This article details updates, improvements, and bug fixes for the current and previous versions of SSMS.
Nóta
In December 2021, releases of SSMS prior to 18.6 will no longer authenticate to Database Engines through Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication (MFA).
To continue utilizing MFA, you need SSMS 18.6 or later.
Connectivity to Azure Analysis Services through Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication requires SSMS 18.5.1 or later.
Introduced logging for the Always Encrypted wizard to facilitate troubleshooting.
Drivers
Updated SSMS to use the latest driver version for MSOLEDBSQL (18.7.4). The inclusion of this new version could require users who also have older versions of the driver to reboot after installing SSMS 20.2. For more information, review the release notes for the Microsoft OLE DB driver.
Integration Services
Removed HADOOP files from SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) installation files, this addresses CVE-2022-25168.
Libraries
Updated DacFx to version 162.3.566.
Libraries
Updated Server Management Objects (SMO) to version 171.36.0.
Libraries
Removed the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x86) from the SSMS installation. Upgrading from a previous version of 20.x does not remove the files.
Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance
Introduced support for a simplified link failover experience.
Bug fixes in 20.2
Feature
Details
Accessibility
Added accessibility support for Expand/Collapse in Database Properties.
Accessibility
Improved accessibility of radio buttons in the Restore Database dialog using arrow or tab keys.
Accessibility
Fixed labels for radio button controls in the Files page of Database Properties.
Accessibility
Fixed an issue with focus control in the Data Classification page.
Accessibility
Addressed issues with incomplete or unnecessary screen reader announcements in the Data Classification page.
Always Encrypted
Fixed error "Object reference not set to an instance of an object", which occurred when trying to create a Column Master Key after signing out of Azure.
Connection
Addressed an issue with truncated authentication methods in the Connection dialog when using Russian locale.
Connection
Fixed incorrect length of dropdown lists after changing the engine type.
Resolved a problem where SQL Server endpoint certificates were not loaded for the Managed Instance.
Object Explorer
Updated the script generated for external file formats to include the FIRST ROW property.
Object Explorer
Added Table-Valued Functions node within the Programmability > Functions node for Synapse.
Query Editor
Updated lock icons in the query editor toolbar to be color-aware.
Query Editor
Addressed error "Unable to query transaction count. The SQL text editor window will close without committing any open transactions" when closing an unsaved editor with either SHOWPLAN_ALL or SHOWPLAN_XML enabled, and the option Check for open transactions before closing T-SQL query windows enabled.
Query Plans
Reduced the number of characters in the Description of an execution plan to 1000. The full query is available using the ellipses.
When you connect to Analysis Services with Microsoft Entra MFA, if you add a new role or open properties for a role, the message "the identity of the user being added to the role isn't fetched properly" appears.
This error is benign and can be ignored. The error is addressed within the Azure infrastructure, and no updates to SSMS are required.
Analysis Services
After adding a new role, or when opening properties for an existing role, you can't use Search by name or email address to add a user.
A user can be added with the Manual Entry option.
Database Designer
Selecting the Design option for a view referencing a table using spatial data causes SSMS to crash.
Use T-SQL to make changes to the view.
Database Mirroring
If you launch the Database Mirroring Monitor from the mirrored node, the primary node isn't listed.
Register the mirrored node from Database Mirroring Monitoring, or use SSMS 18.12.1 to monitor from the mirrored node.
General SSMS
Import settings from SSMS 17 option not available.
Settings can be imported from SSMS 18.
Linked servers
Creating a linked server to Azure SQL Database with SQL Server selected as Server type connects to the master database.
To create a linked server to Azure SQL Database, select Other data source for the Server type, and select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server or Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server as the Provider. Enter the logical server name in the Data source field and the database name in the Catalog field.
Maintenance Plan
Selecting "Contents" after adding a backup file within the Destination pane of the Backup Database Task, causes the dialog to disappear.
Use SSMS 20.1 or SSMS 19.3 to access the Contents dialog.
PolyBase
PolyBase node isn't visible in Object Explorer when you connect to SQL Server 2022 (16.x).
Use SSMS 18.12.1.
