SQL Server Management Software: Your Ultimate Guide to SSMS

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) stands as the bedrock for managing any SQL infrastructure, from on-premises SQL Servers to cloud-based Azure SQL Databases. This integrated environment provides a comprehensive suite of tools designed to configure, monitor, and administer your SQL Server instances and databases effectively. Whether you need to deploy, monitor, or upgrade data-tier components for your applications, or construct intricate queries and scripts, SSMS is the go-to solution for database professionals.

With Sql Server Management Software, you gain the power to seamlessly query, design, and manage your databases and data warehouses, regardless of their location – be it your local machine or the expansive cloud. This flexibility makes SSMS an indispensable tool for modern data management.

For users seeking a cross-platform alternative to SSMS, especially for managing SQL and other Azure databases across different operating systems, Azure Data Studio offers a robust companion, extending your management capabilities beyond the Windows ecosystem.

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

For those interested in exploring upcoming features and providing feedback, Install SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview offers insights and download information for the SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview 1.

Get Started with SQL Server Management Software: Download SSMS

Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 20.2

SSMS 20.2 represents the most recent Generally Available (GA) version, ensuring stability and reliability for your daily SQL Server management tasks. If you are currently running a preview version of SSMS 20, it’s crucial to uninstall it before proceeding with the installation of SSMS 20.2 to avoid conflicts. Importantly, installing SSMS 20.2 will not automatically upgrade or replace any existing SSMS 19.x or earlier versions, allowing for side-by-side installations.

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 team encourages you to engage through the SSMS Developer Community site.

The SSMS 20.x installation is designed to coexist with previous installations, not to overwrite them. This means SSMS 20.x will install alongside SSMS 19.x and earlier versions, granting you the flexibility to have multiple versions available on the same system. However, if you have a preview iteration of SSMS 20 installed, it must be uninstalled prior to installing the latest SSMS 20 release. To ascertain if you have a preview version, navigate to the Help > About window within SSMS.

In environments where multiple SSMS versions are installed side-by-side, it’s essential to verify that you are launching the correct version tailored to your specific requirements. The most current version is clearly labeled as Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio v20.2.

Important Note:

For users of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) versions 18.7 through 19.3, Azure Data Studio was automatically bundled with SSMS. This integration allowed SSMS users to leverage the innovative features and capabilities of Azure Data Studio. Azure Data Studio serves as a versatile, cross-platform, and open-source desktop tool suitable for diverse environments, whether cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid. However, this automatic installation is not included in SSMS 20.0 and later versions.

To gain deeper insights into Azure Data Studio, explore What is Azure Data Studio or consult the FAQ.

Language Availability

This SSMS release offers broad language support, ensuring accessibility for a global user base.

SQL Server Management Studio 20.2 is available in the following languages: [List of languages available in SSMS 20.2].

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

Note:

The SQL Server PowerShell module is distributed separately via the PowerShell Gallery. For detailed instructions on installation, see Install the SQL Server PowerShell module.

What’s New in SQL Server Management Software?

To discover the detailed enhancements and new features incorporated in this release of SQL Server Management Software, consult the Release notes for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). This document provides a comprehensive overview of all the improvements and additions.

Accessing Previous Versions of SQL Server Management Software

This article specifically addresses the latest SSMS version. To download earlier versions of SSMS, please visit Previous SSMS releases. This section provides access to downloads and information for historical versions of the software.

Note:

It’s important to be aware that as of December 2021, SSMS versions predating 18.6 no longer support authentication to Database Engines using Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication (MFA). To maintain MFA functionality, it is necessary to upgrade to SSMS 18.6 or a later version.

Furthermore, connectivity to Azure Analysis Services through Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication mandates the use of SSMS 18.5.1 or later. Ensure your SSMS version meets these requirements for uninterrupted service.

Unattended Installation for Automated Deployments

For enterprise environments requiring automated deployments, SSMS supports unattended installations using PowerShell. This method allows for silent, background installations without user interface prompts.

Follow these steps to perform a silent installation of SSMS using PowerShell:

Initiate PowerShell with administrator privileges.

Execute the following command, customizing the paths to match your environment:

$media_path = "<path to SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe file location>"
$install_path = "<root location where SSMS files will be installed>"
$params = " /Install /Quiet SSMSInstallRoot=$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

Alternatively, replace /Quiet with /Passive to display a basic setup UI during installation.

Upon successful execution, SSMS will be installed at %systemdrive%SSMStoCommon7IDESsms.exe in accordance with the example paths. In case of installation failures, examine the returned error code and consult the log file located at %TEMP%SSMSSetup for troubleshooting details.

