SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview FAQ

SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview is the latest preview version of Microsoft's integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure, from SQL Server to Azure SQL. SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) provides the ability to configure, monitor, and administer instances of SQL Server, as well as Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure SQL databases. Use SSMS to deploy, monitor, and upgrade the data-tier components used by your applications, as well as develop queries and scripts. SSMS runs on Windows and is a free download from Microsoft.

SSMS 21 includes several new features and enhancements:

• Update to Visual Studio 2022: SSMS 21 is now based on Visual Studio 2022.
• 64-bit Architecture: SSMS is now a 64-bit application, ensuring smoother operations and reduced out-of-memory errors.
• Enhanced User Interface: A refreshed, modernized design with updated icons, the initial phase of dark theme, and customizable layouts.
• Enhanced Query Editing: New options exist within the query editor to improve efficiency when editing and managing scripts.
• Improved Azure Administration: Improved support for managing users and logins for Azure SQL Database.
• Compatibility: Full compatibility with SQL Server 2022, including support for the latest features.
• Git Integration: Integration with Git for tracking, managing, and collaborating on SQL scripts.
• Performance & Reliability: Numerous under-the-hood enhancements for smoother performance and improved stability.
• Security Features: A new Always Encryption Assessment wizard, and an updated Azure Authentication experience.

For a full list of new features, visit the official release notes.

For more information about SSMS 21, including release notes and documentation, visit the official Microsoft Learn content for SQL Server Management Studio 21.

Yes, SSMS 21 is designed to be backward compatible with previous versions of SQL Server. You can use it to manage all supported SQL Server versions, such as SQL Server 2022, SQL Server 2019, and earlier versions.

Yes, SSMS 21 includes enhanced integration for managing Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance environments.

The system requirements for SSMS 21 include:

• Operating System: Windows 10 or later
• Processor: 1.8 GHz or faster
• Memory: 4-GB RAM minimum
• Hard Disk Space: 4 GB of available disk space
• Display: 1280 x 800 resolution or higher

No. SSMS is available only for Windows.

To install SSMS 21, you must use the Visual Studio installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.

No. SSMS 21 doesn't require any edition of Visual Studio (for example, Community, Enterprise) to be installed. SSMS 21 isn't an extension or workload of Visual Studio.

It doesn't matter! SSMS 21 is installed in a separate location that you can select in the installer.

Yes.

SSMS 21 is free for personal or enterprise use.

No. SQL Server Management Studio 21 Preview has its own EULA) and remains a free application, just as it always has been.

Anyone can use SSMS 21! However, it's designed to simplify tasks performed by database administrators, database developers, system administrators, and independent software vendors.

SSMS 21 is a Visual Studio 2022-based solution, and offers an integrated experience when working with SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and Azure Synapse Analytics. SSMS 21 makes the core experiences that you rely on every day simple and easy with built-in features such as multiple tab windows, a rich SQL query editor, IntelliSense, keyword completion, code snippets, and source control integration (Git). You can execute queries on-demand, view, and save results as text or CSV, edit data, and browse database objects in object explorer.

SSMS 21 offers a consistent experience to back up and restore your databases. With support for SQL Server Always On Availability Groups, you can easily configure, monitor, and troubleshoot Availability Groups for your mission-critical SQL Server databases and quickly failover to a secondary database during a disaster. SSMS has been designed to make you more productive in the DevOps lifecycle of your databases of choice on the operating systems of your choice. As a result, you're always in control, and you can reduce risks, solve problems faster, and continuously deliver value that exceeds customers' expectations.

No.

No.

Use SQL Server Management Studio 21 if you:

• Are doing complex administrative or platform configuration.
• Are doing security management, including login, user, and role management, and implementation of Always Encrypted.
• Need to make use of performance tuning advisors and dashboards.
• Use database diagrams and table designers.
• Need access to Registered Servers.
• Make use of live query stats or client statistics.

Database administrators (DBAs) typically use SSMS, but any data professional such as database administrator or system administrator can use SSMS.

Yes.

You can connect to a Fabric DW database from SSMS 21, but there are numerous improvements that need to be made in order to provide full support.

We'll make dark theme available across more dialogs in SSMS 21 over time. Initial support exists for dialogs that are most frequently accessed by users, including Object Explorer, Query Editor, Results pane, and Template Explorer. If you plan to use dark theme, and would like to provide feedback on the dialogs that you use the most, please go to the SSMS 21 dark theme support feedback item and add a comment.

Copilot for SSMS will soon be available in private preview.

No. When available, Copilot for SSMS will be an opt-in experience, available as an extension.

Yes, there will be multiple previews of SSMS 21. Notifications will occur within SSMS 21 when a new preview is available.

Use the SQL feedback site.