---
title: "Microsoft ODBC Desktop Database Drivers | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "01/19/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
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ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "ODBC desktop database drivers [ODBC]"
  - "Jet-based ODBC drivers [ODBC]"
  - "ODBC desktop database drivers [ODBC], about desktop database drivers"
  - "desktop database drivers [ODBC]"
  - "Jet-based ODBC drivers [ODBC], about Jet-based ODBC drivers"
  - "desktop database drivers [ODBC], about desktop database drivers"
ms.assetid: 4e505c65-a8dd-4283-ae28-313d8a3aa046
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
---
# Microsoft ODBC Desktop Database Drivers
ODBC is an API that uses Structured Query Language (SQL) as the database access language. You can access a wide variety of database management systems (DBMSs) with the same ODBC source code that is directly incorporated into an application's source code. With the Microsoft ODBC Desktop Database Drivers, a user of an ODBC-enabled application can open, query, and update a desktop database through the ODBC interface.  
  
 The Microsoft ODBC Desktop Database Drivers are a Microsoft Jet-based set of ODBC drivers. Whereas Microsoft ODBC Desktop Database Drivers 2.0 include both 16-bit and 32-bit drivers, versions 3.0 and later include only 32-bit drivers that work on Windows 95 or later, Windows NT Workstation or Server version 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows 2000 Server. These drivers provide access to the following types of data sources:  
  
-   Microsoft Access  
  
-   Microsoft Excel  
  
-   Paradox  
  
-   dBASE  
  
-   Text  
  
 See [Visual FoxPro ODBC Driver](../../odbc/microsoft/visual-foxpro-odbc-driver.md) for detailed documentation about the Microsoft Visual FoxPro® ODBC Driver.  
  
> [!NOTE]  
>  Access to other data sources, such as Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Exchange, and HTML, is enabled by installable ISAM (IISAM) drivers. For more information about these drivers, see "Accessing External Data" in the *Microsoft Jet Database Engine Programmer's Reference*. ODBC Desktop Database Drivers 4.0 do not support Btrieve and EMS data formats.  
  
 This section contains the following topics.  
  
-   [Desktop Database Drivers Architecture](../../odbc/microsoft/desktop-database-drivers-architecture.md)  
  
-   [History of the Desktop Database Drivers](../../odbc/microsoft/history-of-the-desktop-database-drivers.md)  
  
-   [Product Support](../../odbc/microsoft/product-support.md)  
  
-   [Implementing Desktop Database Drivers](../../odbc/microsoft/implementing-desktop-database-drivers.md)  
  
-   [Microsoft Access Driver Programming Considerations](../../odbc/microsoft/microsoft-access-driver-programming-considerations.md)  
  
-   [Microsoft Excel Driver Programming Considerations](../../odbc/microsoft/microsoft-excel-driver-programming-considerations.md)  
  
-   [Paradox Driver Programming Considerations](../../odbc/microsoft/paradox-driver-programming-considerations.md)  
  
-   [dBASE Driver Programming Considerations](../../odbc/microsoft/dbase-driver-programming-considerations.md)  
  
-   [Text File Driver Programming Considerations](../../odbc/microsoft/text-file-driver-programming-considerations.md)  
  
-   [Additional Supported ODBC SQL Grammar](../../odbc/microsoft/additional-supported-odbc-sql-grammar.md)  
  
-   [Limitations](../../odbc/microsoft/limitations.md)  
  
-   [ODBC Errors](../../odbc/microsoft/odbc-errors.md)  
  
-   [Supported ODBC API Functions](../../odbc/microsoft/supported-odbc-api-functions.md)