Week(s) in Review: May 9/16, 2026

Just Published

This section includes videos, articles, and (occasionally) open-source project updates from the past 7 ...umm, actually... 14 days.

Articles

Article descriptions generated by Claude-Sonnet-4.5.

• Official Access Blog
  • Zoom in or out of forms, tables, and queries when in Form View or Datasheet View: Microsoft Access now supports zoom functionality in Form View and Datasheet View using ribbon controls, status bar sliders, or keyboard shortcuts, with zoom levels adjustable from 50% to 500%.
• Access Forever
  • Focus on What Matters: Zoom Arrives in Microsoft Access, by Maria Barnes: Access 365 version 2605 adds zoom controls via status bar slider, ribbon commands, and keyboard shortcuts, with a database-level default zoom setting and RunCommand workarounds for programmatic control.
• a.p.r. pillai (Learn MS-Access Tips and Tricks)
  • Access and AI Integration Part 3: This tutorial explains JSON structure for AI API communication in VBA, covering request/response formatting, prompt parameter handling, and provides reusable VBA functions for building properly escaped JSON strings.
• Maria Barnes (Business Data Bytes Newsletter)
  • A New Feature for Microsoft Access – the Zoom Slider: The zoom slider brings Access in line with other Office apps by enabling quick magnification adjustments in forms and datasheets, improving readability, accessibility, and workflow efficiency.
• Mathieu Guindon (Rubberduck VBA)
  • VIVAT CUCUMIS: Rubberduck adopts "Long Live the Cucumber" as its Latin motto, using stone-to-steel imagery to symbolize VBA's evolution from legacy foundation to modern, refined tooling through the Rubberduck Core project.
• Jonathan Halder (Access JumpStart 2.0)
  • Version numbers with SVN vs Git: Transitioning from SVN's incremental revision numbers to Git's commit hashes requires rethinking versioning strategy by using manual Git tags instead of automatic repository revision numbers.
  • VCS plugin usage and Access Form compilation gotchas: Exporting and re-importing Access forms with the Version Control System plugin can break Me.[FieldName] references, requiring forms to be opened in design view and recordsource refreshed to recompile properly.
  • Moving to an AI based Access workflow: A developer's transition plan to AI-assisted Access development using Cursor IDE, GitHub Copilot, Git version control, and MCP servers for automating code editing, import, and compilation tasks.
• Daniel Pineault (DEVelopers HUT)
  • WordPress – Warning – Do NOT Upgrade to Shortcodes Ultimate 7.5.1: Shortcodes Ultimate plugin version 7.5.1 causes fatal errors that crash WordPress sites, with recovery requiring FTP access to manually downgrade to version 7.5.0.
  • Thoughts of Support for Mike Wolfe and NoLongerSet.com: A community expression of support for Mike Wolfe following a security incident that temporarily took NoLongerSet.com offline, praising his transparency and responsible incident handling.
  • Microsoft Access Zoom Slider Roadmap Item Mutation: Microsoft split the original single zoom feature roadmap item into two separate phases, suggesting implementation complexity required a staged rollout approach.
  • Rounded Corners Coming to Microsoft Access Forms: Microsoft added a roadmap item for a new CornerRadius property that will enable rounded corners on Access form controls, replacing current difficult workarounds for modern UI design.
  • Listing Microsoft Access Table Indexes with VBA Code: A VBA function generates a readable summary of all indexes for a specified Access table, including field names, primary/unique status, and ignore nulls settings, eliminating manual design view inspection.
• Colin Riddington (Isladogs on Access)
  • Move Option Group Controls Using Code - Part 2: Modified VBA code resolves option group movement issues at large offset values by separately handling frame height adjustments and control repositioning to prevent misalignment and frame expansion.
  • Move Option Group Controls Using Code - Part 1: Option group components do not move together in Form View by default; VBA code using Tag properties or control loops is required to reposition all components as a group without increasing frame height.
• Crystal Long (Ms Access Gurus | Access Access Newsletter)
  • Get Access Version: New SysCmd actions in Access provide VBA functions to retrieve detailed version information including full version, build number, channel name, and bitness for troubleshooting and support requests.
  • Link To SQLite: A free, open-source Access add-in provides a GUI for creating linked tables to SQLite databases using ODBC drivers, enabling direct querying and editing of SQLite data from Access.
  • What Version of Access am I using?: Microsoft Access now provides new SysCmd actions that return detailed version information including full version, build number, channel name, and bitness for reporting bugs and requesting help.
• Mike Wolfe (NoLongerSet)
  • twinBASIC Update: May 13, 2026: twinBASIC beta 980 adds Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) support as a cross-platform WebView2 alternative with full runtime control, and docs.twinbasic.com approaches completion as a comprehensive reference site.