Profiler
The Profiler menu isn't localized.
No current alternative.
Replication
If Azure SQL Managed Instance is the publisher and SSMS is running on a machine that isn't in the same virtual network as the publisher, you aren't able to insert a tracer token via Replication Monitor.
To insert tracer tokens, use Replication Monitor in SSMS on a machine that is in the same virtual network as the Azure SQL Managed Instance publisher.
Stretch Database
Removed Stretch Database Wizard.
Use T-SQL to configure Stretch Database or use SSMS 18.9.1 or earlier to use the Stretch Database Wizard.
Updated SSMS to use the latest driver versions for MSODBCSQL.MSI (17.10.6.1) and MSOLEDBSQL.MSI (18.7.2). The inclusion of these new versions could require users who also have older versions of the drivers to reboot after installing SSMS 20.1. For more information, review the release notes for the Microsoft ODBC driver and the Microsoft OLE DB driver.
Drivers
Updated Microsoft.Data.SqlClient version from 5.1.4 to 5.1.5.
Libraries
Updated Server Management Objects (SMO) version to 171.31.0.
Libraries
Updated Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable version to 14.38.33135.0. The inclusion of these new versions could require users who also have older versions of the drivers to reboot after installing SSMS 20.1.
Object Explorer
Updated Object Explorer to display table names prefixed with schema in Graph edge constraint connections.
Bug fixes in 20.1
Feature
Details
Maintenance Plans
Resolved issue where Backup Database Task dialog closed after selecting the Files and Filegroups radio button in the dialog.
SqlParser
Added support for DEFAULT_DATABASE option to CREATE LOGIN T-SQL syntax when using EXTERNAL PROVIDER.
SqlParser
Added support for NATIVE_COMPILATION and SCHEMABINDING options to CREATE TRIGGER T-SQL syntax.
Known issues 20.1
Feature
Details
Workaround
Analysis Services
When you connect to Analysis Services with Microsoft Entra MFA, if you add a new role or open properties for a role, the message "the identity of the user being added to the role isn't fetched properly" appears.
This error is benign and can be ignored. The error is addressed within the Azure infrastructure, and no updates to SSMS are required.
Analysis Services
After adding a new role, or when opening properties for an existing role, you can't use Search by name or email address to add a user.
A user can be added with the Manual Entry option.
Database Designer
Selecting the Design option for a view referencing a table using spatial data causes SSMS to crash.
Use T-SQL to make changes to the view.
Database Mirroring
If you launch the Database Mirroring Monitor from the mirrored node, the primary node isn't listed.
Register the mirrored node from Database Mirroring Monitoring, or use SSMS 18.12.1 to monitor from the mirrored node.
General SSMS
Import settings from SSMS 17 option not available.
Settings can be imported from SSMS 18.
Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance
After you remove an existing mirroring endpoint certificate on SQL Server, link creation through the wizard might fail due to unestablished trust between SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance, even though all checks are successful.
Use PowerShell command Get-AzSqlInstanceServerTrustCertificate to check whether SQL Server mirroring endpoint certificate named <SQL_Server_Instance_Name> exists in the Azure SQL Managed Instance. If so, use PowerShell command Remove-AzSqlInstanceServerTrustCertificate to remove it before a new link creation attempt.
Linked servers
Creating a linked server to Azure SQL Database with SQL Server selected as Server type connects to the master database.
To create a linked server to Azure SQL Database, select Other data source for the Server type, and select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server or Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server as the Provider. Enter the logical server name in the Data source field and the database name in the Catalog field.
PolyBase
PolyBase node isn't visible in Object Explorer when you connect to SQL Server 2022 (16.x).
Use SSMS 18.12.1.
Profiler
The Profiler menu isn't localized.
No current alternative.
Query Store Reports
Track Queries report does not update when alternate Metric and Execution options are selected within Configure.
Use SSMS 19.x.
Replication
If Azure SQL Managed Instance is the publisher and SSMS is running on a machine that isn't in the same virtual network as the publisher, you aren't able to insert a tracer token via Replication Monitor.
