Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: MS Access 2016 Memory Error: "There isn't enough free memory to update the display."

Error message in MS Access 2016 with insufficient free memory to update display.

Quick Answer: Close and re-open MS Access, or consider closing other resource-intensive programs to resolve the issue.

MS Access 2016 users are experiencing an error message that appears intermittently when leaving the application open for an extended period. The error, 'There isn't enough free memory to update the display,' is frustrating and can be challenging to resolve.

This issue affects users running a fully-updated version of MS Access Professional Plus 2016 on Windows 10 Pro (64-bit), with a PC equipped with 16GB RAM.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • The primary reason for this error is the accumulation of data and objects in the database, which can cause memory consumption. Over time, the database's size increases, leading to insufficient free memory available for MS Access to update the display.
  • Another possible cause is the presence of complex queries or macros that consume excessive system resources.

✅ Best Solutions to Fix It

Closing and Re-Opening MS Access

  1. Step 1: Regularly close and re-open MS Access to clear out any temporary memory usage. This can help resolve the issue by restarting the application with a clean slate.
  2. Step 2: Try closing all other resource-intensive applications while working in MS Access to minimize system overhead.

Optimizing Database Performance

  1. Step 1: Regularly compact and repair the database to remove unnecessary data and optimize storage space. This can help reduce memory consumption over time.
  2. Step 2: Consider reorganizing or restructuring complex queries and macros to minimize their resource-intensive nature.

💡 Conclusion

To resolve the 'There isn't enough free memory to update the display' error in MS Access 2016, try closing and re-opening the application or optimizing database performance. By implementing these steps, users can help reduce memory consumption and improve overall application stability.

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