Microsoft Ending Support for Access in 2025

[musicloverlch]

Are you concerned about the support end dates for Access?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/search?alpha=Access

I have sooo much in my Access database that rebuilding it in SharePoint or Azure is going to take years. What's your plan when support ends in 2025? My main worry is that Microsoft will put out an update for Office that breaks Access and then refuses to fix it because they aren't supporting it anymore.

Please let me know your thoughts. I hope I win the lottery so I can go live on a beach somewhere.

Thanks,
Laura

[Ron Weiner]

musicloverlch submitted this idea :

It's news like this that makes me happy I am retired, and no longer
have to worry about stuff like this. Access is without a doubt my
favorite programming environment. I am today still writing new
applications in Access, and have a stand alone full copy of Office 2007
(We just celebrated its Bar Mitzvah a few weeks ago). I intend to
continue using this outdated unsupported product until I am no longer
capable of sitting upright and typing on the keyboard.

Even in retirement, I get calls from old enployers from time to time to
enhance old apps I have written in Access (and even VB6). In fact
Eariler this week I was given a REALLY old Access DB (Circa. Access 97)
for conversion to one of the newer formats, so the customer could mine
some of the old data. Their spanking new Office 365 applications just
laughed at them when they tried to open the DB.

So I guess it really depends how much risk you are willing to assume.
Stuff that works in Access today will likely keep working in 2026, but
there are no guarantees! As long as Microsoft Window's will support
"old" 32 bit office applications you are probably good to go. Windows
10 STILL supports the VB6 IDE, and well behaved VB6 applications. I
see no reason to expect anything will change in my lifetime. Did I
mention that I was retired, and there are no guarantees?

So from my point of view, "you pay's you money and take's your
chances". Good luck to you whatever you decide.

Rdub

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[BobAlston]

I just saw a Microsoft Access presentation where they committed to a
standalone verion of Access in 2022. Possibility for others later. But
they said Microsoft 365 - which includes Access - is the future. It is
an annual subscription.

[Ron Paii]

The link call the end date for support for Access 2019. I don't see anything that Microsoft will not have a newer version. You can develop in Access 365 to run local FE and BE, I don't know if a runtime will be available.

[Albert Kallal (Access MVP)]

Nothing to see here.

They list out Excel, Outlook, Access,Word support for 2019 to 2025.

Quite sure for 20 years they support the EXISTING version for about 5 years.

But then 2020 will come out?

There is ZERO, NOTHING, NADA in regards to that list for Word, or Excel, or Power-Point or Access.

That simply lists out the support for 2019 version of office. But then again v-next is alwasy around the corner.

I know of some still running Access 97 from 23 years ago.

So, not sure what you worried about, but the time-lines for say office 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019?

Don't really see much a change of anything.

So, there is ZERO in regards of that list pointing out Excel or Access. it is a simple list of end of support dates for a GIVEN version of office. So in that list they also have end dates for Excel and all office programs - they are ALL THE SAME in this regards.

And that famous Star Wars quote?

Nothing to see here - move along!

So, just to be clear? There is nothing in that link that applies to ONLY Access or that somehow Access is going to be dropped, depreciated, or not part of office for another 25 years like it always been.

If you want to see what new features and what the Access Team is planning for v-next?

Well, for one, they are going to lift the "Denali" SQL editor. (same one from Visual Studio) and put that in Access. About time the SQL editor gets some LOVE and care. So, we can expect code blighting, syntax checking and nice formatting for the SQL editor when we are in SQL view. Looks to be a really NICE feature for Access.

They are also adding some more "service" connections to the new "CDS" formats they are using for cloud computing. That will again give more connection options for Access in terms of editing and consuming web data on the desktop.

And the other big news? They are going to offer a newer web browser control based on the new open source Chrome web browser engine. Thus, when you drop a browser control from the ribbon into a from, we not stuck with some old IE 11 version of the browser. This is nice, since it means one can and will be able to use the web browser control in Access forms, and they will work (as opposed to now - it is a real hit and miss affair). So being able to drop in and use the web browser control in Access will now work, be reliable, and work as a proper web browser control.

So, they continue to update Access, and continue to add new features (like the new up-coming SQL editor).

I will say that your post and question is somewhat akin to yelling fire in a movie theater. So, that supposed "rumor" of Access going away anytime soon? Well that's been a rumor for 20 years now!!!

So lets kill and drop this idea and narrative that Access is to be dropped, or not part of office anymore or less then say Word or Excel will continue to be part of office.

Regards,
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP 2003-2017)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada

[Ron Weiner]

Albert Kallal (Access MVP) expressed precisely :

Thanks Albert, I was hoping that you'd reply to this thread. You have
always been hooked into the "powers that be" at Msoft, and have never
failed to provide high quality accurate advice as you have in the past.

I have to admit, I sorta' like the idea that a few of the applications
that I have written in Access might continue to be useful productive
tools even when I am pushing up dasies.

[Albert Kallal (Access MVP)]

> I have to admit, I sorta' like the idea that a few of the applications
> that I have written in Access might continue to be useful productive
> tools even when I am pushing up dasies.
> Rdub

Well, sometimes there is that case of last man standing. When this desktop database stuff started?
Oh my - it was really full of players.
FoxPro, dbase III, IV etc.
Clipper
KnowlegeMan,
Paradox,
Advanced Revelation,
FileMaker,
RBase,

There are quite a few more. Magazines in the late 1980's would typical have reviews - and 5 or even 10 database products would be reviewed! Of the early PC databases? I really only every got up to speed with FoxPro (2.0, and then 2.6 DOS versions). FoxPro was a great system. And I did play with Access 2.0 a bit - nothing much. But when Access 97 hit the scene, then I jumped. The major reason was they decided to adopt Visual Basic 5.0 for office. So now VB5-6, and office VBA would be the same coding system - that's what sold me. So time spent in Access would translate into VB skills in general.

And now, those same VB, VBA skills? Well, I often code in vb.net. I found the jump seamless.
And now, I doing asp.net + vb.net web sites. It is a "crazy" and "strange" feeling that I get to write code in VB that runs on a web site.
So here we are, and from playing with that Apple II and writing a few lines of Basic code?

Well, still flying that Basic car today, and still writing basic code everyday - even for the web!!!

So, Access is still alive and well. They are still adding features, and they are looking to add more features to Access over time.
So, Access was a nice wagon to hitch to, and it remains still a great wagon to jump on and ride.