Applies to: SQL Server Management Studio 22 on Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is Microsoft’s free tool for managing SQL Server databases: running queries, creating databases and users, and taking backups. Since version 22, SSMS is installed through the Visual Studio Installer. These steps follow Microsoft’s installation guide.

Install SSMS

  1. Sign in to Windows as an administrator, install the latest Windows updates and restart.
  2. Download the SSMS 22 installer from Microsoft (the file is called vs_SSMS.exe). It is a small bootstrapper that downloads the rest.
  3. Run it, confirm the User Account Control prompt and click Continue to accept the licence terms. The Visual Studio Installer opens.
  4. Optionally choose extra workloads or components, then click Install.

Updates also come through the Visual Studio Installer. SSMS 22 works with SQL Server 2014 and later, and with Azure SQL.

Connect to SQL Server

  1. Open SSMS. In the Connect to Server window, choose Database Engine.
  2. Server name: localhost or .\SQLEXPRESS for SQL Server on the same machine; for a remote server, its IP address or host name (add ,1433 or another port if needed).
  3. Authentication: Windows Authentication, or SQL Server Authentication with a login and password.
  4. If you get a certificate error, tick Trust server certificate for a test server, or install a proper certificate on the server.

Remote connections don’t work?

  • Enable TCP/IP for the instance in SQL Server Configuration Manager and restart the SQL Server service.
  • Allow TCP port 1433 in Windows Firewall, only from the IP addresses that need it. Never open SQL Server to the whole internet.
  • For named instances such as SQLEXPRESS, start the SQL Server Browser service or use a fixed port.

Running SQL Server on a Windows VPS? Connect to the VPS with Remote Desktop and install SSMS there, or connect from your own computer over a firewall rule limited to your IP address.

Official documentation: Microsoft: install SQL Server Management Studio.

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