Encrypt a database by using a database password

To help prevent unauthorized use of an Access database, you can encrypt the database by setting a password. If you know the password for an encrypted database, you can also decrypt the database and remove its password. This article explains how to do both.

In earlier versions of Access, you could create user accounts and passwords by using a feature named user-level security. This article doesn't cover user-level security, which isn't available when you use the .accdb file format.

If you encrypt a database and then lose the password, you won't be able to use the database. You can't remove a database password if you don't know the password.

In this article

• Overview
• Encrypt a database by using a password
• Encrypt a split database
• Open and decrypt a database
• Remove a password from a database

Overview

The encryption tool makes your data unreadable to other tools and sets a password that's required to use the database. Keep these rules in mind:

• The encryption feature applies only to databases in the .accdb file format.
• The tool uses a stronger encryption algorithm than earlier versions of Access used.

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Encrypt a database by using a password

The steps in this section explain how to create and apply a password to an Access desktop database.

Encrypt a database

1. Open the database in Exclusive mode.

   To do that:

   1. On the File tab, click Open.
   2. In the Open dialog box, browse to the file that you want to open, and then select the file.
   3. Click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open Exclusive. The following image shows the menu.

2. On the File tab, click Info, and then click Encrypt with Password. The Set Database Password dialog box appears.

3. Type your password in the Password box, type it again in the Verify box, and then click OK.

   Note

   • Use strong passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Weak passwords don't mix these elements. For example, Y6dh!et5 is strong, and House27 is weak. Passwords should be at least 8 characters long. A passphrase that uses 14 or more characters is better.
   • Be sure to remember your password. If you forget it, Microsoft can't retrieve it. Store any written passwords in a secure place away from the information that they protect.

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Encrypt a split database

To encrypt a split database, encrypt both the front-end database and the back-end database. After you encrypt the back-end database, relink to its tables.

1. By using the steps in Encrypt a database by using a password, encrypt the back-end database.
2. In the front-end database, delete the links to the tables in the back-end database, and then link to them again. Access prompts you for the back-end database password when you relink.
3. After you relink the tables, encrypt the front-end database by using the steps in Encrypt a database by using a password.

Open and decrypt a database

Be sure to remember your password. If you forget it, there is no way to retrieve it.

1. Open the encrypted database the same way that you open any other database. The Password Required dialog box appears.
2. Type your password in the Enter database password box, and then click OK.

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Remove a password from a database

Remove a password

1. Open the database in Exclusive mode.

   To do that:

   1. On the File tab, click Open.
   2. In the Open dialog box, browse to the file that you want to open, and then select the file.
   3. Click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open Exclusive. The following image shows the menu.

2. On the File tab, click Info, and then click Decrypt Database. The Unset Database Password dialog box appears.

3. Type your password in the Password box, and then click OK.

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