Access Database Migration Services — United States

Migrate your Access database to SQL Server, AWS, Azure, or anywhere it needs to go.

SQL Server, AWS RDS, Azure SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Dataverse, Power Apps, .NET, or SharePoint — we migrate the data, rebuild the forms and reports that depend on it, and keep your business running the entire time. No lost records, no guessing which platform fits.

Get a free migration assessment See all 10 migration paths ↓

15+ years migrating Access databases · 200+ migrations delivered

Quick answer

Migrating an Access database means moving your tables to a real database engine (most often SQL Server, on-premises or in the cloud via Azure SQL or Amazon RDS) and then either keeping your Access forms as a lightweight front end, or rebuilding them on a new platform — Power Apps, Dataverse, or a custom web app. Which path is right depends on your user count, budget, and how much of Access's VBA logic your business actually depends on.

Free 30-minute consult

Migrate Access Database Services

Describe your Access database and what’s pushing you off it — speed, crashes, size limits, or multi-user locks. We recommend a destination path and reply with a fixed-scope quote.

Jump to a migration path

SQL SERVER AZURE SQL / CLOUD AWS / AMAZON RDS .NET / WEB APP POWER APPS DATAVERSE MYSQL POSTGRESQL SHAREPOINT LIBREOFFICE BASE

Starting from spreadsheets instead of an Access database? See Migrate Excel Spreadsheet.

Why teams migrate

Five signs your Access database is telling you it's time

It's slow or freezes constantlyQueries crawl, forms lag, and the whole file feels heavier every month.Read more →It crashes or corrupts on its own"Unrecognized database format" errors, or the file just won't open one day.Read more →You're near the 2 GB size limitAccess has a hard file-size ceiling — there's no setting to raise it.Read more →"Database is locked for editing" errorsMore than a handful of concurrent users starts causing record-locking conflicts.Read more →One person's laptop is a single point of failureIf the file lives on one machine, that machine going down stops the business.Read more →

Choose your migration path

Ten ways to move on from Access — and when each one actually fits

There's no single "correct" destination. Below is the real trade-off for each path, written the way we'd explain it in a scoping call — not a sales pitch for one platform.

01 · ACCESS → SQL SERVER

Migrate Access Database to SQL Server

Migrating Access to SQL Server means moving your tables to a SQL Server backend while your Access forms and reports keep running as a linked-table front end — the fastest, lowest-risk first step off a struggling Access database.

This is usually where a migration starts, even when SQL Server isn't the final destination. Microsoft's free SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) or the built-in Upsizing Wizard moves tables, relationships, and indexes automatically, mapping AutoNumber fields to IDENTITY columns and rebuilding your primary/foreign keys.

Your existing Access forms, reports, and most VBA code keep working against linked tables, so the immediate problems — corruption, the 2 GB size ceiling, and "database is locked for editing" errors — go away without a full rebuild. You can retire the Access front end later, on your own timeline, or keep it indefinitely as a lightweight client.

Migrate Microsoft Access Database to SQL Server Services

At a glance

Best for: Fastest relief from corruption, size limits, or locking
Multi-user support: Yes (real client-server engine)
Rebuild effort: Low–Moderate
Typical timeline: 1–4 weeks

Resolves corruption, size limits, and record-locking immediately
Free official tooling (SSMA / Upsizing Wizard) handles schema and data
Works on-premises or as a stepping stone to Azure SQL or AWS RDS
Access front end can be phased out later — it's not required to be

02 · ACCESS → AZURE SQL / CLOUD

Migrate Access Database to Azure SQL & the Cloud

Moving Access to Azure SQL uses the exact same migration path as on-premises SQL Server — the difference is where the database lives, not how it's structured — giving you remote, multi-location access without VPNs or in-office servers.

Azure SQL Database speaks the same T-SQL dialect as on-premises SQL Server, so schema mapping, key types, and query logic transfer directly. What changes is operations: automatic patching, geo-redundant backups, and the ability to scale storage or compute up (or down) without buying hardware.

For teams with remote staff, multiple offices, or contractors who currently email .accdb files around, this is often the single highest-impact change — everyone connects to one live, always-current database instead of passing a file back and forth.

Migrate Microsoft Access Database to Azure SQL Services

At a glance

Best for: Remote or multi-location teams; eliminating server hardware
Multi-user support: Yes
Rebuild effort: Low–Moderate
Typical timeline: 1–4 weeks

No on-premises server hardware to buy, patch, or maintain
Built-in automated, geo-redundant backups
Scales storage and compute on demand as data grows
Same migration tooling and approach as SQL Server, just hosted

03 · ACCESS → AWS / AMAZON RDS

Migrate Access Database to Amazon RDS (AWS)

Migrating Access to Amazon RDS moves your tables onto a managed, AWS-hosted SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL instance — the right call when your organization already runs on AWS rather than Azure, using the same proven upsizing path as any other cloud SQL migration.

