SSMS Utility
Applies to: 
SQL Server
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure Synapse Analytics
Analytics Platform System (PDW)
The SSMS utility opens SQL Server Management Studio. If specified, Ssms also establishes a connection to a server, and opens queries, scripts, files, projects, and solutions.
You can specify files that contain queries, projects, or solutions. Files that contain queries are automatically connected to a server if connection information is provided and the file type is associated with that type of server. For instance, .sql files open a SQL Query Editor window in SQL Server Management Studio, and .mdx files open an MDX Query Editor window in SQL Server Management Studio. SQL Server Solutions and Projects open in SQL Server Management Studio.
Note
The Ssms utility does not run queries. To run queries from the command line, use the sqlcmd utility.
Syntax
Ssms
[scriptfile] [projectfile] [solutionfile]
[-S servername] [-d databasename] [-G] [-U username] [-E] [-nosplash] [-log [filename]?] [-?]
Arguments
scriptfile Specifies one or more script files to open. The parameter must contain the full path to the files.
projectfile Specifies a script project to open. The parameter must contain the full path to the script project file.
solutionfile Specifies a solution to open. The parameter must contain the full path to the solution file.
[-S servername] Server name
[-d databasename] Database name
[-G] Connect using Active Directory Authentication. The type of connection is determined whether -U is included.
Note
Active Directory - Universal with MFA support is not currently supported.
[-U username] User name when connecting with 'SQL Authentication'
Note
-P was removed in SSMS version 18.0.
Workaround: Try to connect to the server once using the UI and save your password.
[-E] Connect using Windows Authentication
[-nosplash] Prevents SQL Server Management Studio from displaying the splash screen graphic while opening. Use this option when connecting to the computer running SQL Server Management Studio by means of Terminal Services over a connection with a limited bandwidth. This argument is not case-sensitive and may appear before or after other arguments
[-log[filename]?] Logs SQL Server Management Studio activity to the specified file for troubleshooting
[-?] Displays command-line help
Remarks
All of the switches are optional and separated by a space except files, which are separated by commas. If you do not specify any switches, Ssms opens SQL Server Management Studio as specified in the Options settings on the Tools menu. For example, if the Environment/General page At startup option specifies Open new query window, Ssms opens with a blank Query Editor.
The -log switch must appear at the end of the command line, after all, other switches. The filename argument is optional. If a filename is specified, and the file does not exist, the file is created. If the file cannot be created - for example, due to insufficient write access, the log is written to the nonlocalized APPDATA location instead (See below). If the filename argument is not specified, two files are written to the current user's nonlocalized application data folder. The nonlocalized application data folder for SQL Server can be found from the APPDATA environment variable. For example, for SQL Server 2012, the folder is <system drive>:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\AppEnv\10.0\. The two files are, by default, named ActivityLog.xml and ActivityLog.xsl. The former contains the activity log data, and the latter is an XML style sheet, which provides a more convenient way to view the XML file. Use the following steps to view the log file in your default XML viewer, like Internet Explorer: Click Start, then click Run...", then type "<system drive>:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\AppEnv\10.0\ActivityLog.xml" into the field provided, and then press Enter.
Files that contain queries prompt to be connected to a server if connection information is provided and the file type is associated with that type of server. For instance, .sql files open a SQL Query Editor window in SQL Server Management Studio, and .mdx files open an MDX Query Editor window in SQL Server Management Studio. SQL Server Solutions and Projects open in SQL Server Management Studio.
The following table maps server types to file extensions.
| Server type | Extension |
|---|---|
| SQL Server | .sql |
| SQL Server Analysis Services | .mdx .xmla |
Examples
The following script opens SQL Server Management Studio from a command prompt with the default settings:
Ssms
The following scripts opens SQL Server Management Studio from a command prompt using Active Directory - Integrated:
Ssms.exe -S servername.database.windows.net -G
The following script opens SQL Server Management Studio from a command prompt, with Windows Authentication, with the Code Editor set to the server ACCTG and the database AdventureWorks2022, without showing the splash screen:
Ssms -E -S ACCTG -d AdventureWorks2022 -nosplash
The following script opens SQL Server Management Studio from a command prompt, and opens the MonthEndQuery script.
Ssms "C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\SQL Server Management Studio Projects\FinanceScripts\FinanceScripts\MonthEndQuery.sql"
The following script opens SQL Server Management Studio from a command prompt, and opens the NewReportsProject project on the computer named developer:
Ssms "\\developer\fin\ReportProj\ReportProj\NewReportProj.ssmssqlproj"
The following script opens SQL Server Management Studio from a command prompt, and opens the MonthlyReports solution:
Ssms "C:\solutionsfolder\ReportProj\MonthlyReports.ssmssln"