Sources of MDW Problems
Issues Opening MDW Files
Missing Microsoft Access
When you double-click your MDW file, you may see a dialog box from your operating system stating that it "Cannot Open This File Type". Generally, this is experienced in %%os%% because Microsoft Access isn't installed on your PC. You won't be able to double-click to open your MDW because your OS doesn't know what to do with it.
Tip: If you don't have Microsoft Access installed, and you know of another program to open your MDW file, you can try opening it by selecting from the programs listed under "Show Apps".
Outdated Microsoft Access
In some cases, you might have a newer (or older) version of a Access Workgroup File file that is unsupported by your installed application version. Download the latest Microsoft Access version from the Microsoft Corporation website to ensure you have the correct one installed. This problem is predominately due to having a Access Workgroup File file version that was created by a newer version of Microsoft Access than what you have installed on your PC.
Tip: Right-clicking on your MDW, then clicking "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (Mac), can provide clues about your file version.
Conclusion: The majority of MDW file opening issues are due to not having the correct Microsoft Access version installed.
More Causes of Problems Opening MDWs
Errors opening Access Workgroup File files can still occur even with the latest Microsoft Access software installed on your computer. There can be other issues - unrelated to software - preventing you from opening MDW files. Other contributing causes:
- MDW file references in the Windows Registry are broken
- Mistaken removal of the Windows registry MDW description
- Microsoft Access or another MDW application experienced a flawed installation
- MDW file corruption
- Your MDW is infected with malware
- Drivers associated with MDW software need to be updated
- Your PC doesn’t have enough available resources to open the Access Workgroup File file
Poll: What file type do you use most often?