Delete Queries in Microsoft Access 2013

Delete Queries in Microsoft Access 2013: Video

This video shows you how to create delete queries in Access 2013. For the complete tutorial, click here.

Delete Queries in Microsoft Access 2013: Overview

You can use a delete query in Access 2013 to delete records in a table based on specified criteria. Deleting unnecessary records will speed up the performance of queries, reduce redundancies, and make for more smoothly operating databases.

When you run a delete query, you are deleting records that match a specified criteria. You do not delete field information only, you actually erase the entire record from the table. In order to not delete all of the records in your table, you must carefully select which records to delete by using query criteria.

To create a delete query, start by creating a query in query design view. Then add the table that contains the records to delete into the query design view. Next, click the “Delete” button in the “Query Type” group of the “Design” tab in the “Query Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon.

Next, add the fields to the QBE grid that you need to use for criteria purposes and place the criteria by which you wish to select the records to delete into the “Criteria:” row. You can then run the query. You will see a dialog box appear, telling you how many rows you are about to delete from the selected table. If this is correct, click “Yes” to continue. If this looks incorrect, you can click “No” to abandon the record deletion and double-check your criteria.