Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS): Your Free Tool to Manage SQL Server Express

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is your go-to integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure. Whether you’re working with SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Synapse Analytics, SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric, or Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric, SSMS provides the tools you need. It’s essential for anyone looking to configure, monitor, and administer SQL Server instances and databases, including those using SQL Server Express.

With SSMS, you can effortlessly deploy, monitor, and upgrade the data-tier components that power your applications. It’s also a robust tool for building and executing queries and scripts against your databases. If you’re using SQL Server Express and need a powerful, free tool to manage it, download SQL Server Management Studio to streamline your database administration tasks.

SSMS empowers you to query, design, and manage your databases and data warehouses, regardless of their location – be it on your local machine or in the cloud. For users who require a cross-platform solution for managing SQL and other Azure databases, Azure Data Studio is an excellent alternative.

For the latest updates and detailed information on what’s new in the current release, refer to the Release notes for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 20.2. And for those interested in preview features, you can find details and download information for SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview 1 at Install SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview.

Get Started: Download SSMS for SQL Server Express Management

Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 20.2 – The latest Generally Available Version

SSMS 20.2 is the most recent generally available (GA) version. If you’re running a preview version of SSMS 20, it’s recommended to uninstall it before installing SSMS 20.2. Notably, installing SSMS 20.2 will not upgrade or replace any existing SSMS 19.x or earlier versions.

Here are the key details for the current release:

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

By downloading and using SQL Server Management Studio, you automatically agree to the license terms and privacy statement. For feedback, suggestions, or to report any issues, the SSMS team encourages you to use the SSMS Developer Community site.

SSMS 20.x is designed to install alongside older versions like SSMS 19.x and earlier. This means you can have multiple versions installed on the same machine. However, if you have a prior preview version of SSMS 20 installed, you must uninstall it before installing the latest GA release of SSMS 20. You can easily check if you have a preview version by navigating to Help > About within SSMS.

When running side-by-side installations of SSMS, always ensure you’re launching the correct version for your current needs. The latest version is clearly labeled as Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio v20.2.

It’s important to note that for SSMS versions 18.7 through 19.3, Azure Data Studio was automatically installed alongside SSMS. This was to allow users to leverage the innovative features of Azure Data Studio within their SQL Server Management environment.

To delve deeper into Azure Data Studio and its capabilities, explore What is Azure Data Studio and the FAQ.

Language Options for SSMS Download

This version of SSMS is available in multiple languages, catering to a global audience.

SQL Server Management Studio 20.2 Languages:

If you’re viewing this page in a non-English language, you can always access the most current content by selecting Read in English at the top of the page. To download SQL Server Management Studio in different languages, simply explore the available languages section on the download page.

It’s worth mentioning that the SQL Server PowerShell module is distributed separately through the PowerShell Gallery. For details on installing it, see Install the SQL Server PowerShell module.

What’s New in the Latest SSMS Version?

Stay informed about the latest enhancements and features by reading the Release notes for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). This document provides a comprehensive overview of what’s new in this release, helping you make the most of the updated tools.

Accessing Previous SSMS Versions

This article focuses on the latest SSMS version. If you need to download and use previous versions of SQL Server Management Studio, you can find them listed under Previous SSMS releases.

A crucial update for users of older SSMS versions: As of December 2021, SSMS releases prior to 18.6 no longer support authentication to Database Engines via Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication (MFA). To continue using MFA, you must upgrade to SSMS 18.6 or later.

Similarly, connectivity to Azure Analysis Services using Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication requires SSMS 18.5.1 or later. Ensure you have a compatible version if you rely on these features.

Unattended Installation of SSMS

For automated deployments, SSMS supports unattended installation via PowerShell.

Here’s how to perform a silent installation of SSMS without any graphical prompts:

Open PowerShell with administrator privileges.

Execute the following commands, adjusting the paths as needed:

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

For 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

You can replace /Quiet with /Passive to view the setup UI during installation.

Upon successful installation, SSMS will be located at %systemdrive%SSMStoCommon7IDESsms.exe (based on the example paths). For troubleshooting, examine the error code and the log file in %TEMP%SSMSSetup.

Uninstalling SSMS

When you uninstall SSMS, it’s important to understand that some shared components installed during SSMS setup are not automatically removed.

These 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 left uninstalled as they might be shared with other applications. Removing them could potentially cause issues with other software relying on these components.

SSMS and Azure Data Studio Co-Installation

For SSMS versions 18.7 through 19.3, Azure Data Studio was installed by default alongside SSMS. However, SSMS 20.0 and later versions do not include Azure Data Studio in the installation package.
- If a compatible or newer version of Azure Data Studio is already installed, the SSMS installer will skip the Azure Data Studio installation.
- You can find the specific version of Azure Data Studio included with each SSMS release in the release notes.
The Azure Data Studio installer requires the same security permissions as the SSMS installer.
Azure Data Studio is installed with its default settings: creating a Start Menu folder and adding Azure Data Studio to the system PATH. It does not create a desktop shortcut, nor is it set as the default editor for any file types.
Azure Data Studio localization is managed through Language Pack extensions, available in the extension marketplace.
To skip Azure Data Studio installation for SSMS versions 18.7 through 19.3, launch the SSMS installer with the command-line flag DoNotInstallAzureDataStudio=1.

Compatibility with SQL Server Offerings

This SSMS version is compatible with SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and later, including SQL Server Express. It’s optimized for the latest cloud features in Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Microsoft Fabric.
SSMS 20.x can coexist with SSMS 19.x, SSMS 18.x, SSMS 17.x, and SSMS 16.x on the same machine.
For SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), SSMS 17.x and later versions do not support connections to the older SQL Server Integration Services service. To manage legacy Integration Services versions, use the SSMS version that aligns with your SQL Server version. For example, use SSMS 16.x for SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Integration Services. Remember, SSMS 17.x and SSMS 16.x can be installed side-by-side. Since SQL Server 2012 (11.x), the SSIS Catalog database (SSISDB) is the recommended approach for managing Integration Services packages. See SSIS Catalog for more information.

SSMS System Requirements

The current SSMS release supports these 64-bit platforms with the latest service packs:

Supported Operating Systems:

Windows 11 (x64)
Windows 10 (x64) version 1607 (10.0.14393) and later
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 requires .NET Framework 4.7.2.

Additional Requirements:

Administrator rights are needed for SSMS installation or updates.
Running SSMS in a virtual machine requires a full Windows OS.
Windows containers are not supported.
SSMS is not supported in application virtualization environments like Microsoft App-V, MSIX for Windows, or third-party virtualization technologies.

To install SSMS on Windows Server Core, you may need to install the Server Core App Compatibility Feature on Demand.

Supported Hardware:

Processor: 1.8 GHz or faster x86 (Intel, AMD). Dual-core or better recommended.
RAM: 2 GB (4 GB recommended, 2.5 GB minimum for VMs).
Hard Disk Space: 3 GB to 10 GB of available space.

SSMS is available as a 32-bit application for Windows only. For cross-platform database management, consider Azure Data Studio. Learn more at Azure Data Studio.

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