RDS is a managed database service, not a new database engine — you still choose SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL underneath, and Microsoft's SSMA tooling works against an RDS SQL Server instance the same way it works on-premises. What changes is who patches, backs up, and fails over the server.

This is the path for teams standardized on AWS for everything else — S3 for file storage, IAM for access control, existing VPC and security-group setups — who don't want a second cloud vendor relationship just for one database. Multi-AZ deployments give you automatic failover if the primary instance goes down.

Migrate Microsoft Access Database to Amazon RDS Services

At a glance

Best for: Organizations already standardized on AWS infrastructure
Multi-user support: Yes
Rebuild effort: Low–Moderate
Typical timeline: 1–4 weeks

Managed backups, patching, and failover (Multi-AZ) built in
Choice of SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL engine under one platform
Fits directly into existing AWS accounts, VPCs, and IAM policies
Same SSMA-based migration approach as any other SQL Server target

04 · ACCESS → .NET / WEB APP

Convert Access Database to a .NET or Custom Web Application

Converting Access to a .NET, PHP, or other web application is a full rebuild: your tables move to SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL, and your forms, reports, and VBA logic are rebuilt in real application code — with no Access license or runtime required for anyone using it.

There's no automated "convert" button here, and any tool claiming otherwise is describing an export, not a migration — Access forms and VBA don't have a mechanical equivalent in web code. This path is a genuine software build: data layer first, then business logic, then UI, then testing.

It's the highest-effort option and the highest ceiling. You get full control over authentication, roles, integrations with other systems via APIs, and a system that scales to any number of concurrent users without ever touching an Access runtime again. The same approach applies whether the target framework is .NET, PHP, Node, or Python — only the application layer changes.

Convert Microsoft Access Database to .NET Application Services

At a glance

Best for: Access has become a real custom business system, not a database
Multi-user support: Yes
Rebuild effort: High
Typical timeline: 6–16+ weeks

No Access license or runtime needed for end users
Full control over UI, security, and third-party integrations
Scales to any number of concurrent users
Highest effort — right for genuinely business-critical systems

05 · ACCESS → POWER APPS

Migrate Access Database to Power Apps

Power Apps replaces Access's forms and screens with a modern, responsive front end — typically running on a Dataverse or SQL Server backend — making it the closest like-for-like upgrade to Access's biggest weak point: its dated, desktop-only UI.

Think of Power Apps as the app layer and Dataverse (or SQL Server) as the data layer beneath it. For line-of-business apps of moderate complexity, this combination gets you mobile-friendly, browser-based forms without a from-scratch custom build.

Where it has limits: heavily custom VBA logic, complex calculations, or deep integrations sometimes need Power Automate flows or custom connectors alongside it, which adds design work up front but keeps the whole thing low-code.

Migrate Microsoft Access Database to Power Apps Services

At a glance

Best for: Replacing Access's UI without a full custom code rebuild
Multi-user support: Yes
Rebuild effort: Moderate
Typical timeline: 3–10 weeks

Modern, mobile-friendly forms replace clunky Access screens
Runs on Dataverse, SQL Server, or SharePoint as the backend
Fastest path to a real web/mobile app for internal tools
Complex VBA logic may need Power Automate flows or custom connectors

06 · ACCESS → DATAVERSE

Migrate Access Database to Microsoft Dataverse

Dataverse is the managed, cloud-native data platform behind Power Apps and Dynamics 365 — migrating here trades your local .accdb file for a governed, secure, multi-user database with row-level security and an audit trail built in.

Your Access tables and relationships get re-mapped into Dataverse's entity model, which is a genuine data-modeling exercise, not a straight lift — Dataverse has its own conventions for lookups, choice fields, and relationships. In exchange, you get enterprise-grade security roles, full audit history, and native integration with Power Automate, Teams, and Outlook.

This is Microsoft's actual, currently-supported modern successor to Access as a business application platform. It requires Power Apps/Dataverse licensing, which is worth budgeting for early.

