How to Convert SQLite to Access: Step-by-Step Tutorial

By Bill Crawford  ·  February 2026  ·  7 min read  ·  Last updated February 26, 2026

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This tutorial walks you through converting a SQLite database to a Microsoft Access database using the SQLite to Access Converter. The tool reads your SQLite file in the browser and generates a PowerShell automation package that creates the actual Access database on your Windows machine.

Step 1: Locate Your SQLite File

Find the .sqlite, .db, .sqlite3, or .s3db file you want to convert. The tool handles all standard SQLite database files. Make a backup of the file before starting — while the tool only reads the file (never writes to it), it's good practice.

Step 2: Drop the File into the Tool

Open the SQLite to Access Converter. Drag your file onto the drop zone or click to browse. The tool loads the file using sql.js (a WebAssembly build of SQLite) entirely in your browser. You'll see the status bar change to "Ready" with the number of tables detected.

Step 3: Pick Your Target Access Version

This is the key step that makes this tool unique. You'll see version cards for each supported Access engine:

Click the card matching your target. ACE 16 is pre-selected as the default and works with all modern Access versions.

Step 4: Review the Schema

The Schema Overview section shows cards for each table in your SQLite database — table names, column names and types, primary key indicators, and row counts. Verify that all expected tables are present and the column types look correct. System tables (names starting with sqlite_) are automatically filtered out.

Step 5: Adjust Type Mappings

The Type Mapping panel shows every SQLite data type detected in your database with the default Access equivalent. Review these and adjust as needed. Common overrides:

• Changing TEXT → TEXT(255) to a smaller size if your text columns have known maximum lengths
• Switching DOUBLE to CURRENCY for financial data
• Mapping TEXT to MEMO if a column holds long-form content

Step 6: Configure Settings

The Conversion Settings panel lets you configure:

• Output Database Name — the filename for the Access database
• Default Text Size — the default character limit for Text fields (default 255)
• Convert AUTOINCREMENT → AutoNumber — when checked, SQLite auto-increment integer primary keys become Access AutoNumber fields
• Generate relationship constraints — converts SQLite foreign keys to Access relationships
• Include validation step — adds row-count comparison at the end

Step 7: Generate the Package

Click Generate Migration Package. The tool builds a complete automation package containing:

• Create_Access_DB.ps1 — the main PowerShell script
• data/*.csv — one UTF-8 BOM-encoded CSV file per table
• README.txt — setup instructions, prerequisites, and troubleshooting

You can preview every file in the built-in viewer by clicking the file tabs. The stats bar shows the total file count, rows, and package size.

Step 8: Download the ZIP

Click Download .zip to save the complete package. Extract the ZIP to a folder on your Windows machine.

Step 9: Run the PowerShell Script

Open Windows PowerShell (not PowerShell Core) and navigate to the extracted folder. If execution policy blocks the script, allow it for this session:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass

Then run the script:

.\Create_Access_DB.ps1

The script will display progress as it creates the database, builds tables, imports data, sets up relationships, and validates row counts. The output looks like this:

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════
  SQLite → Access Migration (ACE 16 (.accdb))
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════

[1/5] Creating database: C:\Migration\Converted.accdb
    Database created successfully.
[2/5] Creating 5 table(s)...
    [+] Customers
    [+] Products
    [+] Orders
    [+] OrderDetails
    [+] Categories
[3/5] Importing data...
    [+] Categories: 8 rows imported
    [+] Customers: 91 rows imported
    [+] Products: 77 rows imported
    [+] Orders: 830 rows imported
    [+] OrderDetails: 2155 rows imported
[4/5] Creating 3 relationship(s)...
    [+] FK_Orders_Customers_0
    [+] FK_OrderDetails_Orders_1
    [+] FK_OrderDetails_Products_2
[5/5] Validating row counts...
    [PASS] Categories: 8 / 8
    [PASS] Customers: 91 / 91
    [PASS] Products: 77 / 77
    [PASS] Orders: 830 / 830
    [PASS] OrderDetails: 2155 / 2155

───────────────────────────────────────────────────
  PASSED: 5 / 5 tables
───────────────────────────────────────────────────

Done! Database saved to: C:\Migration\Converted.accdb

Step 10: Verify the Result

Open the generated .accdb (or .mdb) file in Microsoft Access. Verify that:

• All tables are present with the correct column names and types
• Row counts match the source SQLite database
• Relationships are visible in the Relationships window (Database Tools → Relationships)
• A few sample rows look correct — spot-check dates, currency values, and boolean fields

Troubleshooting

If the script fails with "Provider not registered", the OLE DB provider for your target version isn't installed. Install the Microsoft Access Database Engine Redistributable matching your PowerShell bitness (32-bit or 64-bit).

If it fails with "Cannot create ActiveX component: ADOX.Catalog", you're running PowerShell Core (pwsh) instead of Windows PowerShell. COM interop requires the full .NET Framework — use the "Windows PowerShell" app, not "PowerShell 7".

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