Microsoft Access databases consist of various objects that help manage business data. One such object is a form; it is a database object that can be used to create a user interface for a database application. However, database forms sometimes get corrupted, which disrupts workflows. Repairing these forms is essential to restoring DB functionality. This helpful guide explains proven solutions to repair corrupt Access database forms quickly and effectively.
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What Causes Access Forms to be Corrupted?
Corruption in Access database forms occurs due to various reasons, including:
- Power failures
- Virus attacks & software conflicts
- Incorrect system shutdowns
- Large file sizes often increase the risk of corruption.
How To Identify Access Database Form Corruption?
- Forms or reports are denied getting opening
- Depending upon how data is stored within the database, the number of records may change
- Your table rows show value as #Deleted
- Or the memo field added up with some strange characters.
- At the time of loading the form, you encounter errors like “AOIndex is not an index in this table”.
- Network Connection May Have Been Lost”
- Sometimes the key fields and relationships will be messed up.
The occurrence of any of the above-mentioned issues while working with an MS Access database is a clear indication that one or more of your Access Forms are suspected of corruption. Such corruption issues don’t remove even if you try exporting the entire form and controls as text, and then re-importing them using VB code.
So, in that case, you need to approach more sophisticated steps to deal with such corruption. For such, you need not go anywhere. As we have listed down the solution for fixing the corrupt access database form in the subsequent sections.
Techniques to Repair Corrupt Access Database Forms
After scouting a lot for the fixes, we have collected some most effective fixes to resolve corrupted Access form. So, try them without any worry, but one at a time, and if it fails after that, only proceed to the next one.
Quick Fixes:
- 1# Access Database Repair Software
- 2# Check & Restore the Backup
- 3# Inbuilt Compact and Repair Utility
- 4# Delete And Re-create The Code Module
- 5# Use The SaveAsText Method
- 6# Import the Corrupt Database
- 7# Restore The Form From The Text File
1# Access Database Repair Software
To repair corrupted forms in Access, the very first solution that I want to recommend to you all is the Access Repair and Recovery tool. It’s advanced troubleshooting solutions for all your MS Access Database issues. The tool is a well-suited option to repair corrupted/damaged .accdb and .mdb files. Besides this, the tool can also restore all data like reports, tables, queries, macros, forms, etc.

* By clicking the Download button above and installing Stellar Repair for Access (14.8 MB), I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the End User License Agreement and Privacy Policy of this site.
With this tool, one can easily fix any type of error or any corruption issue that occurred in an Access Database. Some best features of this software include:
- repair corrupt ACCDB and MDB files
- successfully repair Tables, Queries, Reports, Forms, & Indexes
- retrieve password-protected forms and modules
- support restoration of deleted records to a new database
- recovers Macros, Modules, Relational Databases, and other objects
- Compatibility with MS Access 2016, 2013, 2010, and all previous versions
Steps To Repair Corrupted MS Access Forms
2# Check & Restore the Backup
Before trying any complicated or manual repairs, it is important to search for recent backup files. A backup is the straightforward method to recover the forms. So, if you have created an extra copy of your database that contained forms, simply restore it.
In the absence of backup, try the further solutions to repair corrupt Access database forms.
Also Read: Repair and Recover Corrupt Access Database- Try These Methods!
3# Inbuilt Compact And Repair Utility
Well, the compact and repair inbuilt utility comes in handy to fix minor corruptions within the Access database if needed. Here are the steps with which you can try to repair corrupted forms in Access using the built-in utility tool.
- Open your Access application, and click on the Database Tools tab -> Compact and Repair Database.

- Browse to choose the MS Access database (MDB or accdb) file for repairing and then click on the compact option.

- Create a fresh database to save the compacted one, then assign a proper name to your file and tap to the Save.
4# Delete And Re-create The Code Module
- In Design View go to the form’s code. After that, copy the contents of the module and paste it into Notepad.
- In the properties of the form, go to the other tab and change HasModule to No.
- This will throw a warning that the code on the form will be deleted. Tap the OK option, then save and close the form.
- Now re-open the form again in design view and change the HasModule to Yes. View the code and paste all the code back from Notepad.
- After this, surely your form starts running correctly again.
5# Use The SaveAsText Method to Repair Corrupt Access Database Forms
There is such a feature in Access Database, using which you can easily convert your forms or reports to text files. This feature is used in the creation of access templates, but apart from that, it can also be used to archive a form or report successfully from the corrupted one.
To use this feature, you need to go to the code editor (Alt+F11) and Debug > Compile. If the project complies correctly, then go to the next step. Otherwise, fix broken or missing references until the code compiles correctly.
6# Import the Corrupt Database
Another method you can try is creating a new database. This is suggested because the Compact and Repair utility sometimes fails. To import the database into the new database, here are the steps to be followed:
- Open Access >> create a new DB file.
- Click on Access to import the database under the External Data.

- In the opened window, go to Browse >> locate a database file while it’s imported.
- Stipulate the place & techniques to save data in a new database >> click OK.
- Choose“Import tables, forms, reports, macros and modules into the current database.” >> press OK.

- Now, select the database forms you need to import >> Click Ok.
7# Restore The Form From The Text File
In order to restore the damaged form, you can make use of the LoadFromText method.
For this, you just type this in the immediate window and press Enter.
LoadFromText acForm, “frmUtility”, CurrentProject.Path & “\frmUtility.txt”
If the incoming form encounters another object of the same name, it overwrites it.
Related FAQs:
How to Fix Unrecognized Database Format Access?
To fix the unrecognized database format of Access, follow these steps:
- Open the Access application.
- Then, double-click on Blank Database >> go to File > Close.
- After that, click Database Tools >> Compact and Repair Database.
- Now, click on the Browse to choose the DB you need to repair.
Why Do Databases Get Corrupted?
Access database gets corrupted due to hardware failures, software bugs, power outages, hasty work, malware attacks, incompatible software, etc.
How Many Types of Forms in the Access Database?
There are two types of Access form: one is bounded and the other is unbounded.
Bottom Line
Corrupt Access forms can disrupt daily operations. Nevertheless, with the right technique, you can fix Access database forms. Start with backups and the built-in compact and repair tool. Repairing corruption promptly ensures smooth workflow and data integrity.
References:
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/compact-and-repair-a-database-6ee60f16-aed0-40ac-bf22-85fa9f4005b2
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/import-database-objects-into-the-current-access-database-23aea08b-7487-499d-bdce-0c76bedacfdd
Still having issues? Fix them with this Access repair tool: This software repairs & restores all ACCDB/MDB objects including tables, reports, queries, records, forms, and indexes along with modules, macros, and other stuffs effectively.
- Download Stellar Repair for Access rated Great on Cnet (download starts on this page).
- Click Browse and Search option to locate corrupt Access database.
- Click Repair button to repair & preview the database objects.







