Properties pane in SQL view.
Pressing F5 in the Query SQL editor cleared all SQL text	When using the Monaco SQL editor in the Query designer, pressing F5 (Run) could clear all the SQL text from the editor. This is fixed so that running a query with F5 no longer affects the SQL text in the editor.
Text not visible when renaming items in the Navigation Pane in dark themes	When using the Black (or other dark) Office theme, renaming an object in the Navigation pane resulted in text that was nearly invisible due to insufficient contrast. The rename text box now uses appropriate colors that provide sufficient contrast in all themes.
Advanced Filter/Sort opened a standalone query window instead of a filter window	When opening a table in Datasheet view and selecting Sort & Filter > Advanced > Advanced Filter/Sort from the ribbon, Access incorrectly opened a full standalone query design window instead of the expected limited filter query window. The filter query window includes a Toggle Filter button to apply the query as a filter. This is corrected, so the command opens the proper filter window.
Refreshing an Access ODBC connection in Excel returned an error	When refreshing an ODBC connection to an Access database from Excel, users could receive the error "Operation is not supported for this type of object." This is resolved so that Access ODBC connections refresh successfully.

Please continue to let us know if this is helpful and share any feedback you have.

Access bug fixes version 2510 (Build 19328.20158)

lindalu-MSFT — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 21:18:45 GMT

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Undo/Redo don’t work for Bring To Front and Send To Back commands.	In Form/Report Design view, after executing a Bring To Front or Send To Back command to re-order controls, Undo will now restore the previous state.
Syntax highlighting makes keywords hard to read with dark Office themes in the Monaco SQL editor.	Keywords will now be rendered with a lighter blue color in dark themes to provide better contrast.
Connector lines difficult to see in Waterfall charts.	You can now set the thickness of the connector lines in a Waterfall chart to make them more visible.

Please continue to let us know if this is helpful and share any feedback you have.

Access fixes released in versions 2507 and 2508

lindalu-MSFT — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:15:52 GMT

Version 2507 (Build 19029.20136)

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Alert, “The Microsoft Access database engine cannot find the input table or query ‘MSysSQLComments’.” when importing queries from an old database which has never been used with the Monaco SQL editor	Importing queries from older databases now works correctly
Queries do not save when they contain Unicode characters	This happened only with the new Monaco SQL editor and should now work correctly
Error "The Object isn't open" when running Find Duplicates and Crosstab query wizards	This happened only with the new Monaco SQL editor and should now work correctly
Crash when pressing F1 in Monaco SQL Editor	F1 will now launch context sensitive help when used with the Monaco SQL editor
Error “Object is not connected to server” when referencing OLE automation object in VBA code	This could happen when referencing the OLE object stored in an Unbound Object Frame, such as a PowerPoint slide or Word Document
Crash when opening a query directly into SQL view	This happened only with the new Monaco SQL editor. All queries should now be able to open successfully directly in SQL view
Images sometimes do not display correctly on buttons/image controls	All buttons and image controls should now correctly display images
Announce deprecation of Salesforce connector	We added a callout to let people know about the imminent deprecation of the Salesforce connector

Version 2508 (Build 19127.20154)

Bug Name	Issue Fixed
Control wizards do not launch when adding new controls to subform in design view	The control wizards will now work when adding a control to a subform
Access terminates unexpectedly when pressing F6 key in Design View	F6 should now navigate correctly with forms in design view
Unable to select large number (BigInt) field within "Find Unmatched Query Wizard"	You can now select Large Number fields in the Find Unmatched Query Wizard
Some wizards giving an error in 32-bit builds on launch “There was an error loading an ActiveX control on one of your forms or reports.”	All wizards should now launch correctly
Invalid output when exporting to HTML	Some fields (e.g., number and date/time) were being incorrectly encoded

Please continue to let us know if this is helpful and share any feedback you have.

Access Blog articles

Deprecation of Legacy Web Browser Control

We are announcing the planned deprecation of the legacy, Internet Explorer-based Web Browser Control in Microsoft Access, targeted for May 18, 2027, with version 2705. For Access LTSC 2024, the change is planned for May 11.

Why we are making this change

What deprecation means for your applications

Who should take action?

Identify affected forms

Convert an existing legacy Web Browser Control to the Edge Browser Control

Review compatibility and test your forms

Start preparing now

Fixes in Microsoft Access - Version 2610 (Build 16.0.20527.20088)

Known issue in the initial Version 2610 release

Zoom

Big Forms

Forms and controls

Queries and data

Stability

Build bigger forms in Microsoft Access

More room for the solutions you already build

Wider layouts

Taller sections

Familiar design tools

How to create a bigger form

No conversion required

Use Big Forms from VBA

Why use the Properties collection?

Designed with compatibility in mind

Compatibility without silent data loss

Sharing a database?

Availability

Try Big Forms and tell us what you think

Fixes in Microsoft Access - Version 2609 (Build 16.0.20430.20092)

Zoom

Forms and reports

Queries and data

Customization

Create cascading combo boxes and list boxes in Access - without VBA

A simpler way to filter related choices

Example: Filter products by category

Use the same approach with list boxes

Link more than one field

Why this is useful

Try it

Availability

Fixes in Microsoft Access – Version 2608 (Build 16.0.20326.20100)

Zoom

Forms and reports

Queries and data

Customization

Zoom further in more Microsoft Access views

Fixes in Microsoft Access – Version 2607 (Build 16.0.20228.20110)

🔍Zoom and display

♿Accessibility

🗄Data and other

A Personal Note to the Access Community

Access begins rollout of Big Forms for Modern Monitors feature

Why we're making this change

What's changing

Designed for modern workspaces

Accessibility benefits

Bug fixes in Microsoft Access - Version 2606 (Build 16.0.20131)

Bug fixes in Microsoft Access - Current Channel Version 2605 (Build 16.0.20026.20118)

Zoom in or out of forms, tables, and queries when in Form View or Datasheet View

Choose a magnification setting from the ribbon

Use the zoom slider to quickly zoom in or out

Use zoom keyboard shortcuts or mousewheel

Change your default zoom percentage

Access fixes released in Version 2604 (Build 16.0.19929.20090)

Access fixes released in Version 2603 (Build 19822.20114)

Access announces retirement of Database Compare tool in June 2026

Access fixes released in version 2602 (Build 19725.20126)

Access bug fixes — Versions 2511 through 2601

Version 2511 (Build 19426)

Version 2512 (Build 19530)

Access bug fixes version 2510 (Build 19328.20158)

Access fixes released in versions 2507 and 2508

Version 2507 (Build 19029.20136)

Version 2508 (Build 19127.20154)