How to Repair .accdb File?

January 19, 2024

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The .accdb is a default file format used in Microsoft Access 2007 and later versions to store the data. Like other data files, the .accdb file is also prone to corruption. This Access database file can get corrupted due to several reasons. In this post, we’ll learn the causes of corruption in .accdb files and discuss some effective methods to repair the files and recover the data.

Table of Contents

What Causes Corruption in .accdb Files?

There are several factors responsible for corruption in .accdb files, such as:

The system is shutdown abruptly
Damaged storage media
Faulty or incompatible add-ins
Sudden closing or termination of the Microsoft Access application
Virus infections
Large-sized .accdb files

How to Repair Corrupted .accdb File?

Here are some effective methods to repair and recover corrupted .accdb files.

Method-1: Restore from Backup

If you have a backup of the .accdb file, then restore it from the backup and replace it with the corrupt file.

Here are the steps to do so:

Open File Explorer.
Locate the backup folder (where you have saved the accdb file).
Find the file and copy it.
Next, move the copied file to the exact location where the damaged database file is saved.
The system will display a prompt asking you to replace the existing database file with the backup copy. Click OK to allow it.

Method-2: Import the accdb File’s Objects into New Database

Importing the objects from the damaged .accdb file into a new database is another method to recover the data. You can try importing the objects from the damaged file into a new database by following the steps given below:

Open your Access application, click the External Data option, and then click the option labeled Import Access Database.
In the Get External Data – Access Database wizard, click on the Browse option to select the desired database file.
In the same wizard, click on the option named “Import tables, forms, reports, macros, and modules into the current database.”
Next, select the required objects of the database to import into the new database. Click OK.

Method 3: Use ‘Compact and Repair’ Utility to Repair Access Database

The Compact and Repair utility in Access can help repair the .accdb files. Microsoft’s built-in repair utility is designed to address common Access database issues and optimize its performance.

Steps to use the Compact and Repair utility in Access are:

First, open your Microsoft Access application.
Then, double-click on Blank Database.
Go to File and click Close.
On the Blank Database window, select the File option.
Click the Compact and Repair Database option under the Database Tools section.
Choose and click on the desired database you need to repair and then click Compact.
After the tool completes the repair, you can check the repaired copy of the file at the location where the original database file is saved.

Method-4: Use a Professional Access Repair Tool

The Compact and Repair utility isn’t always successful in repairing the damaged database files. If it fails to perform the intended task, you can use a reliable third-party Access database repair tool to repair the database file. Stellar Repair for Access is one such tool that can repair severely corrupted .accdb files.

This tool can recover all the objects of the corrupted database file with complete integrity and precision. To repair the .accdb file using Stellar Repair for Access, follow these simple steps:

Download, install, and launch the Stellar Repair for Access tool.
In the ‘Select database’ dialog box, click the Browse option to select the .accdb file and then click Repair.
The tool will start the repair process. Wait till the “Repairing complete” message is displayed. Then, click
A preview of all the repairable objects in the file is displayed in a tree-view structure in the left pane. You can expand the objects to view their child objects.
After previewing, click Save Database from the toolbar to save the repaired file.
Select the desired location to save the file.

Conclusion

This post outlined the detailed methods to repair and recover .accdb file. You can recover the database file from backup or import objects from damaged database files into a new database. In case you don’t have a backup, you can use Compact and Repairing utility to repair the Access files. In some instances, the Microsoft Access utility fails to repair the database file.

In such a case, you can use a third-party access database recovery software – Stellar Repair for Access. It can repair highly damaged ACCDB/MDB files. You can use this tool for repairing multiple database files.

It recovers all the objects from the database files without compromising the integrity. You can download the tool’s free demo version to scan the damaged file and see its preview. The tool supports all Windows editions, including the latest Windows 11.