To insert tracer tokens, use Replication Monitor in SSMS on a machine that is in the same virtual network as the Azure SQL Managed Instance publisher.
SSIS
When creating or modifying an SSIS job step in a SQL Agent job, you receive the error "A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process. (provider: SSL Provider, error: 0 - The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted.) (Framework Microsoft SqlClient Data Provider)" regardless of whether Optional or Mandatory is selected for the Encryption property.
Use SSMS 19.3 to create or modify SSIS job steps.
Stretch Database
Removed Stretch Database Wizard.
Use T-SQL to configure Stretch Database or use SSMS 18.9.1 or earlier to use the Stretch Database Wizard.
The connection security properties Encryption and Trust server certificate now exist on the main sign in page in the Connection dialog for easier access. For more information, see Connect with SQL Server Management Studio.
Connection
A new property, Host Name in Certificate, used with the Strict (SQL Server 2022 and Azure SQL) and MandatoryEncryption options, now exists on the Login page of the Connection dialog.
Connection
Added icons to the Query Editor status bar to indicate the encryption method used for the connection.
Connection
Added Microsoft Entra ID authentication to New Login wizard.
Drivers
Updated Microsoft.Data.SqlClient version to 5.1.4, which includes support for Strict encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3.
Libraries
Updated Server Management Objects (SMO) version to 171.30.0
Libraries
Updated DacFx version to 162.1.x.
Options
Introduced a new option, Trust server certificate for imported connections, in Tools > Options > SQL Server Object Explorer > Commands under Connection security. For more information, see Options (SQL Server Object Explorer - Commands).
Bug fixes in 20.0
Feature
Details
Always Encrypted
The New Column Master Key dialog supports Azure Key Vault using role permissions for authorization.
Connection
Resolved an issue with SSMS crashing when trying to connect to Azure Storage because the user didn't have access to any containers within the storage account.
Connection
Fixed an issue where users couldn't change their password with Trust server certificate enabled.
Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance
Improved handling for importing and deleting certificates.
Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance
Addressed issues related to text and images in the Link wizards.
Security
Addressed vulnerability CVE-2023-2975 for the OpenSSL library.
Known issues 20.0
Feature
Details
Workaround
Analysis Services
When you connect to Analysis Services with Microsoft Entra MFA, if you add a new role or open properties for a role, the message "the identity of the user being added to the role isn't fetched properly" appears.
This error is benign and can be ignored. The error is addressed within the Azure infrastructure, and no updates to SSMS are required.
Analysis Services
After adding a new role, or when opening properties for an existing role, you can't use Search by name or email address to add a user.
A user can be added with the Manual Entry option.
Database Designer
Selecting the Design option for a view referencing a table using spatial data causes SSMS to crash.
Use T-SQL to make changes to the view.
Database Mirroring
If you launch the Database Mirroring Monitor from the mirrored node, the primary node isn't listed.
Register the mirrored node from Database Mirroring Monitoring, or use SSMS 18.12.1 to monitor from the mirrored node.
General SSMS
Import settings from SSMS 17 option not available.
Settings can be imported from SSMS 18.
Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance
After you remove an existing mirroring endpoint certificate on SQL Server, link creation through the wizard might fail due to unestablished trust between SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance, even though all checks are successful.
Use PowerShell command Get-AzSqlInstanceServerTrustCertificate to check whether SQL Server mirroring endpoint certificate named <SQL_Server_Instance_Name> exists in the Azure SQL Managed Instance. If so, use PowerShell command Remove-AzSqlInstanceServerTrustCertificate to remove it before a new link creation attempt.
Linked servers
Creating a linked server to Azure SQL Database with SQL Server selected as Server type connects to the master database.
To create a linked server to Azure SQL Database, select Other data source for the Server type, and select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server or Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server as the Provider. Enter the logical server name in the Data source field and the database name in the Catalog field.
Maintenance Plans
Selecting the Files and Filegroups radio button in the Backup Database Task causes the dialog to close unexpectedly.
No current alternative.
PolyBase
PolyBase node isn't visible in Object Explorer when you connect to SQL Server 2022 (16.x).
