How to Move Microsoft Access to the Cloud Without Keeping the Fragile File

How to move MS Access to the cloud

There is no Microsoft-hosted online edition of Access. Putting the .accdb on OneDrive or opening it through Remote Desktop moves the machine, not the architecture. The 2GB limit, file locking, and VPN lag stay with you.

Workarounds that still fail

• OneDrive or SharePoint: Microsoft advises against multi-user Access this way. Sync conflicts and corruption are common.
• Remote Desktop or Citrix: Staff still use Access inside a remote Windows session.
• Azure VM with Access installed: The file is in the cloud, but it is still a desktop database.

A rebuild that actually works

1. Audit tables, forms, reports, and VBA.
2. Back up and clean the data.
3. Export tables to CSV or Excel.
4. Load PostgreSQL or SQL Server (Canadian hosting available).
5. Rebuild screens and business rules as a web app.
6. Connect Microsoft 365 or Entra ID roles.
7. Run Access and the new app side by side, then cut over.

Hosting after go-live

We can run the database, web application, domain, HTTPS, and backups so your team is not stuck managing the stack alone.

Want help with the move? See Microsoft Access to web application migration or why Access has no real online version.