Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Disappearing Trusted Locations in Access 365

Natalie Taylor Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where trusted locations in Access 365 disappear, which causes database and session errors.

How to Fix Disappearing Trusted Locations in Access 365

Product: Microsoft Access 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Running a front-end Access database from a local drive.
Observed behavior: Trusted locations disappear unexpectedly from the Trust Center, often accompanied by the Access background process failing to close completely after exiting.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrative privileges on your computer to modify Microsoft Access Trust Center settings. Save any pending work in your active databases before proceeding with the troubleshooting steps.

Solution 1Recommended

Re-create Trusted Locations and Force Close Access Processes

Manually re-add the missing trusted locations and use Task Manager to ensure the Access application has completely terminated, preventing configuration resets.

This problem is often linked to a known bug where the Microsoft Access background process does not close correctly after you exit a database. While waiting for an official patch from Microsoft, manually restoring the trusted location and terminating lingering processes serves as the most effective workaround.

Access the Trust Center

Open Microsoft Access, click on 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Options', and then navigate to 'Trust Center'. Click the 'Trust Center Settings' button.

Re-add the missing location

Select 'Trusted Locations' from the left menu. Click 'Add new location', browse to the local drive path where your front-end database is stored, check 'Subfolders of this location are also trusted' if necessary, and click 'OK'.

Open Task Manager

Close Microsoft Access completely. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Windows Task Manager.

End lingering Access tasks

Under the 'Processes' tab, scroll down to find any remaining background processes named 'Microsoft Access'. Right-click on them and select 'End task' to ensure the application is fully closed before your next session.

Temporary Workaround: Because this issue is tied to process management within Microsoft Access, you may need to repeat this process if the background task hangs again, until Microsoft releases an official update.

Solution 2

Install Office Updates and Verify Folder Permissions

Update your Office 365 installation to the latest build to receive newly deployed bug fixes and ensure your user profile has the right permissions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do trusted locations keep disappearing in Access 365?

This is often caused by a known bug where the Microsoft Access background process fails to close completely after you exit a front-end database. This lingering process can corrupt or reset the active session's Trust Center configurations.

Does running the database from a network drive prevent trusted locations from disappearing?

The disappearing trusted locations bug is primarily observed when running a front-end database from a local drive. While moving the front-end to a network location might bypass this specific trigger, running front-end databases locally is still the recommended best practice for optimal performance.

How do I know if Microsoft has released a permanent fix for this bug?

You can keep your Office 365 applications updated by navigating to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now. Additionally, monitor the official Microsoft 365 release notes and Microsoft support forums for announcements regarding Access-specific bug fixes.

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