Use SSMS 18.12.1.
Profiler
The Profiler menu isn't localized.
No current alternative.
Query Store Reports
Track Queries report does not update when alternate Metric and Execution options are selected within Configure.
Use SSMS 19.x.
Replication
If Azure SQL Managed Instance is the publisher and SSMS is running on a machine that isn't in the same virtual network as the publisher, you aren't able to insert a tracer token via Replication Monitor.
To insert tracer tokens, use Replication Monitor in SSMS on a machine that is in the same virtual network as the Azure SQL Managed Instance publisher.
SSIS
When creating or modifying an SSIS job step in a SQL Agent job, you receive the error "A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process. (provider: SSL Provider, error: 0 - The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted.) (Framework Microsoft SqlClient Data Provider)" regardless of whether Optional or Mandatory is selected for the Encryption property.
Use SSMS 19.3 to create or modify SSIS job steps.
Stretch Database
Removed Stretch Database Wizard.
Use T-SQL to configure Stretch Database or use SSMS 18.9.1 or earlier to use the Stretch Database Wizard.
Known issues using Strict Encryption in 20.0
Feature
Details
Workaround
Connection
When SQL Server is configured with Force Strict Encryption, selecting Azure Data Studio > New Query from the server or database menu generates the error, "A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the pre-login handshake. (provider: TCP provider, error: 0 - An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host.)"
Update the connection to use Strict instead of Mandatory for the Encrypt property in Azure Data Studio, and then connect.
Connection
Connecting to SQL Server with Strict (SQL 2022 and Azure SQL) selected for Encryption and a non-TCP/IP network protocol generates the error, "Cannot connect to SERVERNAME. A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the pre-login handshake. (provider: Shared Memory Provider, error: 15 - Function not supported) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 50) The request is not supported"
Change the Network protocol connection property to use TCP/IP, or enable the TCP/IP protocol for the SQL Server.
Database Tuning Advisor
When SQL Server is configured with Force Strict Encryption, connection to the server from the Database Tuning Advisor isn't supported.
No alternative.
Maintenance Plans
When you connect to a server with Strict (SQL Server 2022 and Azure SQL) encryption, modifying an existing maintenance plan generates the error "Failed to connect to SERVERNAME. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo) A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process. (provider: SSL Provider, error: 0 - The target principal name is incorrect.)"
The problem doesn't occur when you connect with Mandatory or Optional encryption.
Profiler
When SQL Server is configured with Force Strict Encryption, connection to the server from Profiler isn't supported, and the error "Cannot connect to SERVERNAME. Class not registered (pfutil)" is generated.
When you connect to a server with Strict (SQL Server 2022 and Azure SQL) encryption and MSOLEDBSQL version 19 installed, traces can't be saved to, or loaded from, a database table.
No alternative.
PowerShell
When you connect to a server with Strict (SQL Server 2022 and Azure SQL) encryption, selecting Start Powershell from a node in Object Explorer generates the error "SQL Server PowerShell provider error: Could not connect to SERVERNAME. [Failed to connect to server SERVERNAME. --> A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the pre-login handshake. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0 - An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host.) --> An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host]".
No current alternative.
SQL Server Logs
When SQL Server is configured with Force Strict Encryption, you can't view the SQL Server ERRORLOG files via Object Explorer, or executing master.dbo.sp_enumerrorlogs or sys.xp_enumerrorlogs via the Query Editor.
View the ERRORLOG files in the Log folder using File Explorer.
The installation of SSMS installs Azure Data Studio 1.47.1.
Bug fixes in 19.3
Feature
Details
Accessibility
Addressed issue with screen reader announcing incomplete or incorrect information in the database properties dialog.
Always Encrypted
Fixed inability to change the Enable Secure Enclaves option when creating a new Azure SQL Database using a non-English installation of SSMS.
Availability Groups
Changed text color for primary server name in the Availability Group Dashboard, which caused the entry to appear empty.
Extended Events
Changed text color for data column after selecting View Target Data for the ring_buffer target.
Installer
Fixed issue where users might be prompted to update SQL Server Management Studio even if the current release is installed, see Bug in 19.2.56.2 update version detection.
