Before downloading, it is crucial to understand what this provider does.
After installation, check if the provider is registered:
Or via PowerShell (64-bit check):
Get-ChildItem "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Access Connectivity Engine" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
| Use Case | Required Provider |
|----------|------------------|
| 64-bit SQL Server Import/Export Wizard | 64-bit ACE.12.0 |
| 32-bit Excel VBA connecting to Access | 32-bit ACE.12.0 |
| 64-bit SSIS running on server with 32-bit Excel source | Both (install 64-bit first, then 32-bit with /quiet) |
| 32-bit IIS application pool reading XLSX files | 32-bit ACE.12.0 |
64-bit PowerShell:
# Run this in C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
$conn = New-Object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection("Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\test.xlsx;Extended Properties='Excel 12.0 Xml;HDR=YES'")
$conn.Open()
Write-Host "64-bit connection successful"
$conn.Close()
32-bit PowerShell:
# Run this in C:\Windows\SysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
$conn = New-Object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection("Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\test.xlsx;Extended Properties='Excel 12.0 Xml;HDR=YES'")
$conn.Open()
Write-Host "32-bit connection successful"
$conn.Close()
If both scripts run successfully, you have successfully installed both providers.
To successfully download Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider for both 64-bit and 32-bit, follow this checklist:
/passive workaround — but prefer separate environments.The error “Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider is not registered” is completely solvable. By matching bitness and using the official Microsoft downloads, you can restore full Office file access to your applications within minutes. download microsoft.ace.oledb.12.0 provider for both 64-bit
Last Updated: October 2024
Microsoft Product Support Lifecycle: The ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider remains supported as part of the Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable, which is currently in extended support until October 14, 2026.
Need help with a specific error? Leave a comment below (or contact your system administrator with the exact error code).
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.
Pros
Cons
Alternatives
If you're looking for alternative providers, you may consider:
Downloading the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 provider for both 32-bit and 64-bit environments can be tricky because Microsoft's standard installers usually block you from having both bitnesses on the same machine. 1. Official Download Links
The "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0" provider is part of the Microsoft Access Database Engine Redistributable. While older 2010 versions are harder to find on official landing pages, the 2016 Redistributable is the current standard and provides the updated OLEDB 16.0 driver, which often maintains compatibility with 12.0 connection strings.
Official 2016 Engine: Available at the Microsoft Download Center. You can choose between AccessDatabaseEngine.exe (32-bit) and AccessDatabaseEngine_X64.exe (64-bit).
Legacy 2010 Engine: If you specifically need the 12.0 version, some community members host archived links through platforms like Chocolatey or the Wayback Machine. 2. How to Install Both (Side-by-Side)
Microsoft generally prevents installing a 64-bit engine if 32-bit Office is present (and vice versa). To bypass this, you must use the command line with a specific flag:
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).
To download the Microsoft ACE OLEDB 12.0 provider (the Access Database Engine) for 64-bit systems, follow the links below. Before downloading, it is crucial to understand what
Important: The same installer works for the 64-bit provider, but you must ensure you use the correct version.