Connect to a Microsoft Access database (.accdb) in ArcGIS

Microsoft Office 2007 introduced a new Microsoft Access database format, accdb, which is the new default format in Access 2007 when saving or creating a database. Without using OLE DB, ArcGIS cannot directly read or write to the new Microsoft Access format; this includes accessing accdb files directly through the Add Data dialog box.

To connect to an .accdb file, complete the following steps:

1. Install the appropriate Microsoft Access Database Engine driver.
   • If using Microsoft Office 2013 or earlier versions, install the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable driver.
   • If using Microsoft Office 2016 or later versions, install the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable driver.
2. Add the OLE DB Connection command as a button to a toolbar in ArcCatalog.
   1. Click Customize on the main menu and click Customize mode.

      The Customize dialog box opens.

   2. Click the Commands tab.

      

   3. Choose ArcCatalog from the Categories list.
   4. Drag Add OLE DB Connection from the Commands list onto a toolbar in ArcCatalog.

   The Add OLE DB Connection button is added to the toolbar.

3. Click the Add OLE DB Connection button.

   The Data Link Properties dialog box appears in which you can create an OLE DB connection.

   

4. Click the Provider tab.
5. Select the appropriate provider based on the Microsoft Access Database Engine driver installed in step 1 above.
   • If the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable driver was installed, select Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider.
   • If the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable driver was installed, select Microsoft Office 16.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider.
6. Click Next.
7. On the Connection tab, specify the database or browse to it in section one. If the database has a password, enter that information in section two.
8. Click Test Connection to verify that you can connect to the database.
9. Click OK if the connection test was successful.

   Note:

   If the connection fails, ensure that the settings are correct. For example, spelling errors and case sensitivity can cause failed connections.

10. Type a new name for the connection and press Enter.
11. To use the Access table, browse to the table through the OLE DB connection and add it to ArcMap.

Note:

Linked tables in Access are not viewable through an OLE DB connection, although Access queries are available. To use the linked table, create a query in Access that references the linked table and connect to the linked table through the query in the OLE DB connection.

Because OLE DB connections do not have an Object ID field, which is a field maintained by ArcGIS that guarantees a unique ID for each row in the table, you cannot perform certain operations in ArcMap. These include selecting the features in the layer on the map in any way, applying a definition query, creating full relates, or editing the attributes. For more information about working with tables that lack Object IDs, see Fundamentals of Object ID fields.