Add the /passive switch to see progress, but it still may fail if Office bitness differs. The only workaround for a mismatch is to install the "Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable" using the /quiet switch, which sometimes ignores the conflict (not guaranteed).
This is the most critical step. If you already have 32-bit Office installed on your computer, running the 64-bit installer directly will fail with an error message saying you cannot install 64-bit Office components alongside 32-bit Office.
Option A: You do not have Office installed (or you have 64-bit Office)
Simply double-click the downloaded AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe file and follow the prompts.
Option B: You have 32-bit Office installed (Common Scenario) If you have 32-bit Microsoft Office but need the 64-bit driver for a server application (like SQL Server Integration Services), you must perform a Silent Install via the Command Prompt to bypass the version check.
Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\MyFolder\;Extended Properties="text;HDR=YES;FMT=Delimited";
Microsoft has replaced the standalone "AccessDatabaseEngine.exe" with the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable.
This installer works for ACE 12.0 (Office 2007), ACE 14.0 (Office 2010), and ACE 16.0 (Office 2016). For compatibility, most systems accept "12.0" as a valid ProgID even with the 2016 engine installed.
If you cannot resolve the installation or need newer features:
To deploy across many machines silently:
AccessDatabaseEngine_x64.exe /quiet /norestart
For 32-bit:
AccessDatabaseEngine.exe /quiet /norestart
To download the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider for both 64-bit and 32-bit environments, you must install the Microsoft Access Database Engine Redistributable . Official Download Links
The version of the engine determines the provider name. While the 2010 version specifically provides ACE.OLEDB.12.0, newer versions are often used as backward-compatible replacements .
Access Database Engine 2016 (Recommended): Use the Microsoft Download Center to download AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe (64-bit) or AccessDatabaseEngine.exe (32-bit) .
Access Database Engine 2010: This original version is technically retired from some official landing pages but may still be found via Microsoft archived links or third-party repositories like Chocolatey .
Microsoft 365 Access Runtime: A modern alternative for users of Office 365, available at Microsoft Support . How to Install Both 64-bit and 32-bit Together
By default, Microsoft prevents installing both architectures on the same machine. To bypass this "side-by-side" restriction, use the command line : Is Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 still available?
The direct answer is that Microsoft has actively retired the standalone download links for the older Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 (Access 2010) driver. To resolve connection errors, you should instead download the highly compatible and currently supported Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable. 🚀 How to Download & Install download microsoft.ace.oledb.12.0 provider for both 64-bit
To resolve the common error "The 'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0' provider is not registered on the local machine", follow these steps:
Visit the portal: Go to the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Download Page. Select your files: Choose AccessDatabaseEngine.exe for the 32-bit environment.
Choose AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe for the 64-bit environment.
Run the installation: Double-click the file and follow the setup prompts. ⚠️ The "Both 64-bit and 32-bit" Catch
Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 Provider: A Detailed Review
The Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider is a 64-bit OLE DB provider that allows .NET applications to connect to Microsoft Office file formats, such as Access databases (.mdb, .accdb), Excel spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx), and Text files. In this review, we'll cover the features, installation, and usage of this provider.
Key Features
Installation
To use the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider, you'll need to download and install it on your system. Here are the steps:
Usage
To use the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider in your .NET application, follow these steps:
string connectionString = @"Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\Path\To\Your\Database.accdb;";
Example Code
Here's an example C# code snippet that demonstrates how to use the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider to read data from an Access database:
using System;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.OleDb;
class Program
static void Main(string[] args)
string connectionString = @"Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\Path\To\Your\Database.accdb;";
string query = "SELECT * FROM YourTable";
using (OleDbConnection connection = new OleDbConnection(connectionString))
connection.Open();
using (OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(query, connection))
using (OleDbDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader())
while (reader.Read())
Console.WriteLine(reader["YourColumn"].ToString());
Conclusion
The Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider is a reliable and widely-used OLE DB provider that allows .NET applications to access various file formats, including Microsoft Office files. With its 64-bit support and easy-to-use interface, this provider is a great choice for .NET developers who need to work with these file formats. However, keep in mind that this provider is not actively developed or supported by Microsoft, and you may encounter issues with newer versions of Windows or .NET. Add the /passive switch to see progress, but
Pros
Cons
Alternatives
If you're looking for alternative providers, you may consider:
To install the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider for both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures on the same machine, you must use a specific command-line workaround. By default, Microsoft prevents side-by-side installations of different bitnesses of the Access Database Engine. 1. Download the Installers
Although Microsoft has removed some direct 2010 version links, you can typically use the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable, which still provides the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider for backward compatibility.
Download Page: Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable. Files to select: accessdatabaseengine.exe (32-bit) accessdatabaseengine_X64.exe (64-bit) 2. Side-by-Side Installation Steps
If you already have one version installed (e.g., 64-bit Office), a standard installation of the other will fail. Use the following "passive" installation method to bypass this restriction: Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.
Run the Installer with the /passive switch. For example, to force the 64-bit installation while 32-bit is present, navigate to your download folder and run: accessdatabaseengine_X64.exe /passive.
(Note: Use accessdatabaseengine.exe /passive if you are forcing the 32-bit version).
Registry Fix (Crucial step): After installation, you may need to delete a registry key to prevent Office configuration errors.
Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Common\FilesPaths Delete or rename the mso.dll value. 3. Verify the Installation
To confirm both providers are correctly registered, you can use a simple UDL (Universal Data Link) test: Right-click on your desktop, select New -> Text Document.
Rename the file to test.udl (ensure file extensions are visible). Double-click the file to open Data Link Properties.
Check the Provider tab for Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider. This is the most critical step
For developers, note that Visual Studio 2022 is a 64-bit application and will only see the 64-bit drivers in its design-time environment.
You can download the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider by installing the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable
. While older 2010 versions are out of support, the 2016 redistributable remains the standard official source for this specific provider name. Microsoft Learn Official Download Links To get the 64-bit provider, download the file from the official Microsoft Download Center 64-bit Version: AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe during the download prompt. 32-bit Version: AccessDatabaseEngine.exe if you need to support 32-bit applications. Microsoft Learn Installation Steps Remove Old Versions
: Uninstall any previous versions of the Access Database Engine via the Control Panel to avoid conflicts. Run Installer : Double-click the downloaded and follow the on-screen prompts. Command Line (Optional)
: If you need to install both 32-bit and 64-bit versions on the same machine (which is normally blocked), you can run the installer through the command prompt with the AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe /passive Connection String Example
After installation, developers can use the following provider argument in their connection strings:
Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\myFolder\myAccessFile.accdb;
: Support for the 2016 Redistributable officially ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft now recommends the Microsoft 365 Access Runtime
for newer environments, though it may require updating connection strings to OLEDB.16.0 for a specific file type, like Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable
To download and install the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider for 64-bit systems, you must download the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable. While newer versions like 2016 exist, the "12.0" provider specifically refers to the 2010 engine components.
Comprehensive Guide: Installing Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 (64-bit) 1. Locate the Official Download
You can find the official installers for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions through the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable page. 64-bit Version: Select AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe.
32-bit Version: Select AccessDatabaseEngine.exe (if also required for legacy apps). 2. Standard 64-bit Installation
If you only need the 64-bit driver and do not have a 32-bit version of Microsoft Office installed: Download link for Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0
Microsoft does not offer the provider as a standalone DLL. Instead, it is part of the Microsoft Access Database Engine Redistributable.