Migrate Microsoft Access Database to Dataverse Services

At a glance

Best for: Teams already on Microsoft 365 wanting a governed, modern platform
Multi-user support: Yes
Rebuild effort: Moderate–High
Typical timeline: 3–8 weeks

True multi-user cloud database — no more "locked for editing"
Built-in security roles, permissions, and audit trail
Native integration with Power Automate, Teams, and Outlook
Requires Power Apps/Dataverse licensing — plan it into the budget

07 · ACCESS → MYSQL

Migrate Access Database to MySQL

Migrating Access to MySQL is possible via ODBC connectors and export tooling, but because Access's SQL dialect, AutoNumber fields, and VBA logic don't map one-to-one to MySQL, plan for a data-type and query audit before the data moves.

MySQL Connector/ODBC lets you link or export Access tables directly, but a few Access-specific data types — Attachment fields, OLE Objects, multi-value lookup fields — have no native MySQL equivalent and need a deliberate replacement strategy. AutoNumber becomes AUTO_INCREMENT, and Access-flavored SQL functions in queries and VBA get rewritten in standard SQL.

MySQL is the common choice when Access is being replaced by a PHP-based or other open-source web stack, largely because there's no per-seat database licensing to account for. If you need the full application rebuilt — forms, reports, and VBA in PHP on MySQL — that is a separate spoke: /migrate-access-database/access-to-php-mysql-web-app.

Migrate Microsoft Access Database to MySQL Services

At a glance

Best for: Web rebuilds on open-source stacks; licensing-cost-sensitive teams
Multi-user support: Yes
Rebuild effort: Moderate
Typical timeline: 2–6 weeks

Open-source — no per-seat database licensing
Strong fit when rebuilding on a PHP or open-source web stack
Requires a data-type mapping audit (Attachments, OLE, lookups)
VBA business logic must be rebuilt in the new application layer

08 · ACCESS → POSTGRESQL

Migrate Access Database to PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL migration follows a similar path to MySQL, but its stricter data typing and constraint enforcement tend to surface years of accumulated Access data-quality issues during the move — which is inconvenient up front and valuable long-term.

The psqlODBC driver connects Access to PostgreSQL for linking or bulk export. Because Postgres enforces types and constraints more strictly than Access ever did, migrations routinely turn up mismatched dates, orphaned foreign keys, and inconsistent text entries that Access silently tolerated for years — worth fixing once, not carrying forward.

PostgreSQL is a strong backend choice when the rebuilt application needs complex reporting, geographic/spatial data (via PostGIS), or heavier analytical queries than a typical line-of-business app.

Migrate Microsoft Access Database to PostgreSQL Services

At a glance

Best for: Data integrity, complex reporting, or spatial data needs
Multi-user support: Yes
Rebuild effort: Moderate
Typical timeline: 2–6 weeks

Best-in-class data integrity and constraint enforcement
Open-source, with strong support for complex/analytical queries
Migration often surfaces (and lets you fix) old data-quality drift
Pairs well with a custom .NET, Python, or Node front end

09 · ACCESS → SHAREPOINT

Migrate Access Database to SharePoint

Microsoft retired Access web apps (Access Services) in 2018, so "migrating to SharePoint" today means one of two things: linking Access to SharePoint lists as a lightweight backend, or moving the whole application to Power Apps + Dataverse, which is Microsoft's actual modern successor.

This trips up a lot of otherwise-good migration plans, so it's worth stating plainly: if you're looking at old guidance describing Access web apps published to SharePoint Online, that feature no longer exists. SharePoint lists can still serve as a simple, shared backend for small, low-complexity Access apps — but they come with row-count and throttling limits that matter once you're past a few thousand records.

For anything beyond a simple shared list, Power Apps on Dataverse (with SharePoint as an integration point, not the database itself) is the path Microsoft actually supports going forward.

At a glance

Best for: Simple shared lists — or as a stepping stone to Power Apps
Multi-user support: Limited (list throttling at scale)
Rebuild effort: Low–Moderate
Typical timeline: 1–6 weeks

Access web apps (Access Services) were officially retired by Microsoft
SharePoint lists work as a lightweight backend for simple, low-volume data
Dataverse + Power Apps is Microsoft's real modern successor
We'll tell you honestly which one fits before any work starts

10 · ACCESS → LIBREOFFICE BASE

Migrate Access Database to LibreOffice Base

LibreOffice Base is a free, open-source alternative to Access that can import your tables directly — a genuine option if per-seat Microsoft licensing is the actual problem, though queries, forms, and VBA macros don't come across automatically.

Base's import wizard reads Access tables directly and brings over basic structure and data with minimal setup. It runs on an embedded database engine (Firebird in current versions, HSQLDB in older ones) for a self-contained file, or can connect out to MySQL, PostgreSQL, or any ODBC/JDBC source if you need a shared, multi-user backend instead.

