How to Create Wildcard Queries MS Access

Updated on:

April 6, 2026

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Use this interactive demo to learn how to create wildcard queries in Microsoft Access.

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In Microsoft Access, wildcard queries are used to find records that match a pattern or partial data in a field. Wildcards are especially useful when working with the ‘Like’ operator in queries. Here’s how to do it:

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Go to the 'Create' tab.
Click 'Query Design'.
Add the table you want to search. Click 'Add Selected Tables'.
Drag the field you want to search into the query grid.
In the 'Criteria' row of the field, enter your 'Like' statement with wildcards.
Click 'Run' on the ribbon to see the results.

📌 Why this matters

Wildcard queries let you find records when you only remember fragments of information—like searching for customers whose names start with "John" or contain "tech" anywhere in the company field. This becomes invaluable when dealing with inconsistent data entry, where users might abbreviate, misspell, or format information differently.

Beyond simple searches, wildcards enable pattern-based data cleaning and validation. You can identify records that don't follow expected formats, spot duplicate entries with slight variations, and build dynamic filters that adapt to changing search needs without restructuring your entire database.

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