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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsTo save a query in Microsoft Access, create it in Query Design or with the Query Wizard, run it to check the results, then press Ctrl+S and give it a descriptive name. Reopen it from the Navigation Pane to run it again or choose Design View to change its fields and criteria. A saved select query stores the instructions for retrieving records—not a separate copy of the data.
Create a query and check its results
For a basic select query, choose Create > Query Design, add the tables or other data sources you need, and select the fields to display. If you want only some records, add criteria beneath the relevant field. A Query Wizard provides a more guided way to build a basic select query; Design view gives you direct control over its structure. Microsoft’s guidance covers Access 365 and Access 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016, though Ribbon labels can vary by release. See Microsoft’s instructions for creating a select query.
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- In Design view, choose Run to see what the query returns.
- Review the results in Datasheet view. If the rows or columns are not what you intended, return to Design view and adjust the query.
- Press Ctrl+S or choose Save, enter a descriptive name, and confirm it. Microsoft documents this create-and-save workflow in its select query guidance.
The saved query appears in the Navigation Pane and can be opened again when needed. Its definition can also serve as a source for a form, report, or another query; it does not preserve a snapshot of the records. The records shown when you run it reflect the data available at that time.
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Reopen a query, run it, or change its design
Find the query in the Navigation Pane and open it to run it. To change what it retrieves, open it in Design view, edit the selected fields, expressions, or criteria, then run it again to check the result. Microsoft explains the views and query workflow in its Access view guidance and select query guidance.
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Set criteria for the records you want
In Design view, enter a criterion in the Criteria row beneath the field it applies to. Criteria are expressions compared with field values, so the form depends on the field’s data type and the match you need. Access supports comparisons, null checks, and wildcard patterns; use Microsoft’s query criteria examples to check the appropriate syntax.
Query design is different from editing records
Changing a query in Design view changes which data it returns or how it is presented. Editing a value directly in the query’s Datasheet view is a different operation: it attempts to change the underlying record. That is possible only when the query structure and data source allow updates.
Microsoft identifies restrictions that can prevent datasheet edits, including grouped queries, certain query structures, insufficient update permissions, and linked tables without a primary key or unique index. If the query structure is the obstacle, changing it may help; if the issue is permissions or a missing key, it must be addressed at the data source. See Microsoft’s guidance on editing query data. Do not assume every query result can be edited.
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Identify the query type before running it
A select query retrieves records. Action queries have different effects and deserve extra care:
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- Append queries add records to a table.
- Update queries change existing records.
- Delete queries remove records.
- Make-table queries create a table from query results.
Before running an action query that changes important data, preview the records it will affect and make a fresh backup. Microsoft warns that these changes may not be easy to undo. If Access blocks an action query because the database is in Disabled mode, such as when it is not trusted, enable content only if you trust the database and understand the prompt. Read Microsoft’s query-running guidance before proceeding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Parameter and SQL-specific queries
A parameter query asks for a value when it runs and applies that value as a criterion. This is useful when the same query needs to be run with different values. Microsoft’s parameter query guidance explains how to add prompts.
Union, pass-through, and data-definition queries are SQL-specific query types. Microsoft says they cannot be opened in Design view; use SQL view or run them instead. Data-definition queries create, delete, or modify database objects, so back up the involved tables before running one. See Microsoft’s SQL-specific query guidance.
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