SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) Download and Comprehensive Guide

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) stands as the quintessential integrated environment for managing your entire SQL infrastructure. Whether you’re working with SQL Server on-premises, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Synapse Analytics, SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric, or Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric, SSMS provides a unified suite of tools. It empowers database administrators and developers to configure, monitor, and administer SQL Server instances and databases with efficiency and precision. Leverage SSMS to streamline deployment processes, proactively monitor performance, and execute seamless upgrades to your data-tier components that underpin critical applications. Furthermore, SSMS is your go-to tool for crafting intricate queries and robust scripts to interact with your databases.

SSMS equips you to effortlessly query, design, and manage databases and data warehouses irrespective of their location – be it on your local machine or scaled in the cloud. It is an indispensable tool for anyone working within the Microsoft SQL ecosystem.

For users seeking a cross-platform alternative to SSMS that extends management capabilities to SQL and other Azure databases, Azure Data Studio is the recommended companion, offering flexibility across different operating systems.

For detailed insights into the latest features and enhancements incorporated in this release, refer to the comprehensive Release notes for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 20.2.

If you are interested in exploring the cutting-edge features of the upcoming version, download and delve into the SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview for a sneak peek into future capabilities.

Downloading SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 20.2

SSMS 20.2 represents the most current Generally Available (GA) release. If you have previously installed a preview version of SSMS 20, it is crucial to uninstall it before proceeding with the installation of SSMS 20.2. It’s important to note that installing SSMS 20.2 will not upgrade or replace any existing SSMS 19.x or earlier versions; it installs alongside them, allowing you to maintain access to previous versions if needed.

• Release Number: 20.2
• Build Number: 20.2.30.0
• Release Date: July 9, 2024

By downloading and utilizing SQL Server Management Studio, you are agreeing to the associated license terms and privacy statement. Your feedback is invaluable; to share comments, suggestions, or report any issues, the SSMS development team encourages you to use the dedicated SSMS Developer Community site.

The installation process for SSMS 20.x is designed to coexist with prior installations of SSMS 19.x and earlier. This side-by-side installation ensures that upgrading to the latest version doesn’t disrupt your access to older tool versions. Both versions will be available for use. However, if you have a preview version of SSMS 20 already installed, you must first uninstall it to ensure a clean installation of the latest SSMS 20.2 release. To identify if you have a preview version installed, simply navigate to the Help > About window within SSMS.

When multiple SSMS versions are installed on a single computer, it is essential to verify that you are launching the correct version tailored to your specific task. The latest version, SSMS 20.2, is clearly labeled as Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio v20.2.

Important Note:

For users of SQL Server Management Studio versions 18.7 through 19.3, Azure Data Studio is automatically bundled and installed alongside SSMS. This integration allows SSMS users to benefit from the innovative features and capabilities present in Azure Data Studio, a versatile cross-platform and open-source tool suitable for cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments.

To gain a deeper understanding of Azure Data Studio and its features, explore What is Azure Data Studio or consult the FAQ for common questions and answers.

Language Availability

SSMS 20.2 is available in a variety of languages to cater to a global user base.

SQL Server Management Studio 20.2 Languages:

If you are accessing this page in a non-English language version and wish to view the most current content, select Read in English located at the top of the page. To download SSMS in different languages, refer to the available languages section, where you can find the specific language download links.

Note:

The SQL Server PowerShell module is distributed separately through the PowerShell Gallery. For details on installation, see Install the SQL Server PowerShell module.

What’s New in SSMS 20.2

For comprehensive details regarding the new features, enhancements, and bug fixes included in this release, consult the Release notes for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). This document provides a detailed overview of all the changes and improvements in SSMS 20.2.

Accessing Previous SSMS Versions

This article specifically addresses the latest version of SSMS. To download and utilize previous versions of SQL Server Management Studio, please visit Previous SSMS releases. This section of the release notes archive provides links to download older versions of SSMS.

Note:

As of December 2021, versions of SSMS released prior to 18.6 no longer support authentication to Database Engines using Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication (MFA). To continue leveraging MFA for secure connections, it is necessary to use SSMS 18.6 or later.

Connectivity to Azure Analysis Services via Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication also requires SSMS 18.5.1 or later. Ensure you are using a compatible version to maintain uninterrupted access to Azure services with MFA enabled.

Unattended Installation of SSMS

For automated deployment scenarios, SSMS supports unattended installation via PowerShell, enabling silent installations without user interaction.

Follow these steps to perform a silent background installation of SSMS:

1. Launch PowerShell with administrator privileges.

2. Execute the following command, adjusting the paths as necessary:

   $media_path = "<path to ssms-setup-enu.exe>"
   $install_path = "<installation root path for ssms>"
   $params = " /Install /Quiet SSMSInstallRoot=$install_path"
   Start-Process -FilePath $media_path -ArgumentList $params -Wait

   Example:

   $media_path = "C:InstallersSSMS-Setup-ENU.exe"
   $install_path = "$env:SystemDriveSSMSto"
   $params = "/Install /Quiet SSMSInstallRoot=`"$install_path`""
   Start-Process -FilePath $media_path -ArgumentList $params -Wait

   Alternatively, replace /Quiet with /Passive to display the setup UI during installation while still automating the process.