Uninstalling SQL Server Management Software

While SSMS is designed for straightforward installation, it’s important to understand the uninstallation process, especially regarding shared components. SSMS may install shared components if they are not detected on the system during installation. However, these shared components are not automatically removed when SSMS is uninstalled.

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 as they might be utilized by other applications on your system. Removing them could potentially disrupt the functionality of other software. Manual removal of these components should only be considered if you are certain they are no longer needed by other applications.

Integration with Azure Data Studio

For SSMS versions 18.7 through 19.3, Azure Data Studio was integrated and installed by default alongside SSMS. This integration is not present in SSMS 20.0 and later.
- The automatic installation of Azure Data Studio is intelligently skipped if a version of Azure Data Studio equal to or newer than the bundled version is already installed on the system.
- The specific version of Azure Data Studio bundled with SSMS can be found in the release notes for each SSMS version.
The Azure Data Studio installer inherits the same security permission requirements as the SSMS installer, ensuring consistent security protocols during installation.
The Azure Data Studio installation proceeds with default settings, which include creating a Start Menu folder and adding Azure Data Studio to the system PATH environment variable. A desktop shortcut is not created, and Azure Data Studio is not set as the default editor for any file types to maintain user preference flexibility.
Localization for Azure Data Studio is managed through Language Pack extensions. To localize Azure Data Studio, install the appropriate language pack from the extension marketplace.
For users of SSMS versions 18.7 through 19.3 who wish to skip the Azure Data Studio installation, this can be achieved by launching the SSMS installer with the command-line flag DoNotInstallAzureDataStudio=1. This provides users with control over the components installed.

Compatibility with SQL Server Offerings

This version of SSMS is compatible with SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and all subsequent versions, ensuring broad compatibility across your SQL Server landscape. It is specifically optimized to provide the most comprehensive support for the latest cloud-based features in Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Microsoft Fabric, making it future-proof for modern data platforms.
Furthermore, SSMS 20.x is designed for flexible deployment, capable of being installed concurrently with SSMS 19.x, SSMS 18.x, SSMS 17.x, and SSMS 16.x. This side-by-side installation capability allows users to maintain different versions for specific compatibility needs or feature preferences.
For SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), it’s important to note that SSMS 17.x and later versions do not support connections to the legacy SQL Server Integration Services service. To manage earlier, legacy Integration Services versions, utilize the SSMS version that aligns with the SQL Server version. For example, use SSMS 16.x to connect to the legacy SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Integration Services service. SSMS 17.x and SSMS 16.x can coexist on the same machine to facilitate this. Since SQL Server 2012 (11.x), the SSIS Catalog database, SSISDB, is the recommended approach for managing, storing, running, and monitoring Integration Services packages. For more information, see SSIS Catalog.

System Requirements for SQL Server Management Software

The current SSMS release is designed to operate on 64-bit platforms and supports the following operating systems when used with the latest available service packs, ensuring compatibility and performance across modern Windows environments:

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 requires .NET Framework 4.7.2. Ensure this prerequisite is met for proper functionality.

Additional System Requirements:

Administrator rights are necessary for both installation and updates of SSMS, reflecting the system-level changes the software manages.
Running SSMS within a virtual machine environment necessitates a full Windows operating system to ensure all functionalities are available.
Windows containers are not supported environments for SSMS, as it requires a more traditional operating system environment.
SSMS is not designed for application virtualization solutions like Microsoft App-V or MSIX for Windows, or any third-party app virtualization technologies. Direct installation on the operating system is required.

Note:

To install SSMS on Windows Server Core, the Server Core App Compatibility Feature on Demand must be installed beforehand. This feature ensures the necessary components for application compatibility are present in the Server Core environment.

Supported Hardware:

Processor: 1.8 GHz or faster x86 (Intel, AMD). Dual-core or better is recommended for enhanced performance, especially under heavy workloads.
RAM: 2 GB of RAM minimum; 4 GB is recommended for optimal performance. A minimum of 2.5 GB of RAM is required if running within a virtual machine.
Hard Disk Space: A minimum of 3 GB up to 10 GB of available space, depending on the features installed and usage scenarios. Allocate sufficient disk space to accommodate SSMS and related components.

Note:

SSMS is exclusively available as a 32-bit application for Windows operating systems. For users requiring a SQL management tool on non-Windows platforms, Azure Data Studio is recommended. Visit Azure Data Studio for more details on its cross-platform capabilities and features.

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For more details on how to participate, see How to contribute to SQL Server documentation.