Rename a Field in a Table in Access – Instructions and Video Lesson

Rename a Field in a Table in Access: Video

            This video lesson, titled “Renaming Fields,” shows you how to rename a field in a table in Access. This video is from our complete Access tutorial, titled “Mastering Access Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Overview of Renaming Table Fields in Access

            You can rename a field in a table in Access that you have already created to change the field’s name. You should be extremely careful when you do this! This is because any changes you make to field names are not necessarily updated in all the previously created objects. This includes related reports, forms, or queries that refer to the “old” field names.

            So, if you rename a field used by any other database objects, you should double-check those objects and change the name of the field reference there, if necessary. Doing that ensures that all of the related database objects that were looking for the “old” field name will now look for the new field name to access the data within the field.

            To change a field name in Access, open the table within which to rename a field in table design view. Then click into the “Field Name” column of the field whose name you wish to change. Type a new name for the field. Then click the “Save” button in the Quick Access toolbar to save your structural changes.

A picture that shows how to rename a field in a table in Access.

Instructions on How to Rename a Field in a Table in Access

1. To rename a field in a table in Access, open the table containing the field to rename in design view.
2. Then click into the “Field Name” column of the field that to rename and type a new name.
3. Then click the “Save” button in the Quick Access toolbar to save your structural modifications.