Access begins rollout of Big Forms for Modern Monitors feature

We’re thrilled to share that support for larger forms is now in Beta for Microsoft Access. This feature, highly sought after by the Access community, lifts the previous limit of 22 inches for form sizes, paving the way for a more advanced, scalable, and user-friendly form experience. It’s one of the top requests on the Access feedback forum, and we expect it to be available in the Current Channel preview by July 21st, 2026.

When Access was first created, form sizes were restricted by older technology, which meant forms could only be around 22 inches in width or height. As monitor resolutions have improved and ultrawide screens have become more popular, this restriction has become more limiting. Developers often had to design their apps for the smallest common screen size, even if their users had much more display space available.

The outcome? Many complex business applications became cluttered, leading to excessive scrolling or sacrificing design quality. Thankfully, with this Beta update, Access developers can now build forms that fully utilise the larger screens and higher resolutions popular today.

The 22-inch limit has been lifted. Here are the main benefits:

• Forms can now exceed the old 22-inch size limit.
• Controls can be positioned beyond previous boundaries.
• Sections of forms can be created in much larger dimensions.
• Developers can create richer, more detailed business applications.

For those working on dashboards, operational workspaces, inventory systems, or CRM solutions, this update means that more content can be displayed at once, eliminating the need to switch between multiple forms.

With the rise of larger monitors, many users now employ:

• Dual-monitor setups
• Ultrawide displays
• High-resolution 4K monitors
• Vertical monitors for specialised tasks

This new feature enables Access applications to take full advantage of these setups. Developers no longer need to design around constraints that have been in place for over 20 years, allowing users to:

• See more information at a glance
• Minimise unnecessary scrolling
• Create more complex layouts
• Enhance efficiency during data entry and review tasks

While the primary focus of this feature is on Access developers and users with larger displays, the removal of the size limit also brings significant accessibility advantages. Larger form designs allow for better information presentation, increased spacing between controls, larger text sizes, and less visual clutter. These enhancements can make applications much more navigable for users with low vision and anyone who benefits from magnified content.

We’re excited for you to experience this improvement, and we always welcome your feedback.

(Thanks to MVP Colin Reddington for the thumbnail image.)