Create standalone software packages with the Microsoft Access Runtime

Did you know that you can package your Access application as a standalone software application that clients can use even if they don’t have Access installed? You can do this with the royalty-free Microsoft Access Runtime. The Access Runtime is available as part of Microsoft Office Access 2003, but you can’t use it to distribute applications without the license. The name of the package containing the license has changed over the years.


As of this writing, what you need is Access 2003 Developer Extensions, which is part of Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the Microsoft Office System. Previous packages that include the license are:

• Microsoft Office Developer Edition 97
• Microsoft Office Developer Edition 2000
• Microsoft Office XP Developer

Office 2007 users can find the license with the Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office Second Edition). You can download this at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vsto/dd253198.aspx.