⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) – Essential for developers, confusing for end-users.
Here are the standard connection strings for the 2016 Engine: 2016 access database engine
Traditionally, if you wanted to read an Excel file using a C# application or SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), you would need Excel installed. However, installing heavy Office software on a production server is generally bad practice (and often unsupported by Microsoft). ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) – Essential for developers
Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\myFolder\myAccessFile.accdb; Persist Security Info=False; you would need Excel installed. However
: Often required by third-party software like AutoCAD Electrical or Power Automate Desktop to process spreadsheet data. Download and Installation
: A frequent issue is the "bitness" conflict. You cannot typically have both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the 2016 engine installed simultaneously. Common Issues & Troubleshooting Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable