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How to Refresh an Access Combo Box After Adding a New Record

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs a way to instantly refresh a combo box on an Access form so it displays newly added database records without having to restart the application.

Product: Microsoft Access
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A user adds a new member via a secondary Access form and expects the primary form's combo box to reflect this new entry immediately.
Observed behavior: The combo boxes on the initial form do not display the newly added member until the entire database is closed and reopened.

Before you start

Ensure your combo box is correctly bound to the foreign-key field (such as MemberID) and identify which secondary form is used to insert the new records.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Dialog Mode and the AfterInsert Event

This method ensures the main form waits for the secondary entry form to close, automatically refreshing the combo box as soon as the new record is saved.

By opening the member entry form in Dialog mode, the VBA code execution on the main form is paused. Once the record is inserted and the dialog is closed, the system triggers the requery command to fetch the latest data.

This prevents the user from interacting with the main form while the entry is still being processed.

Open the Member Form in Dialog Mode

Create an 'Add Record' button on your main form. In the OnClick event, use VBA to open the second form in Dialog mode: DoCmd.OpenForm "MemberFormName", , , , , acDialog.

Add Requery Code to the AfterInsert Event

Open your secondary member form in Design View. Go to the Property Sheet, find the 'After Insert' event, and open the VBA builder.

Requery the Combo Box

Type the code to requery the combo box on the parent form: Forms!MainFormName!ComboBoxName.Requery.

Assign the New Primary Key

To automatically select the newly added member, assign the new MemberID to the combo box: Forms!MainFormName!ComboBoxName = Me.MemberID.

Best Practice: Binding the combo box directly to the MemberID foreign key ensures data consistency across your relational tables.

Solution 2

Requery the Combo Box When the Form Regains Focus

Use this approach if you prefer to keep both forms open simultaneously and want the combo box to update when the user clicks back onto the main form.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my Access combo box update automatically when a record is added?

Access combo boxes load their underlying data when the form first opens. If table data is modified via a different form, the combo box does not automatically detect the change until a Requery command tells it to fetch the latest records.

What is the Requery method in Access VBA?

The Requery method forces a specific form control (like a combo box or list box) or an entire form to recalculate or reload its data source, ensuring it displays the most current information stored in the database tables.

Can I use Access Macros instead of VBA to requery a combo box?

Yes. You can attach a macro to the form's AfterInsert or OnGotFocus event. Add the 'Requery' action within the Macro Builder and type the exact name of the combo box control in the Control Name argument box.

How do I make the combo box auto-select the item I just created?

After issuing the Requery command in your VBA code, you must set the combo box value equal to the new primary key of the inserted record (e.g., Forms!MainForm!ComboBox = Me.NewRecordID).

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