How to Use Microsoft Access on Android

• Last updated: 03 September 2026
• Microsoft Access
• Written by Editorial Team

Microsoft Access has been the go-to entry-level database for small and medium businesses for more than three decades, valued for its flexibility, low cost, and ease of use for building forms, reports, and simple business applications. There is no official Access app for Android, so the moment a sales rep, technician, or remote employee needs to check a record or update the database from a phone, that gap becomes a real problem.

Here is the short answer: you cannot install Microsoft Access directly on an Android phone or tablet, but there are four practical ways to work with an existing Access database on Android, ranging from a quick remote connection to a fully hosted setup built for daily business use. This guide walks through each option, what it involves, and which one fits different kinds of teams.

How To Run MS Access Databases with Android Devices?

Here are the four ways businesses commonly use Access databases on Android devices today, along with what each one actually involves day to day.

• Connecting with Remote Desktop Protocol

  The most widely used technique for using Access databases on Android is the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, available free on the Google Play Store. The app connects to a Windows PC or server and lets you control it remotely, so Access opens and behaves exactly as it would on a desktop screen, just displayed on your phone or tablet.

  This works well for occasional access, but it has real limitations for daily use. Because RDP streams a live video feed of the remote screen, it consumes a significant amount of cellular data every time the database is opened, and users often notice lag when typing records or scrolling through larger tables, especially on a weaker mobile connection. For teams that connect a few times a week, RDP into an office PC can be workable. For teams that rely on Access every day, a purpose built option such as a remotely hosted Windows machine removes the dependency on one office computer staying powered on and connected.

• Transforming Access Database for Android Applications

  Since Microsoft never released a native Android edition of Access, some businesses instead convert the database itself. This usually means syncing or migrating the Access tables to a mobile friendly database format that Android can read natively, such as SQLite, then using a front end app to view and edit the data.

  This can work for simple, read-heavy data sets, but it adds real complexity. The conversion typically requires custom scripts to keep the two databases in sync, and unless that sync runs constantly, the data on the phone will not reflect changes made on the desktop version in real time. For a database that changes throughout the day, such as inventory counts or client status updates, that delay can create costly errors.

• Changing MS Access to SharePoint for Web Access

  A more reliable middle ground is exporting Access data to SharePoint Online as part of Office 365 or Microsoft 365. Once the tables are published as SharePoint Lists, anyone on the team can view and update the data through a mobile browser on Android, with no app installation or syncing required.

  This method is relatively simple to set up without a developer, and it gives administrators clean control over who can see or edit which records. The trade-off is that not every Access feature translates cleanly to a SharePoint List. Complex forms, custom VBA macros, and advanced relational queries built in Access often need to be simplified or rebuilt, so this route suits straightforward databases better than heavily customized ones. Teams that already rely on SharePoint for other collaboration needs may already have a hosted SharePoint Online environment in place, which makes extending it to Access data even easier.

• Switching to Hosted MS Access

  For businesses that use Access every day and cannot afford lag, sync delays, or feature loss, the most reliable option is to host the Access database on a virtual desktop in the cloud instead of running it locally. The virtual desktop runs a full Windows environment, so Access, along with any custom forms, macros, and reports, works exactly as it would on an office PC. Users open a lightweight app on their Android phone or tablet and work on the live database, not a copy or a converted version of it.

  This setup also lets the Access front end and back end run separately for better performance. The front-end interface stays on the virtual desktop while the back-end tables live on a hosted SQL Server, so multiple users can work in the same database from different locations without conflicts or corruption risk. Because everything runs in a provider’s datacenter rather than on a single office machine, a fully hosted desktop setup also keeps the database available even if someone’s laptop is off or the office network goes down.

Which Method Should You Choose?

Method	Best For	Data Delay	Setup Effort
RDP to an office PC	Occasional, low-volume access	None, live connection	Low
Convert to a mobile database	Simple, mostly read-only data	Depends on sync frequency	Medium to high
SharePoint Online	Straightforward databases, teams already on Microsoft 365	None, live connection	Low to medium
Hosted Access on a virtual desktop	Daily use, custom forms and macros	None, live connection	Low, managed by the provider

Apps4Rent Can Help with Access for Android Devices

There are other alternatives, such as low-code and no-code platforms that can substitute for Access, but switching platforms often means losing functionality, especially for applications that already contain custom logic. Microsoft’s official recommendation is Power Apps within Office 365 or Microsoft 365, but many businesses are not ready to rebuild years of Access development from scratch. A simpler path is to keep the existing database exactly as it is and host Access and SQL databases in the cloud instead.

This keeps the day-to-day user experience identical to what your team already knows, while making the database accessible from any Android phone or tablet, anywhere there is an internet connection.

As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, Apps4Rent can help businesses switch to Office 365 or Microsoft 365, or provide Access hosting services on Azure or in our SOC 2 Type II certified datacenters. Contact our Access consultants, available 24/7 via phone, chat, and email, for assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I install Microsoft Access directly on an Android phone or tablet?

   No. Microsoft has never released a native Android version of Access, and there is no official way to install the desktop application on Android hardware. To use an existing Access database on an Android device, you need one of the workaround methods above, such as remote desktop access, database conversion, SharePoint, or a hosted virtual desktop.

2. What is the fastest way to check an Access database from my phone occasionally?

   For occasional, low-volume access, connecting through the free Microsoft Remote Desktop app is usually the fastest to set up, since it only requires a Windows PC left on and reachable at the office. It is not ideal for daily heavy use because of the data consumption and lag involved.

3. What is Desktop-as-a-Service and how does it help with Access on Android?

   Desktop-as-a-Service is a cloud model where a provider hosts and manages a full virtual desktop that users reach remotely instead of running everything on local hardware. For MS Access, that means the database, the application, and the underlying Windows environment all live in the provider’s datacenter rather than on one employee’s office computer. If you are comparing an on-demand desktop delivery model to managing individual PCs, it is generally the more scalable option for teams accessing Access from multiple devices, including Android phones and tablets.

4. Is it safe to access an Access database remotely from an Android device?

   Yes, when it is set up correctly. Hosted and remote desktop solutions typically use encrypted connections, and a managed hosting provider handles security patching, access permissions, and backups on your behalf, which is often more secure than a database sitting unmanaged on a single desktop. Always confirm the backup schedule and access controls your provider uses before switching.