Beta Channel
By Richard Rost
23 days ago
Join the Beta Channel to Access New Features Early In today's video, we will discuss how to join the Microsoft Access Beta channel to access the newest features before they are officially released. I will show you step-by-step how to enable the Beta channel, including the required registry change, and walk through the process of signing up within Access. We will also talk about important precautions, such as not installing beta software on your production machine, and highlight some new features you might see, like the enhanced zoom controls and the Monaco SQL Editor. We'll briefly mention new modern chart types that are available. LinksRegistry Key- reg add HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0\common /v insiderslabbehavior /t REG_DWORD /d 1
Keywords TechHelp Access, joining Access Beta channel, Access 365 Insider, registry hack to enable Beta, reg add insiderslabbehavior, early access Access features, Access Beta zoom feature, Monaco Editor, modern chart types, Access Day features, backup database, Command Prompt admin, virtual machine for testing
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Intro In today's video, we will discuss how to join the Microsoft Access Beta channel to access the newest features before they are officially released. I will show you step-by-step how to enable the Beta channel, including the required registry change, and walk through the process of signing up within Access. We will also talk about important precautions, such as not installing beta software on your production machine, and highlight some new features you might see, like the enhanced zoom controls and the Monaco SQL Editor. We'll briefly mention new modern chart types that are available.Transcript Want to get the newest Microsoft Access features before everybody else without waiting for them to hit the regular release channel? Welcome to another TechHelp video brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I'm your instructor, Richard Rost.
Today, we're going to talk about joining the Microsoft Access Beta channel. I'll show you how to turn it on, where to find it, and how you can go play with some new shiny toys.
But first, a warning.
Before attempting this at home, a quick but very important warning. Do not install the Beta channel on your production machine. This is pre-release software, which means it has not been fully tested, and things can break. Features might not work right, bugs can pop up, and there's always a chance something can mess with your database or your workflow.
If you rely on your computer to run your business, serve your customers, or get real work done, leave your primary machine on the regular release channel. This is something you should only install on a secondary machine, an old laptop, or better yet, if you know how, spin up a virtual machine that you can easily reset if something goes wrong.
Think of it like this. You don't take a prototype warp core out for a test run during a real mission. You test that stuff in the lab first. Otherwise, the next thing you know, your system is offline, your database won't open, and you're calling Starfleet Engineering asking for Geordi to come bail you out. Trust me, you don't want to be like those Pakleds on the comm saying, we look for things that make us go while your Access database is down and you can't even process orders or send Quark his self-sealing stem bolts.
So play with the Beta, absolutely. But do it somewhere safe, where breaking things is part of the fun, not a business-ending disaster. You don't want your starship ending up half inside an asteroid.
And as always, back up your database, back up your PC on a regular basis. Got a whole separate set of videos on how to do this.
Let's take a look at the Beta channel.
Alright, so the first thing you're going to do is open up Microsoft Access, or actually you can do this with any of the Office applications, but we're going to use Access and go to Account. Now over here, you are going to look for the Office Insider logo. If you're running Microsoft 365 Apps for business like I am because I want Access, you're normally not going to see it here.
So there's a couple of different ways you can go about getting that here. The easiest way is just a registry hack. Now, I'm going to reiterate, do not do this on a production machine. Do not do this on a machine that you need to use every day to work. Do this on a second machine, a backup machine. I'm doing it on my training machine because if worse comes to worst, I can just reformat it and put a fresh copy of Windows and Office on it.
So be careful modifying your registry. I'm going to close Access. I'm going to run a Command Prompt, but you need to run it as an administrator. So right click on it if you got it here or wherever you might have it. Right click on Command Prompt and go Run as Administrator, say yes, I know what I'm doing. You'll get this nice command prompt and ignore this guy.
Here is the command we're going to enter at the command prompt. I'm going to zoom in so you can see it, but it's all one line. Let me zoom in so you can see it clear.
Okay, it's reg add, which means we're adding a registry key to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common /v insiderslabbehavior (one word) /t REG_DWORD /d 1. Alright, that's what you want. Copy it, type it in, do whatever you want, or you can run through the registry and do it manually if you want to. I'm going to copy it to my clipboard.
Come back over to your command prompt, paste it in and press enter. You should get Operation completed successfully. If not, you did something wrong, try it again.
Now you should be able to go back into Microsoft Access, go to your account, and look at it: Microsoft 365 Insider. Now we're going to open it up. We're going to go join Microsoft 365 Insider, sign me up for early access, and again, don't do this on your production machine. Don't do this on your machine that you need to use every day to do work.
