How to easily, efficiently and with no re-coding run Microsoft Access on a MAC

Microsoft Access is a database management system (DBMS) from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of applications, included in the Professional and higher editions or sold separately. Latest versions have more protections. Alternatives to Microsoft Access on the Mac File Maker Pro. FileMaker is probably the best known database application for the Mac. It has a feature set comparable to Microsoft Access, but with a strong focus on forms (layouts) as the primary way of accessing databases. ‎Open Microsoft Access database on your Mac with this App, you can view data easily with Filter, Sort, Paging, and export data or schema to other databases. With the In-App Purchase feature 'Edit Data' and 'DB Creator' you can even edit it natively on your Mac, create new databases and new tables. IDatabase is the Mac app that simplifies the creation of databases, inventories, collections and lists of items. IDatabase is the best there is for those who want to manage, store and quickly find any information for their passions and for everyday work. Microsoft Access is available for PC only. The most up-to-date version of Microsoft Access is always available with a Microsoft 365 subscription. Microsoft Access 2019 is the latest version of Access available as a one-time purchase. Previous versions include Access 2016, Access 2013, Access 2010, Access 2007, and Access 2003.

The picture opposite was reproduced from Microsoft’s pricing page for Office 365. The point to highlight is the text below the Access icon saying: “PC Only”. Microsoft don’t do a version of Access for Mac or iPad or even Android tablets.

Chances are if you’ve developed an Access database application then you have a Windows PC anyway, so what’s the issue?

Well, what if you need to share your Access application with colleagues, and what if those colleagues are using a Mac or other non-Windows device? What if your boss wants to check something from his iPad at home?

The answer actually solves two problems. The best way to share an Access database application with Mac users is also one of the best ways of sharing an Access database application full stop. The solution is to use a hosted remote desktop service.

Access on a remote desktop

Microsoft have developed a Remote Desktop Client for Mac, iOS and Android, as well as Windows. This means that if you run your Access database from a Hosted Desktop it can be used by users of any device just as easily as those running Windows.

What is a hosted remote desktop service?

Remote Desktop Services, previously called Terminal Services is a technology that enables applications to be run on the remote desktop server instead of the user’s PC (or Mac). Lots of users can log on to the remote desktop server and run the same applications simultaneously. The system was designed mainly to help organisations with remote sites that needed to run applications where the data, documents or databases are at a central location. It’s a bit like having really long keyboard, mouse and monitor cables.

With the recent improvements in internet speed as well as other technologies such as server virtualisation it is now easy to host the Access database with a service provider rather than pay to build and maintain the technology yourself.

Benefits to a hosted remote desktop service

Beyond the ability to run Access on a Mac or iPad, hosting it gives you a number of other benefits:

• The remote desktop service is supported and maintained by the provider
• Your data is backed up
• You can run your Access database from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet Connection
• Users running Access on a Mac will get the same experience as users running it on their PC
• There are no code changes required as Access is, in reality, running on a Windows machine
• You can use the Access Runtime environment so no Access licence costs
• Flexibility to increase or decrease user numbers
• Scalability to increase user numbers to the maximum supported by Access

Contact us to get your Access database hosted in the cloud

You can see that running your Access database on an iPad or Mac or easy and effective using hosted remote desktop services. To find out more about how to get your Access database in the cloud to run on a Mac contact one of Your Office Anywhere’s technical sales consultants who can discuss your individual requirements and provide you with a demonstration. Call today on 01282 500318 or complete the form at our contact page.

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Software developers, data architects and power users have expressed a need to run Microsoft Access on their Mac without partitioning their hard drives or restarting.

Firstly, if you fall into this category, Parallels Desktop for Mac can assist you with developing application software without reformatting or rebooting your machine. As seen below:

Access 2016 in Win10 in Parallels Desktop

Secondly, users can create tables, queries, forms, and reports that connect their projects together with macros. Even more advanced users utilize Visual Basic for apps to write advanced data manipulation and user control solutions.

Access For Mac Database Hosting

Here at Parallels, we’re excited whenever our customers share with us the incredible projects they produce and how Parallels Desktop has helped them get work done faster!

Check out how some of our users are using virtualization for Microsoft Access:

Does Microsoft Access Work On Mac

Juan Becker of New York – “I was given a Mac when coming onto the team at a new job and as a life-long Microsoft guy I was missing the most important application for my position: Microsoft Access. I needed it and that was the issue but had no idea how to get it on my Mac or if it would even work.

I found Parallels as a solution for running Microsoft Access through the Parallels forums and saw other users had success. There are specific macros such as ActiveX data objects that work within MS Access that I need for my position and Parallels was and is so easy to use, which makes me a user for life. I additionally ended up buying Parallels Access for remotely connecting to my Mac or Windows through my tablet and phone, which allows me to travel for work without my laptop.

That, along with all of the other options and tools that Parallels offers, was a no-brainer, and like I said before, I was instantly sold and will remain a user for life!”

Jason Cooper of Indiana – “I am running a fairly large Microsoft Access database (roughly 60 MB), and as a longtime Boot Camp user, I quickly found myself needing to avoid restarting my machine every time I wanted to switch operating systems in order to speed up my work productivity.

The reputation of Parallels Desktop is what sold me three years ago. The first time I ran one of my queries through Parallels, it processed very quickly, in around five seconds.

I’m the lead webmaster and director of information security for my company, so finding a solution for Microsoft Access was a necessity. Additionally, I plan to do multi-platform software testing for work and found that Microsoft Access runs through Parallels exactly as if I were running it on a PC.”

Nevertheless, Parallels Desktop is an easy and cost-effective solution to run Microsoft Access on your Mac. It provides our customers and their employees with the right tools, which effectively allows our customers to be more productive in a virtual world. Try running Windows programs on your Mac without restarting for 14 days here FREE: Try Now!

Mac Database Client

Need Microsoft Windows operating system to get started with Microsoft Access? Buy directly below: