Access Version 2604 build 16.0.20026.20166 "link to folder" options have changed?

ReidLorraine-2403 20 Reputation points
2026-06-16T10:13:06.6066667+00:00

When using Microsoft Access, to create a Hyperlink I normally do to "Edit Hyperlink" -> Browse for Folder

Then I will paste the folder path, and a list of files in that folder is displayed. There used to be an option to select which types of files are displayed (i.e. Office files or All files) and I would normally select "All files" as I want to link to files that are not from Office. But since the 2605 update, this option has disappeared, and now I can only select Office files.

Is there a setting somewhere that I can modify to ensure that I restore the display of "All files " ?

Many thanks

Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For business | Windows
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Gabriel-N 19,595 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-06-16T11:25:00.5633333+00:00

Hello @ReidLorraine-2403

I did a quick comparison between versions 2604 and 2605. In version 2604, I pasted the folder path into the address bar, then clicked the icon, and it opened the file picker where I could still choose all file types.

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But in version 2605, that same icon is labelled “Browse for Folder”, so when you click it, it opens a folder-style dialog instead (which doesn’t show file type filters, so it looks like the option disappeared).

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At first I thought the feature was removed, but after comparing with version 2604, this icon was called “Browse for File”, and it opened the file picker where you could choose file types.

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In 2605, that same icon is now labeled “Browse for Folder”, so when you click it, it opens a folder-style dialog (which is why you don’t see file type options anymore). It also looks like Microsoft added another icon next to it for browsing files. If you use that new icon, it should open the file picker again, where you can select different file types as before.

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Hope this is what you’re seeing as well, you might want to double-check if you’re clicking the folder icon instead of the new file icon.


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  1. Ken Sheridan 3,571 Reputation points
    2026-06-18T13:31:16.73+00:00

    You might find the BrowseDemo database file which can be downloaded as a zip file from the following link of interest: 

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0scigd3r48hx5xrev2jrf/AB0-GMdTgMAO5O1cGdr3QW0?rlkey=ib6bs6g9jqcrywwzivur3265t&dl=0 

    This little demo file allows the user to brose to a file either directly, or by first browsing to a folder, in which case browsing to a file will then list the files in the selected folder. 

    Note that the paths are stored in columns of text data type, not as hyperlinks.  In the form they are then formatted to simulate the appearance and behaviour of hyperlinks.  Files are opened or printed, where this is possible, by calling the Windows API ShellExecute function.

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