Quick summary
Encrypting a Microsoft Access database with a password restricts unauthorized access by requiring credentials every time the file is opened. This built-in encryption feature uses the Encrypt with Password option found under File > Info, and must be applied while the database is open in exclusive mode.
Steps
- Open Microsoft Access but do not open a database yet — click Open from the start screen.
- Under the Open category, select Browse to locate your database file.
- In the Open dialog box, navigate to your database file, click the drop-down arrow next to the Open button, and select Open Exclusive.
- With the database open in exclusive mode, click File in the top menu.
- Click Info in the left-hand navigation panel.
- Select Encrypt with Password from the Info options.
- Enter a password in the dialog box.
- Confirm the password by entering it again, then click OK to apply the encryption.
- Reopen the database to confirm it prompts for the password, verifying encryption is active.
