ACCDW File

What are ACCDW files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an ACCDW file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your ACCDW files.

What is an ACCDW file?

An .ACCDW file is a Microsoft Access Database Link file.

Microsoft Access Database Link files are small XML‐formatted shortcut files used by Microsoft Access to point to a database hosted remotely (frequently on a SharePoint or Access Services site). Their purpose is to let a user launch or download the actual Access database file (often with extension .accdb) through a link held in the shortcut, instead of embedding database content directly in the link file.

These ACCDW files are created by Microsoft Access (2010 or newer). When opened (by double-clicking, for example), Access reads the link in the file and connects to or downloads the remote database. Users typically access the database locally once downloaded or while connected online. The file itself doesn't hold the full data of the database, only enough metadata and references so Access can locate and fetch it.

Internally, ACCDW files are XML documents. They begin with an XML declaration marker (for example bytes matching <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> at the start), and include keywords such as "APPLICATIONREFERENCE XMLNS", "ACCESSSERVICES", "HTTP", "UTF-8" and the extension string "ACCDW". These values help Access identify the file format and determine the remote database's location.

How to open ACCDW files

Important: Different programs may use files with the ACCDW file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your ACCDW file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested two different ACCDW openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 16, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of ACCDW files. Remember, different programs may use ACCDW files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

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File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about ACCDW file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.