3. Upon successful installation, SSMS will be located at %systemdrive%SSMStoCommon7IDESsms.exe as per the example path. In case of installation failures, examine the error code returned and consult the detailed log file located in %TEMP%SSMSSetup for troubleshooting information.

Uninstalling SSMS

During the installation of SSMS, certain shared components may be installed if they are not already present on the system. It is important to note that uninstalling SSMS does not automatically remove these shared components.

The shared components include:

• Microsoft OLE DB Driver 18 for SQL Server
• Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server
• Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 Redistributable (x86)
• Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 Redistributable (x64)
• Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Applications 2019

These components are intentionally not uninstalled automatically because they may be utilized by other applications on your system. Removing them could potentially cause disruptions or instability in other software that depends on these shared resources. Manual removal should only be considered if you are certain no other applications rely on these components.

Azure Data Studio Integration with SSMS

• SSMS versions 18.7 through 19.3 include Azure Data Studio in their default installation package. However, SSMS 20.0 and later versions do not automatically install Azure Data Studio.
  • If a compatible version of Azure Data Studio or a more recent version is already installed on the system, the SSMS installer will skip the Azure Data Studio installation to avoid conflicts or redundancy.
  • The specific version of Azure Data Studio bundled with SSMS can be found in the release notes for the corresponding SSMS version.
• The Azure Data Studio installer requires the same administrative privileges as the SSMS installer to proceed with installation.
• Azure Data Studio is installed using its default installation settings. This includes creating a Start Menu folder for easy access and adding Azure Data Studio to the system PATH environment variable. A desktop shortcut is not created by default, and Azure Data Studio is not set as the default editor for any specific file types during this bundled installation.
• Localization for Azure Data Studio is managed through Language Pack extensions. To localize Azure Data Studio to your preferred language, install the appropriate Language Pack extension from the extension marketplace.
• For SSMS versions 18.7 through 19.3, the installation of Azure Data Studio can be bypassed by launching the SSMS installer with the command-line flag DoNotInstallAzureDataStudio=1. This option provides control over whether Azure Data Studio is installed as part of the SSMS installation process.

Supported SQL Offerings

• This version of SSMS is compatible with SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and subsequent versions, ensuring broad compatibility across your SQL Server landscape. It is specifically optimized to provide enhanced support for the latest cloud-based features in Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Microsoft Fabric, allowing you to leverage the newest advancements in Microsoft’s data platform.
• SSMS 20.x is designed to be installed alongside previous versions, including SSMS 19.x, SSMS 18.x, SSMS 17.x, and SSMS 16.x. This side-by-side installation capability offers flexibility and allows you to maintain compatibility with different SQL Server environments and projects that may require specific SSMS versions.
• For SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), SSMS versions 17.x and later do not support connections to the legacy SQL Server Integration Services service. To manage and connect to older, legacy Integration Services instances, you need to use the SSMS version that aligns with the SQL Server version you are targeting. For example, use SSMS 16.x to connect to the legacy SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Integration Services service. It’s worth noting that SSMS 17.x and SSMS 16.x can coexist on the same machine, providing the necessary tools for both modern and legacy SSIS management. Since SQL Server 2012 (11.x), the SSIS Catalog database (SSISDB) has been the recommended approach for managing, storing, running, and monitoring Integration Services packages. For more information, refer to SSIS Catalog.

SSMS System Requirements

The current SSMS release is designed to operate on the following 64-bit platforms, requiring the latest available service packs for optimal performance and compatibility:

Supported Operating Systems:

• Windows 11 (x64)
• Windows 10 (x64) version 1607 (10.0.14393) and later versions
• Windows Server 2022 (x64)
• Windows Server Core 2022 (x64)
• Windows Server 2019 (x64)
• Windows Server Core 2019 (x64)
• Windows Server 2016 (x64) ¹

¹ SSMS mandates the presence of .NET Framework 4.7.2 or a later version.

Additional System Requirements:

• Installation and updates of SSMS necessitate administrator rights on the system.
• Running SSMS within a virtual machine environment requires a full Windows operating system installation.
• Windows containers are not officially supported for SSMS deployments.
• SSMS is not supported in application virtualization environments such as Microsoft App-V, MSIX for Windows, or any third-party application virtualization technologies.

Note:

To successfully install SSMS on Windows Server Core, it is essential to first install the Server Core App Compatibility Feature on Demand. This feature provides the necessary components for SSMS to function correctly on Server Core installations.

Supported Hardware:

• Processor: 1.8 GHz or faster x86 (Intel, AMD) processor. Dual-core or better is recommended for improved performance.
• RAM: 2 GB of RAM minimum; 4 GB of RAM is recommended for optimal performance. For virtual machine environments, a minimum of 2.5 GB of RAM is advised.
• Hard Disk Space: A minimum of 3 GB, up to 10 GB of available disk space may be required, depending on the features installed and system configuration.

Note:

SSMS is exclusively available as a 32-bit application for Windows operating systems. If you require a database management tool that operates on platforms other than Windows, Azure Data Studio is highly recommended. Visit Azure Data Studio for comprehensive details on its cross-platform capabilities and features.

Get Help with SQL Tools

For additional assistance, troubleshooting, and community support related to SQL Server tools, numerous resources are available online and through Microsoft’s support channels.

Related Content

Explore these related resources for further information on SQL Server Management Studio and related tools:

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For detailed guidance on how to contribute, see Edit Microsoft Learn documentation.