Now choose your Microsoft 365 channel. There's the Current Channel and then there's the Beta Channel. If you want all the newest features that the cool kids play with and that they show in the demos for Access Day and DevCon and all that, you need to be in the Beta Channel. But again, remember, this could be stuff that doesn't work 100 percent, so don't do this if you need to use this machine.
Read all of this stuff on your own. I would never tell you to just click OK without reading it. Everybody reads everything in every terms of service agreement for every piece of software you install. Yes, you do. You should.
If you agree to the terms, click I agree to the terms and then hit OK. Say yes. Some stuff is going to happen. You've successfully opted in. Take me to the Insider website to stay current on the latest features. Hit OK. It's going to bring you here and it's going to check for updates, which I should find some updates. I'm just going to close the browser.
Now you can close Access at this point and just let this thing do its job. I'm going to let it do its job. It's probably going to take 5, 10, 15 minutes. So I'm going to pause the video recording here. I'm going to go get some coffee. I'm going to go listen to some Rush. Maybe watch a Star Trek episode. That's all going to happen while this is downloading updates. I got a pretty fast internet connection, but this still takes 10, 15 minutes. So I'll be back.
Oh, we're applying updates. That only took about 10 minutes. I think we're good. Does it say we have to reinstall? Sometimes it says you have to reboot Windows based on what they've installed, but it doesn't look like we have to do this. Let's click it. Let's see what we got. Let's go to Account and right down here with the Beta Channel.
Cool. Let's see what we got here. I'm going to go grab one of my databases. How about that TechHelp free template that I use everywhere? Let's see what this guy does.
Here we go. Zoom in for clearer data. Adjust the zoom in Access to completely view forms. It's got keyboard shortcuts: Control Alt Plus/Minus.
Look at this. You can zoom. Now this would be nice if it actually moved the border of the window too. They probably have it designed, from what I saw at Access Day, they're using mostly tabbed forms. I like overlapping windows, but it's still cool. That's really cool. So you can zoom in.
Especially me. I got bad eyesight. But that's a note to the Access team. Make this so that when you zoom in, it makes the form bigger. That would be cool too. But I don't want to add on their plate. They're doing a great job just as they are.
Looks like it doesn't work with continuous forms yet. The slider just goes away. That's okay. They demoed that at Access Day, but that's still got some tweaking to do.
If you're like me and you haven't updated in a while, I don't update my production machine, the one that I use for most of my work. I've had to roll back a few times due to bugs, but if you haven't seen the Monaco Editor yet, this has been out for a while. I just haven't been using it. It takes a minute to load too, but here it is. It looks a little more like SQL Server's SQL Editor. This is an example of one of those features that showed up in beta first and let people play with it, and then it rolled out to the current channel.
Of course, if you want to make the text larger, you can use Control Plus or Control Minus to go smaller. I think it also works with Control-Scroll Wheel on your mouse, but I'm using Remote Desktop right now, so that seems to be disabled.
I was just poking around off camera for a minute, went to Design Mode, and tried the new modern chart types. There are a whole bunch of new modern chart types in here. These, I think, were rolled out a while ago. These aren't just in beta, but like I said, I'm using an older version, so there's a whole bunch of new chart types in here you can play with. I'm not going to play with them now. Maybe I'll play with some of them later.
I don't like really teaching things that are in the Beta Channel unless I'm sure they're released and they're working properly. The last couple of times I tried to do a video with modern charts, I ran into bugs in the middle of the video and just stopped. I'm like, no, I can't. So I like to make sure that the brownies are baked all the way through before I start eating them and teaching you.
So there you go. That's how you get into the Beta Channel. Remember, the big takeaway today is if you want to try the newest Microsoft Access features before they hit the regular release channel, do it with the Beta Channel, but don't do it on your machine that you depend on for real work every day.
So have fun experimenting and let me know what you think. Post a comment down below. Let me know how you like the new features, how you liked today's video, and whether you're planning on trying the Beta Channel yourself. I'm curious.
That's going to do it for your TechHelp video for today, brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. Again, I'm Richard Rost. I hope you learned something. Live long and prosper, my friends. I'll see you next time.Quiz Q1. What is the main benefit of joining the Microsoft Access Beta channel?
A. Access to the newest features before they are released to everyone else
B. Improved hardware performance
C. Guaranteed bug-free usage
D. Faster internet speeds
Q2. Why is it advised NOT to install the Beta channel on your primary production machine?
A. The installation process deletes all files
B. Beta versions are not fully tested and may contain bugs that can disrupt important work
C. It slows down your internet connection
D. It makes software licenses invalid
Q3. What is one suitable way to test the Beta channel safely?
A. Install it on your main work PC
B. Use it on any public computer
C. Install it on a secondary machine, old laptop, or virtual machine
D. Install it over the internet on someone else's machine
Q4. Which of the following is required to enable the Beta channel via the registry hack?
