Convert a database to the Access 2007 file format

You can convert a database that was created by using Microsoft Office Access 2003, Access 2002, Access 2000, or Access 97 to the new Microsoft Office Access 2007 file format. You should use the new file format whenever possible because it supports new features, such as multivalued fields and attachments.

However, a database in the new Access 2007 file format (.accdb) cannot be opened or linked to with earlier versions of Access, and the new format no longer supports replication or user-level security. If you need to use your Access 2007 database with earlier versions of Access, or if you need to use replication or user-level security, you must use a file format from an earlier version.

For more information about which file format to use, and about importing and converting if your database was created by using Access 95 or Access 2.0, click the links in the See Also section of this article.

Notes: 

• If you share the database with other users, ensure that those users are all using Office Access 2007 before you convert the database to the Access 2007 file format. You cannot use the Access 2007 file format in earlier versions of Access.

• You cannot convert a replicated database to the Office Access 2007 file format. However, you can use Access 2007 to create a replica of a database that is formatted in either the Access 2000 or the Access 2002 - 2003 file format.

In this article

Convert an Access 2000 or Access 2002 - 2003 database

Convert an Access 97 database

Convert an Access 95 database

Convert an Access 2.0 database

Convert an Access 2000 or Access 2002 - 2003 database

To convert an Access 2000 or Access 2002 - 2003 database (.mdb) to the Access 2007 file format (.accdb), you must first open the database in Access 2007 and then save it in the .accdb file format.

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Open.

2. In the Open dialog box, select and open the database that you want to convert.

   1. Note: If the Database Enhancement dialog box appears, the database is using a file format that is earlier than Access 2000. To continue, see one of the sections that follows: Convert an Access 97 database, Convert an Access 95 database, or Convert an Access 2.0 database.

3. Click the Microsoft Office Button , point to Save As, and then, under Save the database in another format, click the file format to which you want to convert.

   1. If any database objects are open when you use the Save Database As command, Access prompts you to close them prior to creating the copy. Click Yes to make Access close the objects, or click No to cancel the entire process. If needed, Access will also prompt you to save any changes.

4. In the Save As dialog box, type a file name in the File name box, and then click Save.

   Access creates the copy of the database, and then opens the copy. Access automatically closes the original database.

Convert an Access 97 database

When you open an Access 97 database in Office Access 2007, the Database Enhancement dialog box appears. To convert the database to the Access 2007 file format, click Yes. Access then creates a copy of the database in the .accdb format.

Note: You cannot use the .accdb file in versions of Access earlier than Office Access 2007.

Convert an Access 95 database

If you use an existing database in the Access 95 format (.mdb), you can import tables, queries, and macros from that database into an Office Access 2007 database (.accdb). You can also import forms and reports that do not employ Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code. To import forms and reports that contain VBA code or modules into Access 2007, do the following:

1. Open the database in Access 2000, Access 2002, or Access 2003.

2. Save the database in either the Access 2000 or Access 2002 - 2003 format.

3. Open the database in Access 2007.

4. Convert the database into an Access 2007 database.

For more information, see the article Import an Access 95 database into an Access 2007 file.

Convert an Access 2.0 database

You can import tables, queries, and macros from an Access 2.0 database (.mdb) into an Office Access 2007 database (.accdb). You cannot, however, convert an Access 2.0 database to the Access 2007 file format by using Access 2007. To import forms, reports, or modules into an Access 2007 database, you first convert the database by using an earlier version of Access, then open the converted database using Access 2007, and then convert the database into an Access 2007 database. The following procedure explains these steps:

1. Open the database in Access 2000, Access 2002, or Access 2003.

2. Save the database in either the Access 2000 or Access 2002 - 2003 format.

3. Open the database in Access 2007.

4. Convert the database into an Access 2007 database.

For more information, see the article Import an Access 2.0 database into an Access 2007 file.