Creating backup copies of your desktop database helps recover your vital data
When the undo command isn't enough to fix a mistake, restore a missing object or untangle corrupted data
When you back up a database, access saves and closes any objects open in design view
and saves a copy of the database file with the name and at the location you choose
location you choose. Before you back it up, be sure that all other users close their instance of the database
Open the database you want to back up. Select File and then select Save As
Under Advanced, select Backup Database and then select Save As. In the Save As dialog box, take a look at the backup name
The default backup file name is today's date added to the original database name
This is a good practice and can be especially helpful if you ever need to restore a backup
With each backup being a new file, you have different versions of your database, kind of like snapshots
Multiple versions can be essential if you find your most recent backup shows corrupted data
and you need to revert to an even earlier backup. But of course name the backup whatever you want You might prefer to overwrite your previous backup so you always have a single backup of the most recent version Whichever method you choose
the important thing is that you're creating a backup. All the better if you're doing it on a regular basis
Still in the Save As dialog box, look at the location where the backup is being saved
The default backup location is the same as the original database. For greater protection and safekeeping, consider storing your backup files in a different folder, a different network drive
preferably one in a different building, an external storage device, or on a cloud drive, just in case
Select Save. Your backup database file is saved under the name and location you specified
Now that you have a backup, or a series of backups, you can restore an entire database if they're saved
original has been lost or damaged beyond repair. First, close your damaged working database
Open File Explorer and go to the folder containing the working database
Rename the damaged database in a way that shows its original name but adds something
that indicates it's an obsolete version. If you had stored your backup file in a place separate from your working database
Use File Explorer to browse to the file. Copy the backup file Brows to the storage location where the damaged or missing database should be and paste the backup file there
Whether you need to bring the backup from another location or use a backup that's in the same place as the working database
you need to rename the file to be the same as the original
Your backup is now restored to be the new working database. Sometimes you don't need to restore an entire database
Sometimes you just need to restore a single object, like a query or a report
To do this, import the object from the backup database into your working database
To start, if you start, if you're a single object, Start, if other databases or programs have links to objects in the database that needs the
object restored, keep the database in its original location. Otherwise, links to the database objects won't work anymore and will need to be updated
In other words, move the backup database to the location of the working database, not the other
way around. Now open the database that needs the object restored from the backup
If you're replacing an object that contains bad or missing data, or if the object has stopped working correctly
it's a good idea to rename the malfunctioning object rather than deleting it completely
For example if you want to restore a damaged form named employee details rename the damaged form something like Employee Details underscore Corrupted Select external data and then select access
In this dialog box, select browse. Find your backup database. And then select open
If necessary, select the option label, import tables, queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules into the current database
Click OK. Now select the tab for the type of object you're restoring
This list shows all the forms in your backup database. Select the object you want to import into your working database
If you need to import additional objects on this tab, just select them
To import other types of objects, select a different tab and select objects there as well
All your selections on other tabs remain intact. To see more choices before importing the objects, select options
Select OK, then select Close in the dialog. close in the dialog box
Your selected backup objects are imported to the database as you've specified
You've now restored your database with the objects you need, and you can return to business
as usual