Free online MDB to DB converter

A program that accepts SQLite may require an .db file instead of a Microsoft Access database, or a portable database may be needed for an application, device, or archive. Because .db is a generic extension, conversion must first identify the database engine required by the destination software.

What the MDB format is

.mdb is the Microsoft Access database format used mainly with older versions of Access and the Microsoft Jet database engine. An MDB file can contain tables, indexes, relationships, saved queries, forms, reports, macros, and Access user-level security settings.

MDB files are common in legacy accounting, inventory, membership, and business applications, as well as archives created before Access introduced .accdb. Microsoft Access can usually open and edit them, but compatibility depends on the Access version, database engine, encryption, password protection, and file condition.

What the DB format is

.db does not identify one standardized format. It can refer to SQLite, an application-specific database, dBase, SQL Anywhere, or other database systems. A file named database.db is not necessarily a SQLite database.

SQLite is the most common target when software requests a generic .db file. A SQLite database stores tables, indexes, views, and triggers in one portable file, requires no database server, and runs on major desktop operating systems, mobile platforms, and embedded devices. Confirm that the receiving program expects SQLite before converting; changing the extension alone does not convert the database.

Convert the file with 101convert.com

1. Open the MDB-to-DB converter on 101convert.com.
2. Upload the .mdb file and select the required output type. Choose SQLite when the destination specifically requires a SQLite database.
3. Start the conversion and download the resulting .db file when processing finishes.
4. Open the output in the destination application or inspect it with a SQLite utility before replacing the original file.

This option converts the file without installing database software and is free to use. Do not upload confidential customer, financial, medical, or login data unless online processing complies with the applicable privacy and retention requirements. Keep an unchanged copy of the original MDB file.

Convert locally with MDB Tools and SQLite

MDB Tools is suitable for extracting data from many MDB files on Linux and other Unix-like systems. Install the package supplied by the operating system, then list the source tables:

mdb-tables -1 source.mdb

Generate a SQLite schema and create the destination database:

mdb-schema source.mdb sqlite > schema.sql
sqlite3 destination.db < schema.sql

Export each table and import its rows. For a table named Customers without spaces or unusual punctuation:

mdb-export -H source.mdb Customers > Customers.csv

Open the destination with the SQLite command-line tool and import the CSV into the table created by the schema:

sqlite3 destination.db
.mode csv
.import Customers.csv Customers
.quit

Repeat the export and import for every table listed by mdb-tables. The -H option omits column headings, preventing the CSV header from becoming a data row. Quote shell arguments and SQLite identifiers when table names contain spaces or punctuation. Review the generated schema because MDB Tools support varies by version and may not reproduce every Access feature.

Convert through Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access has no universal one-click export to every database format, but it can export readable table data. Open the MDB file, then use External Data → Export → Text File to create CSV files. Create matching tables in SQLite and import the files, or use a migration utility designed for the specific destination application.

Quality and compatibility limits

Table rows and basic field definitions are the most likely elements to transfer. Forms, reports, VBA modules, macros, Access permissions, linked-table definitions, attachments, multivalued fields, OLE objects, calculated fields, and some saved queries generally require manual recreation. An Access application built around those features cannot be migrated by converting the database file alone.

Access and SQLite use different type systems. Check Memo or Long Text fields, Yes/No values, currency, date/time values, AutoNumber fields, nulls, calculated values, and numeric precision. SQLite has no dedicated Boolean or currency storage class and uses flexible typing, so values may need explicit conversion or validation.

After conversion, compare table and row counts, primary keys, indexes, foreign-key relationships, null handling, dates, numeric values, and representative records. Password-protected or encrypted MDB files, damaged databases, and files that depend on linked external tables may need to be repaired or exported from Microsoft Access before conversion.