SharePoint Document Issues

How to Fix Microsoft Access Export to SharePoint List Stopping at 33%

Rana Garcia Oct 19, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where exporting a Microsoft Access table to a SharePoint List hangs at 33% and incorrectly reports the database object as read-only.

How to Fix Microsoft Access Export to SharePoint List Stopping at 33%

Product: Microsoft Access, SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Exporting a large database table from Microsoft Access to a SharePoint List for team sharing or migration.
Observed behavior: The upload process freezes at 33% completion and displays a false 'read-only' error, often due to missing primary keys or exceeding the SharePoint 5,000 record indexing limit.

Before you start

Verify that your Microsoft Access table has a defined primary key and check the total number of records, as SharePoint has a strict 5,000-item view and indexing threshold.

Solution 1Recommended

Split Large Tables and Upload in Batches

Bypass the SharePoint indexing limit by exporting data in chunks of fewer than 5,000 records.

SharePoint has a strict indexing limit that can cause large table exports to fail or report a read-only error during migration. Batching the upload prevents the system from being overwhelmed.

Verify the Primary Key

Open your Microsoft Access database in Design View and ensure the target table has a primary key assigned.

Create a Temporary Table

Use a Make-Table query to create a temporary table based on the original data, limiting this new table to fewer than 5,000 records.

Export the Initial Batch

Navigate to the External Data tab, select 'Export to SharePoint List', and upload this initial temporary table to your SharePoint site.

Append Remaining Records

Once the initial migration is successful, append the remaining records to the newly created SharePoint list in subsequent batches of under 5,000.

Split Large Tables and Upload in Batches

SharePoint Indexing Limit: SharePoint restricts list views and indexing to 5,000 items at a time. Trying to upload tables with more than 20,000 records in a single pass is the most common cause for the progress bar freezing at 33%.

Solution 2

Verify Network Sharing Policies and File Status

Ensure that restrictive IT policies or improper file storage locations are not causing the read-only error.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Access to SharePoint export say the database is read-only?

This false read-only error often occurs when the export process hits SharePoint's 5,000-item indexing limit or when the table lacks a primary key, causing the upload to stall at 33%.

Do I need a primary key to export an Access table to SharePoint?

Yes, SharePoint requires a primary key to properly index and manage linked tables. Ensure your Access table has a designated primary key before attempting the export to prevent migration failures.

Can I host a shared Access database backend on OneDrive or Teams?

Hosting an Access backend (.accdb) on OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint document libraries is generally not recommended as it can lead to synchronization conflicts and database corruption. Migrating the data to SharePoint Lists is the preferred method for sharing.

What is the SharePoint list view threshold?

The SharePoint list view threshold is a performance limit set to 5,000 items. If your Access table exceeds this number, you must upload the data in smaller batches under 5,000 records each to avoid stalling.

Document & File Issues