In Access, you primarily use tabs to move between open objects like tables, forms, reports, and queries.
Microsoft Access uses a tabbed interface by default to help you manage your workspace. When you open different database objects, they appear as tabs across the top of the main window.
Navigating with Tabs
The core way to use these tabs, according to the default Access behavior:
- To move between open objects, select the tabs.
This means if you have a table, a form, and a report open simultaneously, each will have its own tab. To switch from looking at the table to working with the form, you simply click the tab labeled with the form's name.
Benefits of Tabs
Using tabs offers several advantages for managing your open database objects:
- Visibility: Tabs keep all your currently open objects visible at a glance. You can quickly see what you're working on.
- Accessibility: They provide quick and easy access to switch between different objects without having to minimize or rearrange windows.
Default Behavior
By default, Access is configured to show objects in this tabbed view. This modern approach keeps your workspace organized and allows for rapid switching between tasks.
Alternative View
While tabs are the default and most common way to work with objects in current versions of Access, the reference notes that if you prefer a legacy approach, you can still display objects in overlapping windows. This is a configuration setting you can change within Access options. However, the primary "how-to" for the default tabbed view is simply selecting the tab to navigate.