Videos

• Access User Group Recordings (YouTube channel)
  • Using Grid Lanes in Access (01:10:31): with Tim Finch
  • Using Microsoft Access with AI - Part 2 (01:09:08): with Juan Soto
  • Access Isn't Dead. It Finally Got a "Co-Pilot" (No. Not that one.) The Extended Presentation (44:50): with John Colozzi
  • Access Isn't Dead. It Finally Got a "Co-Pilot" (No. Not that one.) A Short Sample (17:50): with John Colozzi
• Richard Rost (YouTube channel)
  • SQL Mistake (29:23): The Simple Microsoft Access SQL Mistake Almost Every Developer Makes At Least Once - QQ 93
  • Form Zooming (13:29): How To Zoom Forms, Tables, And Queries In Microsoft Access. New Feature!
  • Are You There? Part 1 (15:32): Are You There? Automatically Log Users Out After Inactivity in Microsoft Access
  • Are You There? Part 2 (12:41): Are You There? Automatically Log Users Out After Inactivity in Microsoft Access, Part 2
  • Are You There? Part 3 (11:43): Are You There? Automatically Log Users Out After Inactivity in Microsoft Access, Part 3
  • Still Worth Learning? (43:48): Is Microsoft Access Still Worth Learning in 2026? - QQ 92
  • Write Text File (13:40): How To Write A Text File In Microsoft Access VBA
  • MsgBox Timer, Part 1 (13:09): How To Create A Countdown Message Box In Microsoft Access - MsgBox with Timer
  • MsgBox Timer, Part 2 (14:22): How To Create A Countdown Message Box In Microsoft Access - MsgBox with Timer, Part 2
  • Customize Ribbon (05:41): Customizing the Microsoft Access Ribbon
• Daniel Pineault (YouTube channel)
  • Protect Access Forms (13:12): Microsoft Access - Password Protect Forms and Reports

New to Me

This section includes content I discovered this week that has been around for a while.

• Ghost 6.19.1

Upcoming Access User Group Events

NOTE: Only English-language user group meetings with scheduled guest speakers or topics are listed. For a complete list of upcoming events, visit the Access User Group event calendar.

• [June 3, 2026] Kevin Bell: SQL Server Tips and Tricks for Access Developers
• [June 9, 2026] Juan Soto: Use AI to build complex features in Access
• [August 5, 2026] Marcus Dieterle: Use the Edge browser control to extend Access
• [September 2, 2026] John Mallinson: Working with the Windows API
• [October 7, 2026] Peter Bryant / Andrew Richards: GraphAuthenticator – the ‘New’ Outlook problem solved and a world of possibilities to explore

Access Roadmap

The following changes were made to the roadmap between the Week in Review two weeks ago (2026-05-09) and this week (2026-05-23).

Added

• JUL 2026: Rounded corners on Access form controls: We’re making it easier to give your Access apps a polished, up-to-date feel. With the new CornerRadius property, you can add rounded corners to form controls—bringing a softer, more modern look to your designs.
• JUN 2026: Zooming for Continuous Forms and Multiple-Items Forms: Access extends zoom capabilities to continuous forms and pop-up forms, building on zoom support already available in tables and queries. Adjust magnification from 10 percent to 500 percent using the slider in the lower-right corner or controls on the ribbon. Keyboard shortcuts are also available, making it easy to quickly change your view and focus on the details that matter most.

The roadmap was last updated May 11, 2026.

Listed below is a snapshot of the official Access Roadmap.

"In Development", "Rolling Out", and "Launched" are Microsoft terms that I pulled straight from the public roadmap. Dates listed are "rollout start" dates.

In Development

• AUG 2026: Cascading combo and list boxes with LinkMasterFields/LinkChildFields: Combo boxes and list boxes now support LinkMasterFields/LinkChildFields properties, enabling cascading dropdowns (e.g., Country filters City) without writing VBA code.
• JUL 2026: Rounded corners on Access form controls: We’re making it easier to give your Access apps a polished, up-to-date feel. With the new CornerRadius property, you can add rounded corners to form controls—bringing a softer, more modern look to your designs.
• JUN 2026: Modernize Access Forms and Reports to work well on Large Format Monitors: Remove the 22-inch size limit and modernize Access forms and reports [to] work well on large format monitors and provide responsive behavior for different form factors.
• JUN 2026: Zooming for Continuous Forms and Multiple-Items Forms: Access extends zoom capabilities to continuous forms and pop-up forms, building on zoom support already available in tables and queries. Adjust magnification from 10 percent to 500 percent using the slider in the lower-right corner or controls on the ribbon. Keyboard shortcuts are also available, making it easy to quickly change your view and focus on the details that matter most.
• MAY 2026: Enable zoom magnification to Microsoft Access for Forms, Tables, QUeries: Access will add magnification slider (10% to 500%) in lower right of the application, similar to the feature in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It will also be keyboard accessible and available on the ribbon in Access forms, tables, and queries.

Rolling Out

None listed.

Launched

None listed.

Upcoming End-of-Life Dates

Here are the key end-of-life dates Access developers should track:

2024

• [JUL 09] SQL Server 2014

2025

• [OCT 14] Access 2016 | Access 2019 | Office 2016 | Office 2019
• [OCT 14] Windows 10
• [OCT 28] Salesforce ODBC Driver
• [NOV 11] Windows 11 version 23H2

2026

• [JUL 14] SQL Server 2016
• [OCT 13] Access 2021 | Office 2021
• [OCT 13] Windows 11 version 24H2

2027

• [JAN 12] Windows Server 2016
• [MAR 01] Auto-migration of Classic Outlook begins for Enterprise users (originally scheduled for April 2026, but postponed to March 2027)
• [OCT 12] SQL Server 2017

2029

• [JAN 09] Windows Server 2019
• [OCT 09] Access 2024 | Outlook 2024
• [OCT 09 (or later)] Classic Outlook
  • See "Edit 8/12/2024" at top of this article for official clarification that "both perpetual and subscription [i.e., MS 365] versions of Outlook will be supported until 2029"
  • Support for Classic Outlook is guaranteed at least through 9 Oct 2029; it may be extended beyond this date

2030

• [JAN 08] SQL Server 2019

2031

• [OCT 14] Windows Server 2022

2033

• [JAN 11] SQL Server 2022

2034

• [OCT 10] Windows Server 2025

Ongoing

• Microsoft 365 (with subscription)

Date TBD

• Complete removal of VBScript from Windows OS (Microsoft Announces the Death of VBScript)