Do you have a database in .accdb format and need to use it with an application that only supports old formats like .mdb? You can convert it from one format to another so that it is compatible and it will not take you more than five minutes.
.Accdb vs .Mdb
Microsoft Access used the .Mdb file format, but that changed in the new version of Microsoft Office in 2007. Since then all databases use the .Accdb file format, which is much more stable than its predecessor.
- The .Accdb format is compatible with .mdb databases, even versions earlier than this.
- Accdb cannot use the .Mdb user level when upgrading the database to the latest version.
- With the .Accdb format you get better security encryption, multivalued fields, and integration with SharePoint and Outlook.
- The biggest advantage that the new Access format offers over the older version is the ability to store attachments in databases.
Reasons to switch from ACCDB to MDB
One of the main reasons for downgrading an .accdb database is compatibility. There are older systems that were created to work only with databases in the .mdb format.
The same thing happens if you want to see the data contained in a PC that only has Microsoft Office 2002 – 2003 or an earlier version installed. In either case, you should know that converting the database from one format to another can generate compatibility conflicts with the data types.
Convert a .Accdb database to .Mdb
It is a fairly simple procedure and if you do it step by step you will not have problems. The best thing to do is to make a backup in case of failure.
- Launch the Access app
- Click the File menu and select the open option.
- In the file, explorer selects the database you want to convert to .Mdb format.
- Once it’s open, click Files again and select the Save database as an option.
- Enter the name of the new database and select a folder to save it.
- Choose the type of file, according to your requirements.
- If you want it to be compatible with Access 2000 choose the option Access 2000 Database (* .mdb)
- If you want it to be compatible with Access 2002 or 2003, then choose the Access 2002-2003 Database (* .mdb) format
- To finish, press the Save button.
After performing this action, the database in .accdb format is closed and the new one is opened with the format you selected. Any new modifications you make from now on will only affect the copy in the .mdb format unless you open the original.
Avoid risk factors when converting a DB from ACCDB to MDB
The .mdb databases are not supported by several features of the newer versions of Access. In these cases, the database cannot be converted unless you make certain changes.
- Eliminate multivalued search fields: It is a new type of field that allows several values, but is not supported in MDB and therefore must be cleared before converting.
- Delete attached and calculated data types: Like multivalued fields, they are not supported and must be deleted or modified to another data type to do the conversion.
- Change long text fields (MEMO): Mdb or supports this value unless the text is formatted to rich text. It also doesn’t support this value if you have the append-only property enabled.
- Modify links to external files: Removes links to Excel spreadsheets in .xlsx format, Access databases .accdb, and Windows SharePoint Service. One option to keep the information is to import the data directly.
- Modify passwords that have the new protection method: Access versions prior to 2007 do not support the new security encryption. In these cases, it is better to remove the password before conversion.