A. Editing a Word document template
B. Running a Command Prompt as administrator
C. Downloading a special application from Microsoft
D. Installing Linux
Q5. What registry key modification is used to enable the Office Insider options for Access in Microsoft 365?
A. reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common /v insiderslabbehavior /t REG_DWORD /d 1
B. reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Office\Beta /v enableInsider /t REG_SZ /d true
C. reg delete HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Access /v production /f
D. reg save HKEY_USERS /t REG_BINARY /d 1
Q6. What must you do after opting into the Insider Beta channel?
A. Reinstall Windows
B. Wait for updates to download and apply, which may take 10-15 minutes
C. Immediately reboot three times
D. Replace your motherboard
Q7. Which new feature is available for forms in the Beta channel that was demonstrated in the video?
A. Enhanced security encryption
B. Ability to zoom in on forms using keyboard shortcuts
C. Automatic backup to OneDrive
D. Sending emails directly from Access
Q8. Why might using overlapping windows with the new zoom feature in Access not work as well as tabbed forms?
A. Overlapping windows crash Access
B. The zoom feature is designed primarily for tabbed forms and may not resize the window border
C. Only tabbed forms are compatible on Windows XP
D. Overlapping windows are not allowed in Beta channel
Q9. What is the Monaco Editor, as mentioned in the video?
A. A tool for editing images
B. The updated SQL editor interface in Access that appeared first in Beta
C. Microsofts new charting software
D. A third-party macro builder
Q10. What should you ALWAYS do before experimenting with Beta features in Microsoft Access?
A. Switch internet providers
B. Backup your database and your PC
C. Reinstall Windows
D. Uninstall all drivers
Q11. The instructor recommends using Beta features under which condition?
A. Only on your production machine for daily work
B. Only after the features are fully released in Current Channel
C. Only for fun and experimentation, not for mission-critical work
D. Never use them under any circumstance
Q12. Which channel gives you access to the latest demo features shown at events like Access Day and DevCon?
A. Current Channel
B. Beta Channel
C. Preview Edition
D. Stable Channel
Q13. What should you do after joining the Insider program and before continuing your work?
A. Call your IT department
B. Let Office check for and apply updates
C. Delete your old databases
D. Turn off your anti-virus
Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-C; 4-B; 5-A; 6-B; 7-B; 8-B; 9-B; 10-B; 11-C; 12-B; 13-B
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary Today's video from Access Learning Zone covers how to get the newest Microsoft Access features ahead of everyone else by joining the Microsoft Access Beta channel. I'm your instructor, Richard Rost, and I'll walk you through how to enable the Beta channel so you can explore the latest updates and tools before they are widely released.
Before we begin, it's important to stress a crucial point: do not install the Beta channel on your main work computer. Beta versions are pre-release, meaning they have not been fully tested. You may run into bugs, malfunctioning features, or other problems that could disrupt your workflow or cause issues with your databases. If your computer is essential for your business or daily productivity, keep it on the standard release channel. Reserve Beta channel experiments for a secondary computer, an old laptop, or ideally, a virtual machine which you can reset easily if something goes wrong.
Think of it as testing experimental equipment in a lab rather than risking it on an active mission. You do not want to be left scrambling to recover a system or database in an emergency because you took unnecessary risks. Always back up your databases and your computer regularly - there are separate videos available on my site that cover how to do this safely.
To enable the Beta channel, start by opening Microsoft Access. The steps are similar in any Office application, but we'll use Access here. Go to Account in Access and look for the Office Insider logo. If you're running Microsoft 365 Apps for business, you may not see this option right away.
To get around this, you can apply a registry change. Again, only do this on a non-production machine. With Access closed, run the Command Prompt as an administrator. You will need to add a specific registry key, which essentially tells Office to show the Insider options. Once you enter the command and see "operation completed successfully," you can reopen Access.
Now return to the Account page. You should see the option to join Microsoft 365 Insider. Follow the prompts to sign up for early access. Once again, make sure you're not doing this on your primary workstation. When prompted to choose your channel, select the Beta Channel to access the newest features, even those which are under development and might not be stable yet.
Be sure to read all terms and conditions before agreeing. After you opt in, Access will check for updates and download any new features available in the Beta Channel. This process can take several minutes depending on your connection.
Once updates are installed, you can launch Access again and verify that you're on the Beta Channel. Now you can explore some of the new features. For example, recent betas allow you to zoom in on forms with keyboard shortcuts like Control Alt Plus or Minus, which is great for those with vision issues, although right now the zooming only affects tabbed forms and not overlapping windows or continuous forms.
