Free online MDB to SQLITE converter

Legacy Access applications often produce .mdb files that mobile, embedded, and server-independent software cannot open. Converting the data to SQLite provides a single database file that can be distributed or used without Microsoft Access or a database server.

What the MDB format is

MDB is the binary database format associated with Microsoft Access and the Jet database engine. Access versions through 2003 used it as their normal format, and later Access versions can still open or create MDB files for compatibility.

An MDB can contain tables, indexes, relationships, saved queries, forms, reports, macros, and VBA-related application objects. Legacy Access applications, accounting systems, records systems, and older Office-era programs commonly use this format. An OLE Object field may contain embedded files, but the newer Access Attachment data type is associated with .accdb, not the original MDB format.

What the SQLITE format is

SQLite is an embedded relational database engine whose database is normally stored in one file. The file may use .sqlite, .sqlite3, or .db; the extension does not determine the internal format.

SQLite supports tables, indexes, views, transactions, and SQL queries without a separate server. It is commonly used by desktop, mobile, and embedded applications, for local storage, testing, archival copies, and data exchange. SQLite has no direct equivalents for Access forms, reports, VBA, macros, or Access-specific user-interface features.

Convert with MDB Tools

MDB Tools is suitable for many unencrypted Jet-based MDB files on Linux and macOS. Install it through the operating system’s package manager, then list the user tables:

mdb-tables -1 input.mdb

On builds that provide the SQLite schema backend, generate a starting schema and create the destination database:

mdb-schema input.mdb sqlite > schema.sql
sqlite3 output.sqlite < schema.sql

Inspect the generated SQL before importing data. If the SQLite backend is unavailable or the generated schema is incomplete, create the tables manually in SQLite using the MDB column definitions.

Export each table as CSV and import it into its existing SQLite table:

mdb-export -H input.mdb Customers > Customers.csv
sqlite3 output.sqlite

At the SQLite prompt, run:

.mode csv
.import Customers.csv Customers
.quit

The -H option omits the CSV header, which is appropriate when the destination table already exists. Repeat the export and import for every table returned by mdb-tables. Quote filenames and table names when they contain spaces, and inspect CSV output for embedded line breaks, delimiters, quotes, and binary values.

Convert with Python and an Access driver

On Windows, Python can read an MDB through the Microsoft Access ODBC driver or another compatible Jet/ACE driver and write SQLite through Python’s standard sqlite3 module. The ODBC driver architecture must match Python: a 32-bit driver normally requires 32-bit Python, while a 64-bit driver requires 64-bit Python.

A connection string can use DRIVER={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb)};DBQ=C:/data/input.mdb;. Enumerate base tables through the ODBC catalog, create equivalent SQLite tables, read rows in batches, and insert them with parameterized statements. Define the destination schema explicitly rather than relying on automatic type inference.

Typical mappings are AutoNumber to INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, Yes/No to integer 0/1, Date/Time to a documented ISO 8601 text or numeric representation, Currency to a suitable integer or decimal-preserving representation, and OLE Object values to BLOB when the driver exposes them correctly. SQLite has no separate Boolean, date, or currency storage class, so the application must use a consistent representation.

Use the built-in online converter

For a one-off conversion without installing database software, the file can be converted on 101convert.com for free. Do not upload confidential or regulated data unless the site’s current handling terms meet your requirements. Download the SQLite result and verify its tables, row counts, and important values before retaining it as the working copy.

Check compatibility after conversion

The result is normally a transfer of relational data, not a complete Access application. Recreate forms, reports, macros, VBA code, validation rules, linked-table connections, permissions, and Access-specific query logic separately. Access expressions and functions may need to be rewritten as SQLite SQL or application code.

Recreate primary keys, unique indexes, foreign keys, and relationships explicitly. SQLite foreign-key enforcement is disabled by default for many connections, so enable it during validation with PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON;. Check identifiers containing spaces or reserved words and rename or quote them consistently.

Compare source and destination row counts, null values, Unicode text, date and time values, Boolean values, currency precision, long Memo fields, and binary data. Calculated queries are not ordinary stored data tables, and encrypted or damaged MDB files may not be readable by MDB Tools or an ODBC driver. Preserve the original MDB as an unchanged audit copy until the SQLite database passes application-level tests.