Microsoft offers runtime versions of Microsoft Access so you can create database applications in MS Access and distribute them to non-Access owners. The runtime version allows your users to use your databases without purchasing their own license of Access/Office.
The Microsoft Access Runtime version differs from the retail version in several ways:
- Microsoft Access Runtime Distribution and Free Downloads. Microsoft offers runtime versions of Microsoft Access so you can create database applications in MS Access and distribute them to non-Access owners. The runtime version allows your users to use your databases without purchasing their own license of Access/Office.
- Dec 04, 2015 To do so, you must package and distribute your application with the Access 2016 Runtime. The Access 2016 Runtime is similar to previous runtimes in that all design-related UI is either removed or disabled. You do not need to buy any special product in order to redistribute the Access 2016 Runtime.
- Connect to databases created with Office 365, Access 2013, Access 2010, or Access 2007 by using the following procedure. Open a Windows Forms or WPF application project in Visual Studio. To open the Data Sources window, on the View menu, select Other Windows Data Sources. In the Data Sources window, click Add New Data Source.
- All design-related user interfaces are either removed or disabled
- Database and macro windows are hidden
- Filter By Form, Filter By Selection, and Advanced Filter windows are hidden
- This means your users only use the forms and reports you create and do not work directly with the tables, queries, etc.
- Users cannot create their own Microsoft Access databases or modify the object designs in the database(s) you give them
- There is no Design View. Your users cannot modify your objects including queries and reports.
- The VBA editor is not included. Your users cannot view or modify module code.
- They can view, add, edit, and delete the data in your database
- Special Keys such as Ctrl+Break, Ctrl+G, Shift key when opening the database, and other keys to modify objects or code are not available
- Microsoft Office features such as spell checking are not included. Note that spell checking is available if the user has that version of Office installed.
- Crashes in your VBA code are not handled. Make sure you implement error handling throughout your application.
- No Access help file
Additionally, I plan to do multi-platform software testing for work and found that Microsoft Access runs through Parallels exactly as if I were running it on a PC.” Nevertheless, Parallels Desktop is an easy and cost-effective solution to run Microsoft Access on your Mac.
Make Sure You Have Error Handling for Runtime Distributions
Because users of the runtime version do not have the design surfaces, it's important that any MS Access application you distribute with the runtime has a robust global error handler in place for all procedures. Otherwise, unexpected errors will cause your application without recourse. The Debug dialog is not available with a runtime deployment.
For more details on error handling read our papers on:
In earlier versions of Microsoft Access, you needed to purchase a special developer version of Access to receive the runtime version and other related resources. Since MS Access 2007, Microsoft has distributed the runtime versions for free. You can download them from here:
Office 365 and Access 2019 Runtime (released January 2019)
Microsoft Access 2016 Runtime (released December 4, 2015)
Microsoft Access 2013 SP1 Runtime (released April 22, 2014)
Original Microsoft Access 2013 Runtime no longer available for download
- Microsoft Access 2010, Service Pack 2 released July 18, 2013 (KB Article KB2687444)
- Original Microsoft Access 2010 Runtime (released May 10, 2010)
Free Microsoft Access 2007 Runtime (released April 28, 2009)
Older versions of Microsoft Access
The runtime versions of Access 2003 and earlier were not free.
Jul 09, 2015 Today we are taking a big step forward for Mac® users— Office 2016 for Mac is now available in 139 countries and 16 languages. Based on feedback from the great Mac Office community, we’ve made major updates to each of the apps, and we couldn’t be more pleased to deliver it first to our Office 365 customers. Existing Office 2016 for Mac customers will be seamlessly upgraded to 64-bit versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote as part of the August product release (version 15.25). This affects customers of all license types: Retail, Office 365 Consumer, Office 365. If you have a one-time purchase of Office 2016 for Mac or you have Office 365 for Mac and are using the Office 2016 for Mac build on macOS versions earlier than 10.13, your Office system requirements will not change. Refer to the product lifecycle for details about when support for Office 2016 ends. Microsoft office free download. Nov 11, 2015 The same files can be opened by another Mac Office user without any issues while Office 2016 on windows is not opening the files. On Windows 10 with Office 365, 2016 Word and powerpoint froze while it could be closed and opened again. It must have something to do with the file structure saved on the Mac Office 2016.
- For Access 2003, get the Office Developer Extensions for Office 2003
- For earlier versions of Access, get the Office Developer Toolkit
Given the deprecation of many features in Microsoft Access 2013, we recommend distributing the Microsoft Access 2010 runtime rather than 2013 in most cases.
As the developer, you have the full version of Microsoft Access to create your database application. Rather than have a different machine to test how your application behaves with the runtime version, Microsoft offers a way to run MS Access in runtime mode. Read our paper for more details:
Launching Microsoft Access with your database is similar to the way you would do so with the regular version of Access. Simply launch the msaccess.exe followed by the name of your database. Your database should launch with an Autoexec macro or have a startup form defined. Without it, nothing will appear as the runtime version does not expose the database container to users.
Here's a history of all the Microsoft Access major version releases, service packs, and recent updates with a summary of enhancements, deprecated features and other changes.
Our custom software development team has extensive experience creating Microsoft Access solutions that are deployed to users around the world using the Access runtime version.
Total Access Startup for Deployment
In conjunction with our Total Access Startup program, application deployment can be managed and updated centrally.
RemoteApp and Terminal Services to Eliminate User Installations
We also have experience using Terminal Services and RemoteApp to support users over the Internet to run Access applications without having to install Access on their local machines. By hosting the Access application in a secure data center, Mac users and other non-traditional Access users can run your Microsoft Access application from their device.
How To Get Microsoft Access For Mac
Consulting Services
Microsoft Access For Mac Os
Contact our Professional Solutions Group for details.