Open a Microsoft Access database when you do not have Access installed. The viewer reads .mdb (Access 97 to 2003) and .accdb (Access 2007 and newer) files directly in your browser, lists every table with its row count, and lets you browse, search, sort and export the data to CSV or JSON. The file never leaves your computer.
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How to use the MDB File Viewer
Open the database: drop the .mdb or .accdb file on the box or click it to choose. A small sample database opens first.
Pick a table from the list on the left; the row count is shown next to each name.
Browse the rows: search, click a column heading to sort, and page through the data.
Check the structure in the Columns tab: field names, Access data types and how many values are empty.
Export the table as CSV or JSON, or download every table at once as a ZIP of CSV files.
Access data types and how they are shown
Access type
Stored as
Shown / exported as
Short Text (Text)
Up to 255 characters; Unicode, often compressed in Jet 4 and ACE
Text
Long Text (Memo)
Up to about 1 GB, stored on separate long-value pages
Full text
Number: Byte, Integer, Long Integer
1, 2 or 4-byte integers
Whole numbers
Number: Single, Double
4 or 8-byte floating point
Decimal numbers
Number: Decimal
Exact 128-bit integer with precision and scale
Exact decimal, e.g. 1234.50
Large Number
64-bit integer (Access 2016+)
Whole number
Currency
64-bit integer in ten-thousandths
Exact amount, e.g. 19.99
Date/Time
Double: days since 1899-12-30, fraction = time of day
2026-03-14 09:30:00
Yes/No
A single bit in the row's null mask
Yes / No
AutoNumber
Long Integer (or GUID) filled in by Access
Number
Replication ID
16-byte GUID
{XXXXXXXX-XXXX-…}
OLE Object, Attachment
Binary data or a link to a hidden table
Placeholder with type and size
Tips for getting data out of Access files
Old .mdb from Access 97? Newer Access versions refuse to open Access 95/97 files, but this viewer reads them, so you can export the tables to CSV and import them anywhere.
Row count looks different? The count next to each table comes from the table header. If a database was not closed properly, the header can be out of date; the number of rows actually read is shown under the grid.
Split databases have a front-end file with forms and linked tables and a back-end file with the data. If you only see linked tables, open the back-end file (often named …_be.accdb).
Accented characters in Excel: the CSV export is UTF-8 with a byte order mark, so Excel shows names like Müller or García correctly.
Moving to another database? Export to CSV, then use CSV to SQL to create INSERT statements for MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQLite.
Frequently asked questions
How can I open an MDB file without Microsoft Access?
Drop it on this page. The viewer understands the Jet database file format that Access uses, so it can list the tables and show their rows without Access, the Access Database Engine or an ODBC driver. To keep working with the data elsewhere, export each table to CSV for Excel, Google Sheets or any database.
What is the difference between .mdb and .accdb?
MDB is the format of Access 97 through Access 2003 (Jet 3 and Jet 4 database engines). ACCDB was introduced with Access 2007 (the ACE engine) and adds features such as multi-value fields, attachments, Long Text and, in recent versions, the Large Number and Date/Time Extended types. Both are read here.
Can it open password-protected or encrypted databases?
No. A database with a password or with Access encryption stores its pages encrypted, and they cannot be read without the password. You will see a message that the system catalog could not be read. Remove the password in Access (File > Info > Decrypt Database) or ask the owner for an unprotected copy.
Are queries, forms and reports shown?
Saved query names and linked tables are listed, but only table data can be viewed and exported. Queries, forms, reports, macros and VBA modules need Access itself to run. Linked tables point to data stored in another file or server, so open that file instead.
How are dates and currency values exported?
Date/Time values are stored as days since December 30, 1899 and are exported as YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS (time omitted when it is midnight). Currency is stored as an exact integer of ten-thousandths and exported without rounding errors; Decimal fields keep their full precision.
What happens to attachments and OLE objects?
They are shown as a placeholder with the detected content type, for example [OLE PNG image, 48,210 bytes]. Attachment and multi-value fields store their data in hidden system tables, so only a reference is shown.
Is there a file size limit?
Access databases can be up to 2 GB. The whole file is loaded into memory, so files of a few hundred megabytes work well on a desktop computer, while very large ones may be slow on phones. Compacting the database in Access first (Compact and Repair) also removes deleted data.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.