The honest limitation: Base's forms, reports, and macro environment aren't Access clones. Macros run on LibreOffice Basic, not VBA, so real automation logic gets rewritten rather than ported, and the forms/reports tooling is noticeably less mature than Access's. It's the right call when the goal is eliminating license costs on a modest, well-understood database — not when Access's VBA layer is doing heavy lifting.

At a glance

Best for: Eliminating Access/Microsoft licensing costs on a modest database
Multi-user support: Limited (depends on backend chosen)
Rebuild effort: Moderate
Typical timeline: 2–5 weeks

Free and open-source — no per-seat licensing at all
Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Import wizard brings over tables and data directly
Forms, reports, and VBA macros need to be rebuilt in LibreOffice Basic

How it works

The same disciplined process, whichever platform you land on

01
Discovery & audit
We inventory every table, relationship, query, form, report, and line of VBA — so nothing gets left behind or discovered mid-migration.
02
Target platform selection
We walk through the trade-offs above against your team size, budget, and timeline, and land on the right destination together — not the one that's easiest to sell.
03
Schema & data migration
Tables, relationships, keys, and data types move to the new backend, with validation passes to catch anything that doesn't map cleanly.
04
Rebuild forms, reports & logic
Forms, reports, and VBA business logic get rebuilt for the new platform — from a linked-table front end to a full custom application.
05
Testing & validation
Side-by-side comparison against the original Access database, record counts, calculations, and edge cases included.
06
Cutover & support
A planned go-live with a rollback path, plus training so your team is confident on day one — not left to figure it out.

Quick reference

Every path, side by side

Destination	Best for	Multi-user	Effort	Timeline
Migrate Access Database to SQL Server	Fastest relief from corruption, size limits, or locking	Yes (real client-server engine)	Low–Moderate	1–4 weeks
Migrate Access Database to Azure SQL & the Cloud	Remote or multi-location teams; eliminating server hardware	Yes	Low–Moderate	1–4 weeks
Migrate Access Database to Amazon RDS (AWS)	Organizations already standardized on AWS infrastructure	Yes	Low–Moderate	1–4 weeks
Convert Access Database to a .NET or Custom Web Application	Access has become a real custom business system, not a database	Yes	High	6–16+ weeks
Migrate Access Database to Power Apps	Replacing Access's UI without a full custom code rebuild	Yes	Moderate	3–10 weeks
Migrate Access Database to Microsoft Dataverse	Teams already on Microsoft 365 wanting a governed, modern platform	Yes	Moderate–High	3–8 weeks
Migrate Access Database to MySQL	Web rebuilds on open-source stacks; licensing-cost-sensitive teams	Yes	Moderate	2–6 weeks
Migrate Access Database to PostgreSQL	Data integrity, complex reporting, or spatial data needs	Yes	Moderate	2–6 weeks
Migrate Access Database to SharePoint	Simple shared lists — or as a stepping stone to Power Apps	Limited (list throttling at scale)	Low–Moderate	1–6 weeks
Migrate Access Database to LibreOffice Base	Eliminating Access/Microsoft licensing costs on a modest database	Limited (depends on backend chosen)	Moderate	2–5 weeks

Timelines vary with table count, form/report complexity, and VBA logic. Get a scoped estimate for your specific database via a free assessment.

Proven on real systems

Migrated across finance, healthcare, real estate, and more

Healthcare — Patient Data Migration→Financial Services — Process Automation→Real Estate — Portfolio Manager→Manufacturing — Inventory System→Law Firm — Time & Billing→Logistics — Shipment Tracking→

View all case studies →

Frequently asked

Access migration questions, answered plainly

What's the best way to migrate an Access database to SQL Server?

For most databases, Microsoft's free SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) or the built-in Upsizing Wizard is the right starting point — it moves tables, relationships, and indexes automatically. Your Access forms and reports can then keep running against linked tables while you decide whether (and when) to replace the front end entirely.

How much does it cost to migrate an Access database?

Cost tracks effort tier: a backend-only upsize to SQL Server, Azure SQL, or AWS RDS is the least expensive option since your existing forms and reports keep working; a full custom web application rebuild costs the most because every form, report, and piece of VBA logic gets rebuilt as real application code. Table count, report complexity, and how much VBA automation is involved all move the number, so we scope and quote after a short audit rather than guessing from a general range.

Can I convert an Access database into a web application?

Yes, but "convert" is a rebuild, not an automated file conversion — Access forms and VBA don't have a mechanical web equivalent. The typical path moves your data to SQL Server or PostgreSQL, then rebuilds the forms, reports, and business logic as a real .NET, Power Apps, or other web front end.

How do I migrate Access to MySQL or PostgreSQL?

