Want to protect your Access database data? Encrypting the database is not just enough? Well, losing data can cripple your operations. Regular backups protect your work, save time, and reduce stress. Whether you’re managing small business data or personal records, maintaining a proper Access database backup is equally important.
In this blog, you will learn different ways on how to backup Access database automatically. So, let’s get started…
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How to Backup Access Database Automatically?
I have divided this blog in two parts in first part you will get information on how to backup Access database, and in the second part, we will discuss how to restore Access database.
So let’s discuss them one by one.
Part 1: How To Backup Access Database
In this section, you will learn three different ways to backup Access database.
- Maintaining Regular Access Database Backups
- Using MS Access “Back Up Database” Option
- By Back Up A Split Access Database
- Automatically back up an Access database
Way 1# Maintaining Regular Access Database Backups
As per to the type of database, Access database backup should be done in two situations. And also keep a note that before backup, you should know the right time to backup the database.
The right time to make a backup copy of the Access database:
- When the database is active and the data is updated or changed on a regular interval, create a scheduled backup of the database.
- When you try to make changes by any action query which may change or delete data, then it becomes important to create a backup. Or else any changes updated by the query cannot be recovered by using Undo.
- When the database is used by multiple users, it is recommended that you create a backup after a design modification.
The following is on how to back up desktop database and not the Access apps.
Way 2# Using MS Access “Back Up Database” Option
In MS Access 2016/2013 database
- Tap to the File menu option.
- Hit the Save As option, and now from “Save Database As” section, click on the “Back Up Database” button.
- After that, hit the “Save As”
- Assign name and location for saving your backup file.
- At last tap to the “Save” option.
In MS Access 2007 database
- Go to your Microsoft Office button.
- Now, from the menu, choose the “Manage” option
- Within the “Manage this database” section, hit the Back Up Database option.
- Give the name and destination path for saving up your backup copy of access database.
- Now hit the save option for completing the saving procedure.
In MS Access 2010
1 – Open any Access database for which you want to make a backup.
2 – Click File tab, and select Save & Publish.
3 – From the right, under File Types, select Save Database As.
4 – Now go to Advanced, and select Back Up Database. Click Save As.
5 – In Save As window, select a location and give name to the File for backup of database. Click Save.
Way 3# By Back Up A Split Database
Splitting the database typically contains two database files:
A. Backup Access Database Back-End
B. Backup Access Database Front-end
Back-end contains links to the table in the back-end database, queries, forms, reports, and other database objects. The entire data get stored in the back-end database. Whereas, the front-end contains all the user interfaces objects like queries, forms and reports.
It’s a time-consuming procedure to back up the front-end and back-end of the database. Back-end database contains the entire data. So it’s important to keep regular backup of it.
Keep a backup of front end database when you make any changes in the Access database design. Each users of the front-end database can make arbitrary design changes. So, it will be better that the user make their own backup copies of front-end database.
A. Backup Access Database Back-End
Give notifications to the users before starting the backup process as running the backup process needs exclusive access to the database file. This might restrict the user from using the back-end database while the backup process is running.
Steps To Backup Back-End Database:
- Open the back-end database
- After then tap to the Open Other Files.
- Now make selection for the back-end database file which you need to back up by searching through the Browse option.
- Hit the arrow which is next to Open, and then tap to the Open Exclusive option.
- Click File, and then click Save As.
- Under File Types, click Save Database As.
- Under Advanced, click Back Up Database, and then click Save As.
- In the File name box, from the Save As dialog box, review the name for your database backup.
- The default name contains both the name of original database file and the date on which you make the backup. But later you can change the name if you need.
- From the save as dialog box, make selection for the location in which you wants to save the copy of the back-end data base and then click to the save option.
B. Backup Access Database Front-End
Back up Access database front-end after making the design changes, just leave the database open right away immediately after the changing its design. After that follow the way no 2 i.e, back up a database, from step 2.
Way 4 # Backup Access Database Automatically
Yes, it is possible to backup Access database automatically through VBA coding.
If you don’t know how it is to be done then check this video. It contains complete steps that you need to perform for creating Access database backup automatically.
Part 2: How To Restore Access Database
Now it’s time to learn how to restore Access database objects either using the backup or without the backup.
Way 1# Restore Access Database Using Backup
In order to restore MS Access database from backup, simply choose a good copy and paste it where you want to replace the existing Access database with the backup. While you restore the database with the backup, you basically replace the corrupted or damaged database.
