Plan a SQL Server installation
Applies to: 
SQL Server - Windows only
To install SQL Server, follow these steps:
Review installation requirements, system configuration checks, and security considerations for a SQL Server installation.
Run SQL Server Setup to install or upgrade to a later version. Before upgrading, review Upgrade SQL Server.
Use SQL Server utilities to configure SQL Server.
Regardless of the installation method, you must confirm acceptance of the software license terms as an individual, or on behalf of an entity, unless your use of the software is governed by a separate agreement such as a Microsoft volume licensing agreement or a third-party agreement with an independent software vendor (ISV) or original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
The license terms are displayed for review and acceptance in the Setup user interface. Unattended installations (using the /Q or /QS parameters) must include the /IAcceptSQLServerLicenseTerms parameter. Download and review the license terms separately at Microsoft SQL Server License Terms and Information. For volume licensing terms, see Licensing Terms and Documentation. For older versions of SQL Server, see Microsoft Software License Terms.
Note
Depending on how you received the software (for example, through Microsoft volume licensing), your use of the software might be subject to additional terms and conditions.
Considerations
| Area of consideration | Description |
|---|---|
| What's new in SQL Server installation | This article describes the details about the new or improved features of installation in this version of SQL Server. |
| Hardware and software requirements to run an instance of SQL Server | The following articles list the minimum hardware and software requirements to install and run an instance of SQL Server: - SQL Server 2016 and 2017: Hardware and software requirements - SQL Server 2019: Hardware and software requirements - SQL Server 2022: Hardware and software requirements |
| Security Considerations for a SQL Server Installation | This article describes some security best practices that you should consider both before and after you install SQL Server. |
| Configure Windows service accounts and permissions | This article describes the default configuration of services in this release of SQL Server, and configuration options for SQL Server services that you can set during and after SQL Server installation. |
| Network Protocols and Network Libraries | This article describes the default configuration of network protocols in this release of SQL Server, and the configuration options available. |
| Work with multiple versions and instances of SQL Server | This article describes the considerations for installing multiple versions and instances of SQL Server. |
| Local Language Versions in SQL Server | This article describes about the localized versions of SQL Server. |
Related sections
| Article | Description |
|---|---|
| SQL Server installation guide | This section provides an overview of different installation options we have for installing SQL Server. |
| Install SQL Server Business Intelligence Features | This section of the SQL Server Setup documentation explains how to install SQL Server features that are part of the Microsoft BI platform. |
| Upgrade SQL Server | The section provides an overview of upgrading from a previous version of SQL Server. |
| Uninstall SQL Server | Refer this section to uninstall an existing instance of SQL Server completely, and prepare the system so that you can reinstall SQL Server. |
| SQL Server Failover Cluster Installation | This section of the SQL Server Setup documentation explains how to install, and configure SQL Server failover cluster. |