About MDB Viewer

Learn how MDB Viewer opens Microsoft Access MDB and ACCDB files locally in your browser, what it can and cannot read, and why files are not uploaded to a server.

Why this exists

MDB Viewer is a small, practical tool for a very specific problem: someone sends you an old Microsoft Access database and you need to see the tables without installing Access.

It is built for quick inspection, CSV export, and migration prep. It is not trying to replace Microsoft Access as an application builder.

How local processing works

Most online converters upload your file to a server. MDB Viewer uses browser JavaScript instead, so the database file stays on your device.

  1. 1.You select a .mdb or .accdb file in the browser.
  2. 2.The browser reads the file into local memory.
  3. 3.The open-source mdb-reader parser identifies tables and columns.
  4. 4.Rows are displayed in a grid with pagination for performance.
  5. 5.CSV export creates a download in your browser; the original file is not changed.
Privacy boundaries
  • Database files are not uploaded to mdb-viewer.com.
  • The server cannot see table names, row values, customer data, or exported CSV contents.
  • Google Analytics and Google AdSense-related scripts may measure page visits, device type, approximate location, and advertising signals, but they do not receive your database file.
  • You can accept, reject, or reopen advertising and analytics choices from the privacy control on the page.
  • If your organization forbids browser tools for sensitive data, use Microsoft Access or command-line tools on an approved machine.
What it cannot do
  • It is read-only and does not edit the original database.
  • It reads table data; it does not run Access forms, reports, macros, or VBA modules.
  • Password-protected files must be unlocked in Microsoft Access first.
  • Very large files may exceed browser memory and should be exported with Access, mdb-tools, or a local script.
Who uses it

Mac users

Access is Windows-only, so a browser viewer is often the fastest way to inspect a file from a Windows colleague.

Data migration teams

Before moving old Access data into PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, or Excel, teams need a quick view of tables and row counts.

Researchers and students

Older public and academic datasets are still distributed as MDB or ACCDB files.

Small businesses

Legacy customer, inventory, invoice, and scheduling databases often live in Access files for years.

Built with
  • Next.js and TypeScript for the web interface.
  • mdb-reader for client-side parsing of MDB and ACCDB data files.
  • CSV export utilities that run in the browser.
  • Original documentation written around common Access migration and viewing problems.

Ready to inspect a file? Open MDB Viewer