msaccess.exe (all versions) won't close properly when process EoAExperiences.exe is running

Question

I have a msaccess-application (accdb) working as frontend-client to a sql-server database. The FE-database consists of forms, reports, modules, etc.
On one client, when I open a form with controls others than label, it is not possible to close the application process msaccess.exe properly.
The database (.accdb and .laccdb) does close but the process msaccess.exe remains open as a background process.
This behaviour doesn't occur when I log in with a clean windows account.

I was able to trace the error down to the process EoAExperiences.exe (in %windir%\system32) - Windows Ease of Access.
When I remove this process in the task manager, msaccess.exe will close properly again.

Can someone please verify and address this issue to the access dev team?

Steps to reproduce the error:

1. Turn on text cursor indicator in Windows settings
   • Settings
   • Ease of Access
     • Text Cursor
   • Turn on text cursor indicator
     --> this starts %windir%\system32\EoAExperiences.exe
2. Create a new clean msaccess database "SimpleForm.accdb"
   • Create a new form with a textbox control and save it
   • Open the form
     3. Close database "SimpleForm.accdb"
        -> Lock-File SimpleForm.laccdb will close
        -> Lock-File %AppData%\Microsoft\Access\system.ldb remains open
        -> Process msaccess.exe remains open as background process

System environment:

• Win 10 2004 (OSBuild 19041.1415)
• Win 10 21H1 (OSBUild 19043.1415)
• MSAccess 14, 15 and up to at least 16.0.13127.21846 (32 and 64 Bit)

Answer 1

I can confirm this with:

Access 365 Version 2112 Build 14729.20194 Click and run) 64-bit
Office 365 Version 2112 Build 16.0.14729.20156) 64-bit
Windows 10 21H2 Build 19044.1415 64-bit

I've reported it to Microsoft.

Answer 2

In case it helps anyone else, I finally figured out what was causing this problem. I had Grammarly for Windows & Grammarly for Office installed on one user account but not the other. That seems to be keeping the process open. If I close the Grammarly for Windows tray icon, the problem goes away.

I'm not really sure if it's a problem for MS or Grammarly to fix.

Answer 3

All these months later...latest update applied and .... as of 2023-Feb-20, I can confirm the problem still exists and has not been fixed.

And I can confirm that killing process EoAExperiences.exe enables Access to shut down properly. The hidden process disappears a few seconds after the Access windows closes and the Access icon disappears from the tool bar.

I used Process Explorer by Sysinternals (a free download from MS) to find EoAExperiences.exe by name. Use the "<Filter by name>" box to find it, right click to kill.

Then I searched for msaccess.exe in Precess Explorer and watched it appear when I opened an .accdb file and disappear when I closed Access. I tried four of my most active databases. With EoAExperiences.exe killed, Access closed normally whether clicked the "X" on the window to exit, Clicked the "x" on the tab of each form followed by closing Access manually ("X" again, Alt-F4 or File>Close or a Command Button calling the VBA below.

EoAExperiences.exe is a service. It may be possible to disable Shared Experiences: Open gpedit.msc, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Group Policy then disable "Continue Experiences" or you can use Win+I, Apps > Advanced app settings > Share across devices > Off.

This seems to be a solution. Other things I have tried include putting the database in a trusted folder (Karl Donaubauer) and the registry fix by NiteOwl. Both worked for several weeks and then had to be reapplied followed by decompile/repair of the database but the problem was intermittent, some days Ok others not. A tip of the hat to Karl & NiteOwl: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/access/access-doesn-t-close-properly-a-remaining-background-process-can/m-p/3103807

So far turning off "Share across devices", disabling "Continue Experiences", or killing EoAExperiences.exe before opening an Access database seems to be a 100% solution (fingers crossed) but at a significant loss of functionality.

Other programs you can use to kill the process are PsKill also by SysInternals, (put "START pskill64.exe -t -nobanner msaccess.exe" into a cmd file), or Dan Pineault's WMI_KillProcess, download the VBA here: https://www.devhut.net/ms-access-vba-kill-a-process/ and put it in an Excel file because you cannot open Access after the the problem occurs.

My set up on 2023-Feb-20:

Access 365 Version 2301 Build 16026.20200 (Click to Run) 64-bit, Current Channel

Office 365 Version 2112 Build 16026.20200 64-bit

Windows 11 Version 22H2 Build 2261.1265 64-bit

Private Sub cmd_Quit_Click()
   Application.Quit acQuitSaveAll               ' Closes form and exits Access
End Sub

Answer 4

No official solution from MS yet. Perhaps the best solution is to turn cursor indicator off. Access closes normally in the absence of EoAExperiences.exe.

I used SysInternals to watch EoAExperiences.exe. Turn Text Cursor Indicator Off and EoAExperiences.exe is stopped and disappears. Turn it back on and EoAExperiences.exe reappears.

As Christoff says:

1. Turn on text cursor indicator in Windows settings
   • Settings
   • Ease of Access
     • Text Cursor
   • Turn on text cursor indicator
     --> this starts %windir%\system32\EoAExperiences.exe

I have also turned off "Share Across Devices" and "Near By Sharing" which may be related to EoAExperiences.exe but not sure about that.

Answer 5

Well it is March 2023 and I finally found out how to prevent "Ease of Access Experiences" from running. On my system, this is what creates the famous zombie copy of Access that runs in the back ground after Access closes. The zombie prevents Access from re-opening ... until I manually kill it (and the Zombie) in Task Manager. With both gone, Access works normally, reopening without issue. Some history: The problem went away for about a year after an update fixed the bug. But... it returned on my computer about 6 months ago after yet another update. I have been living with this for all that time. Recently Access started losing records that I know I entered the day before. That was enough. I decided and to get serious about getting rid of EoAExperience all together.

I asked Copilot how to do it. Copilot said "Ease of Access Service, it is a feature in Windows operating systems that provides accessibility options for users with disabilities. Unfortunately, it cannot be removed entirely from Windows, but you can adjust its settings to suit your needs."

Here is what solved the problem for me:
- Select "Ease of Access Center" in the old Control Panel app

- Uncheck "Always read ... aloud" and "Always scan this section"

then look down the list of settings under "Explore All Settings". Open each one and clear every check box in every setting.

It has been 10 days now and the problem seems to be permanently solved ... until ... the next update switches one of those settings back on.

I am using Version 2402 Build 17328.20108 which "About Access" reports as Microsoft® Access® for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2402 Build 16.0.17328.20108) 64-bit.

Good luck folks. I hope this banishes the zombie for you.