Another feature, which has been available for a while (but maybe you haven't seen if you don't update often) is the Monaco Editor, which offers a more advanced SQL editing experience similar to SQL Server's editor. There are also new modern chart types available in Design Mode. While these may not be limited to the Beta Channel anymore, it's a good example of features that show up in beta first and later become available for everyone.
I personally avoid teaching features still in beta unless I know they're stable. Sometimes bugs in the Beta Channel can disrupt a lesson, so I wait until the features are reliable before covering them fully in my tutorials.
To sum up, joining the Beta Channel gives you a sneak peek at Microsoft Access's latest developments, but remember to use a safe, non-essential system. Experiment and enjoy, but don't risk important data or business operations on unfinished software.
That's all for today's TechHelp video from Access Learning Zone. You can find a complete video tutorial with detailed, step-by-step instructions for everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Overview of Microsoft Access Beta channel
Precautions before installing Beta software
Installing Beta channel on a virtual or secondary machine
Backing up databases before Beta installation
Accessing the Office Insider settings in Microsoft Access
Using a registry command to enable Beta channel
Running Command Prompt as administrator
Registry key details for Beta activation
Joining Microsoft 365 Insider program in Access
Selecting and enabling the Beta channel
Checking and applying Office updates after Beta opt-in
Verifying Beta channel status in Microsoft Access
Testing new Beta features in Access forms
Using the new zoom feature in Access forms
Limitations of zoom in continuous forms
Introduction to the Monaco SQL Editor in Access
Keyboard shortcuts for zoom in Monaco Editor
Overview of new modern chart types in AccessArticle If you want to try out the newest features in Microsoft Access before they become available to everyone else, you can join the Microsoft Access Beta channel, also known as the Microsoft 365 Insider Program. This gives you early access to features that are still being tested. However, before you get started, there are some important precautions you need to understand.
The Beta channel is pre-release software, which means it is not as stable as the regular release version. Features might not work properly, bugs are more common, and there is a small risk that Access, or even your database files, could misbehave. That is why you should never install beta software on a production machine, meaning any computer you depend on for work or critical tasks. If you want to experiment with the Beta channel, use a secondary computer, an old laptop, or even better, a virtual machine that can be reset easily if something goes wrong. Creating regular backups of your database and your PC is always a good habit, and it is even more crucial when working with pre-release versions.
To join the Beta channel for Microsoft Access, you need to make a change that tells Office you want to participate in the Insider program. This is not a menu option in most standard installations, so you will need to create a registry key. Registry editing should be done carefully, as mistakes can cause problems with your system. Always make sure you are not editing the registry on a computer you use for important work.
First, close Microsoft Access. Then, open the Command Prompt as an administrator. You can do this by finding Command Prompt (such as in your Start menu), right clicking on it, and selecting "Run as Administrator". In the command prompt window, copy and paste the following command, then press Enter:
reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common /v insiderslabbehavior /t REG_DWORD /d 1
If the command is entered correctly, you should see a message that says "Operation completed successfully." This command adds a registry value that tells Office applications you want to see the Office Insider option.
Open Microsoft Access again and go to the Account page. You should now see an option labeled "Microsoft 365 Insider" or similar. Click that option, and choose to join the Microsoft 365 Insider program. You will need to accept the terms and conditions. You will then be offered a choice of which channel you want to join. The "Current Channel" is more stable and gets new features at a slower pace, while the "Beta Channel" gives you the very latest features as soon as they are available, but with more potential for bugs.
After you select the Beta Channel and confirm your choice, Office will start updating itself to download and install the new software. This can take between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on your internet speed and your computer. You may be prompted to close all Office applications or even restart your computer.
Once the update is complete, access your database as usual. You should now have access to the newest beta features, such as new design elements, form zooming enhancements, or the Monaco SQL Editor, which gives your SQL query editor a modern look. Some features may only be partly implemented or only work under certain conditions, and you may notice functions behaving differently than before. For instance, the new form zooming features allow you to zoom in on forms using keyboard shortcuts like Control Alt Plus or Control Alt Minus, but they may not yet be fully compatible with every form type or with overlapping windows.
Remember, this beta software is provided for testing and feedback purposes. Microsoft and the Access team are continuously working on improvements, so some features you find may still require tweaking or could even disappear in future beta updates before they become widely available.
If you want to roll back to the regular release, you can switch your update channel in the same Account section, but you may also need to reinstall or repair your Office installation to ensure stability.
Experimenting with the Beta channel is a great way to see what's coming and to provide valuable feedback to the Access development team. Just be sure to do it in a safe, non-critical environment, and always back up your data first. Once you are set up, enjoy exploring the latest Microsoft Access features before everyone else, and contribute to making Access better for the whole community. |