Both use ODBC drivers (MySQL Connector/ODBC or psqlODBC) to link or export Access tables. Plan for a data-type audit first — Access-specific fields like Attachments, OLE Objects, and multi-value lookups don't map directly, and AutoNumber needs to become AUTO_INCREMENT (MySQL) or a SERIAL/IDENTITY column (PostgreSQL).

Can I migrate an Access database to AWS instead of Azure?

Yes — Amazon RDS runs the same SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL engines as any other cloud target, and Microsoft's SSMA tooling migrates into an RDS SQL Server instance the same way it does on-premises. It's the right choice specifically when your infrastructure, IAM, and networking are already built around AWS rather than Azure.

Can I convert an Access database to a PHP web application?

Yes — it follows the same path as any custom web rebuild. Your tables move to MySQL or PostgreSQL, both of which pair naturally with PHP, and your forms, reports, and VBA business logic get rebuilt as PHP application code. There's no automated Access-to-PHP converter, for the same reason there isn't one for .NET: the forms and macros don't have a mechanical equivalent in web code. The full Access-to-PHP/MySQL conversion path is at /migrate-access-database/access-to-php-mysql-web-app.

What is SSMA?

SSMA (SQL Server Migration Assistant) is a free official Microsoft tool that automates schema and data migration from Access into SQL Server, Azure SQL, or Amazon RDS for SQL Server — mapping tables, keys, relationships, and many queries. It doesn't touch your Access forms, reports, or VBA code; those still need separate handling.

Can Access still connect to or migrate to SharePoint?

Microsoft retired Access web apps (Access Services) in 2018. Today, Access can link to SharePoint lists as a simple shared backend for low-volume data, but that comes with row-count and throttling limits. For anything more substantial, Power Apps on Dataverse is Microsoft's actual current successor.

How do I convert an MDB file to ACCDB?

Open the .mdb file in a current version of Access and use File → Save As → Access Database (*.accdb), or the "Convert Database" command. This only updates the file format (.mdb is the Access 2003-and-earlier format); it doesn't fix underlying performance, size, or multi-user limitations, since it's still the same database engine.

Can I export an Access database to PDF?

Yes — use File → Export → PDF or XPS on any report, form, or table datasheet, no extra tools needed. VBA's OutputTo method can automate the same export on a schedule for recurring reports. Either way, it produces a static document, not a live database someone else can query or update — for that, the underlying data still needs to move to a real database platform.

Can I migrate an Access database to LibreOffice Base?

Yes — Base's import wizard reads Access tables directly, and it's a genuinely free, cross-platform option if licensing cost is the real problem you're solving. Plan on rebuilding forms, reports, and any VBA automation by hand, since Base uses LibreOffice Basic macros instead of VBA.

Will my forms, reports, and VBA macros keep working after migration?

It depends on the path. Migrating just the backend (to SQL Server, Azure SQL, or AWS RDS, for example) usually lets existing forms and reports keep working through linked tables, with minor adjustments. Migrating to a genuinely different platform — Power Apps, Dataverse, or a custom web app — requires rebuilding forms and reports, and porting VBA logic into the new application's code.

What happens to my Access queries when I migrate to a real database?

Most Access queries translate into either database views or stored procedures on the new platform, and straightforward select/filter queries usually convert with minor syntax changes. Queries that lean on Access-specific SQL functions or VBA-driven dynamic SQL need to be rewritten by hand, since those functions don't exist outside Access.

Do I need to migrate my entire Access database at once?

No — the most common approach upsizes just the backend first (tables move to SQL Server while your existing Access forms and reports keep running as a linked-table front end), then replaces the front end on its own timeline later, if at all. A full rip-and-replace in one step is usually reserved for databases moving to a genuinely different platform like Power Apps or a custom web app.

What's the difference between migrating Access to Azure SQL and to Amazon RDS?

Functionally very little if you pick SQL Server as the RDS engine — both run the same T-SQL, so schema, keys, and most queries transfer identically. The real decision is which cloud your organization already runs on: Azure SQL fits teams standardized on Microsoft 365/Azure, while Amazon RDS fits teams already using AWS for everything else (S3, IAM, existing VPCs).

How long does an Access migration take, and what does it cost?

It depends on table count, form/report complexity, and how much VBA logic is involved. A backend-only upsize to SQL Server, Azure SQL, or AWS RDS can take one to four weeks; a full custom web application rebuild typically runs six to sixteen-plus weeks. Because every Access database is different, we scope cost and timeline after a short audit rather than quoting blind.

Not sure which path fits your database?

Send us your .accdb or .mdb file, or just describe what it does. We'll audit it and recommend a specific migration path — no obligation, no generic pitch.

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