How To Install SQL Server Management Studio

Introduction

In this article, I am going to explain how to install SQL Server Management Studio step-by-step. The latest version of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is 18.8 released on December 17, 2020. The SQL Server Management Studio is software for querying, designing, and managing SQL Server on your local computer or in the cloud. It provides you with tools to configure, monitor, and administer SQL Server instances.

Note

Azure Data Studio is automatically installed alongside SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) in the latest version 18.8. Azure Data Studio is a cross-platform and open-source desktop tool for your environments, whether in the cloud, on-premises, or hybrid.

Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

Step 1

To install SQL Server Management Studio, you need to download it from this link.

Step 2

Click the "Download" button for downloading the SSMS executable file on the downloaded path.

Step 3

Open your system download path and find the .exe file. SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe

Step 4

Double-click the .exe file SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe to start installing. The installation process of SMSS is straightforward and you just need to follow the screen sequence.

Step 5

After double-clicking, the system will ask the permission: “Do you want to allow the following to make a change to this computer? Click yes to continue installing the SQL Server Management Studio, or...

Click “Yes” on any security prompt.

Step 6

The installation window will be open after giving permission to install. Click the Install button.

Step 7

After loading packages progress bar will be shown. One is Package Progress and Overall Progress. Wait for few minutes while the installer sets up the software.

Step 8

Installation completed. After completing the installation restart your computer for a complete setup.

Step 9

Go to all programs in your systems, and we can see two folders one is Microsoft SQL Server and another one is Microsoft SQL Server Tool 2018. Under Microsoft SQL Server Tools 18 you can see the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 18.

Step 10

Double-click on SQL Server Management Studio 18 and it will open looks like the below screenshot. The first time opening it will take a few minutes.

After opening SQL Server Management Studio 2018, we can see that it looks like the below screenshot.

Now we can connect to the server and use SQL Server Management Studio.

Conclusion

In this article, we explained how to install SQL Server Management Studio step-by-step.