Way 2# Restore Part Of Access Database
For restoring the database objects, just import the object from the backup into the database that already contains the object that you need to restore. Through this procedure, you can restore more than one object at a time.
1. First of all open the database that you need to restore an object.
2. For restoring the missing object, like an accidentally deleted table, skip to step 3. But if you want to replace an object which has bad or missing data or has stopped working, then you must follow these steps.
-
- To restore the current object —
For example: To compare it with the restored version after you restore. You need to rename the object before restoring it. Suppose you want to restore a damaged Form name Checkout then you can assign the name of the damaged form to Checkout_bad.
- Just delete the object that you wish to replace.
3. From the External Data tab, in the Import group, tap to the Access.
4. Now, from the Get External Data dialog box, hit the Browse option to locate the backup database.
5. Tap to the Import tables, reports, macros, queries, forms and modules into the current database, and then hit the OK option.
6. Now in the Import Objects dialog box, hit the tab that corresponds to the type of objects that you need to restore. e.g.: In case of restoring the table, just click to Tables tab.
7. To select the object just make click on it.
8. To restore more objects, just repeat the steps 6 and 7 until you select all the objects that you want to restore.
9. If you need to make adjustments to the import options. In the Import Objects dialog box, tap to the Options button to review these options right before the importation of your objects.
10. After completing the selection procedure of your objects and setting options, click OK to restore the objects.
Best Software To Restore Access Database Without Any Backup
What if you do not have a valid and updated date backup of your Access database?
In such a case, it is recommended that you take the help of a professional MS Access Repair and Recovery Tool. With this, you can easily repair and recover Access database from all types of corruption and errors. With the use of this tool, you can just sit back and relax from the worry of losing your critical data.
This tool efficiently restores Access database objects, including queries, table data and objects, primary key, table structure,e and much more.
Hence, if you want your important MS Access data back easily and instantly, then download this Access repair and recovery tool now.
Why Choose Access Repair And Recovery Tool?
Take a quick glance at some highlighting features of this Access Database Recovery tool:
- Quickly recovers ACCDB/MDB files from a corrupt Access database.
- Restores complete table structure & also its key internal data structures
- Recover all kinds of deleted objects, Memo data, table relationships, OLE data, and records, etc,. from the corrupted Access database.
- Very user-friendly for newbie or non-technical users.
- Provide the option of live preview of all the recoverable items data before saving in the desired location before the recovery.
- Also supports Access database data from encrypted Access database forms
- Well support for almost the entire version of MS Access 2019/ 2016/ 2013/ 2010/ 2007/ 2003/ XP/ 2000/ 97/ 95 database.
Steps To Restore Access Database Using MS Access Repair And Recovery Tool:
Precautions That Should Be Followed During Access Database Backup And Restore.
- After taking a complete backup, always make a cross-check to see whether your database file is properly backed up or not.
- For more protection, it’s better to make a copy of backup database items in some off-site location and do this regularly. If you are keeping a backup of the personal database that very rarely needs changes, then you can save it on a CD copy. But if you are backing up Critical business data of your database, then make use of magnetic tape and of course update its data regularly
- Consider the task of Access database backup as an essential part of a safe computing routine.
- If your database backup contains sensitive information, then it’s better to keep it encrypted.
- Fr safety precaution, it’s better to keep backup copies of Access database remotely somewhere other than the system you are currently been using.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Is the Best Way to Backup Database?
The best and effective way to backup a database using diverse storage like a cloud server.
How To Save Access Database to Flash Drive?
If you want to create a backup copy or an extra copy of your Access database to a flash drive, then go to the location where the database is stored, right-click on it, and copy it. Then, access the removable drive (Flash Drive), paste the copied file.
How Do I Copy an Entire Access Database?
To copy an entire Access database, follow the steps below:
- Open the Access database you need to copy.
- Select the File – Application – New Copy.
- Under the Server field, enter a title for the new database in the Title field.
- Click Encryption, choose ‘Locally encrypt this database using:’, and choose an encryption type.
Wrapping Up
Don’t wait for a data disaster. Backing up your Access database is simple and fast. Use built-in tools, manual copies, or automated solutions mentioned above in this blog. Combine local & cloud storage for maximum safety. Stay ahead by making backups a habit, not a hassle.
References:

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.