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Can Microsoft Access Run On A Mac

Many Project Managers that switch to Mac get a nasty surprise when they realize that Microsoft has never released MS Project for Mac. There are already some very good alternatives to Microsoft Project on Mac that can open, edit and even sync with MS Project such as the excellent Teamwork. There are also apps that allow you to view MS Project files on Mac for free. Note: But you can create bootable drive only using MacOS, with the help of UniBeast. That’s why I don’t prefer this method to run Mac OS on PC. Second Method – Create MacOS X virtual machine. This is the best method to run Mac on Windows, you don’t need a Mac or MacOS hardware. Mar 28, 2015  You can run Microsoft Access 2016 from the cloud, in just a few seconds, via the AppOnFly Platform. In this tutorial, we will guide you how to run Microsoft access on a mac. If you want to run any Microsoft application in a mac environment, you will first have to install a third party application called Cross Over. Oct 10, 2016  Software developers, data architects and power users whom use Macs have expressed a need to run Microsoft Access. Firstly, if you fall into this category, Parallels Desktop for Mac can assist you with developing application software without reformatting or rebooting your machine.

  1. Can Microsoft Access Run On A Mac Download
  2. Can Microsoft Access Run On A Mac Drive
  3. Can Microsoft Access Run On A Mac Download

File Maker Pro

FileMaker is probably the best known database application for the Mac. It has a feature set comparable to Microsoft Access, but with a strong focus on forms (layouts) as the primary way of accessing databases. Similar to Access, FileMaker stores your database logic and all the data in a single file. It also has some support for scripting, and offers options for publishing databases on the web.

However, it's also necessary to note that FileMaker is very different from Access. There is a strict distinction between application logic and the underlying tables in Access. In FileMaker, logic and data are more closely linked. The underlying tables are more or less hidden from the user, and not as easily accessible via SQL as in Access.

Bento

Bento was the entry level database application from the makers of Filemaker. Unfortunately it has been discontinued in July 2013 and is no longer available for purchase.

Open Office / Libre Office

Open Office and Libre office include a database application that tries to mimic Microsoft Access. It is difficult to use and misses many important features, such as simple import/export tools.

SQLite (using Base)

SQLite is not a full database application like Access. There are no forms or reports in SQLite, there's only your data and a simple, fast SQL engine. SQLite is used by many applications under the hood as an internal format and therefore most interesting to application developers.

A command line utility for SQLite 3 is included with every Mac, aptly named sqlite3. Most people will however prefer working with a graphical application like the excellent Base from Menial (available on the Mac App Store). Base offers a simple interface for viewing tables (with support for images) and creating custom SQL queries.

Apple Numbers and Microsoft Excel

Numbers and Excel are spreadsheet applications and thus not a replacement for Microsoft Access. However, they have good support for working with tables. If your database consists of only few tables and no forms, these apps might just do the trick. You can at least sort and filter your tables.

Converting Access Databases to Apple Numbers with MDB Viewer
Converting Access Databases to Microsoft Excel with MDB Viewer

Microsoft Access in Parallels / VMWare

If none of the above are suitable, you can always ressort to actually running Microsoft Access on your Mac using virtualisation software like Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion.

Since the MAC version of MS Office does not include MS Access (there is no MAC version of Access and never has been) , we often see questions similar to:

How can I run Microsoft Access on a MAC?”

in various forums. While it is true that you can’t get Access (and other programs) for MAC, there are still ways to run them on your MAC. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

Possible Ways to Run MS Access on a MAC

Here are a couple solutions that I am aware of:

Virtualization Software

You can install any number of virtualization software programs, such as Parallels or VMWare Fusion or Oracle VirtualBox, to create a virtual machine in which you install Windows and then MS Office/Access and or any other Windows program(s) of your choosing. This does requires buying Parallels, and owing licenses for Windows and any other program you wish to install.

Once it is setup you can run launch your Windows Virtual Machine directly from within your MAC OS.

Bootcamp

Use Apple’s free Bootcamp software which will create a separate Windows formatted partition on the hard drive to install Windows and the appropriate drivers. It will run Windows as fast or faster than a PC of equivalent specification. The only downside (aside from the cost) is that you cannot run the Mac OS and the Windows OS simultaneously. Users who wanted to use Access would have to shut down the Mac OS and reboot into Windows.

So basically you split/partition your MAC hard drive to create a spot to install Windows. So your computer end up having both OSs installed and you pick which one to run at startup.

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Can Microsoft Access Run On A Mac Download

Remote Access Software

Another interesting option is to use remote access software, programs such as:

  • Microsoft’s Remote Desktop
  • TeamViewer
  • etc…

to connect to a another computer. The remote access software simply transmits the image of the other computer’s screen image directly back to your local PC. So, you are in fact working directly on the other computer.

So, if you already have access to a Windows PC or server, you can use remote access software to connect to it and run your database.

CrossOver

I recently came across a program called CrossOver which states:

Run Microsoft Windows software on your Mac without buying a Windows license, rebooting or using a virtual machine

I don’t know anything more about this product, but it sounds very interesting and may be worth further investigation. Furthermore, they offer a trial version so you can take it for a test drive.

Microsoft Query

Can Microsoft Access Run On A Mac Drive

Can

Can Microsoft Access Run On A Mac Download

If you simply need to access the data, but not interact with it (Add/Edit/Delete) and you have a copy of MS Office for MAC then you can use Microsoft Query to access the data via ODBC.