Object Explorer
Resolved crash occurring when trying to close Object Explorer while the tree is still expanding.
When you connect to Analysis Services with Microsoft Entra MFA, if you add a new role or open properties for a role, the message "the identity of the user being added to the role is not fetched properly" appears.
This error is benign and can be ignored. It will be addressed within the Azure infrastructure soon, and no updates to SSMS are required.
Analysis Services
After adding a new role, or when opening properties for an existing role, you can't use Search by name or email address to add a user.
A user can be added with the Manual Entry option.
Database Designer
Selecting the Design option for a view that references a table using spatial data causes SSMS to crash.
Use T-SQL to make changes to the view.
Database Mirroring
When you launch the Database Mirroring Monitor from the mirrored node, the primary node isn't listed.
Use SSMS 18.12.1 if you need to monitor mirroring from the mirrored node.
General SSMS
Import settings from SSMS 17 option not available.
Settings can be imported from SSMS 18.
Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance
After you remove an existing mirroring endpoint certificate on SQL Server, link creation through the wizard might fail due to unestablished trust between SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance, even though all checks are successful.
Use PowerShell command Get-AzSqlInstanceServerTrustCertificate to check whether SQL Server mirroring endpoint certificate named "<SQL_Server_Instance_Name>" exists in the Azure SQL Managed Instance. If so, use PowerShell command Remove-AzSqlInstanceServerTrustCertificate to remove it before a new link creation attempt.
Linked servers
Creating a linked server to Azure SQL Database with SQL Server selected as Server type connects to the master database.
To create a linked server to Azure SQL Database, select Other data source for the Server type, and select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server or Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server as the Provider. Enter logical server name in the Data source field, and enter database name in the Catalog field.
PolyBase
PolyBase node isn't visible in Object Explorer when connecting to SQL 2022.
Use SSMS 18.12.1.
Profiler
The Profiler menu isn't localized.
No current alternative.
Replication
If Azure SQL Managed Instance is the publisher and SSMS is running on a machine, which isn't in the same virtual network as the publisher, you aren't able to insert a tracer token via Replication Monitor.
To insert tracer tokens, use Replication Monitor in SSMS on a machine that is in the same virtual network as the Azure SQL Managed Instance publisher.
Stretch DB
Removed Stretch DB Wizard.
Use T-SQL to configure Stretch DB or use SSMS 18.9.1 or earlier to use the Stretch DB Wizard.
SQL Server utility is no longer available in versions 17.x and newer.
Bug fixes in 17.9.1
Fixed an issue where users could experience their connection being closed and reopened with each query invocation when using "Azure Active Directory - Universal with MFA support" authentication with the SQL query editor. Side effects of the connection closing included global temporary tables being dropped unexpectedly and sometimes a new session ID (SPID) given to the connection.
Fixed a long outstanding issue where a restore plan would fail to find a restore plan or generate an inefficient one under certain conditions.
Fixed issue in the "Import Data-tier Application" wizard, which could result in an error when connected to an Azure SQL Database.
Nóta
Non-English localized releases of SSMS 17.x require the KB 2862966 security update package if installed on: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2008 R2.
Uninstall and reinstall SSMS 17.x
If your SSMS installation is having problems, and a standard uninstall and reinstall doesn't resolve them, you can first try repairing the Visual Studio 2015 IsoShell. If repairing the Visual Studio 2015 IsoShell doesn't resolve the problem, the following steps have been found to fix many random issues:
Uninstall SSMS the same way you uninstall any application (using Add or remove programs).
Uninstall Visual Studio 2015 IsoShell from an elevated cmd prompt:
Uninstall Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable the same way you uninstall any application. Uninstall both x86 and x64 if they're on your computer.
Reinstall Visual Studio 2015 IsoShell from an elevated cmd prompt:
Fixed issue introduced in SSMS 16.5.2, which was causing the expansion of the 'Table' node when the table had more than one sparse column.
Users can deploy SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages containing OData Connection Manager, which connects to a Microsoft Dynamics AX/CRM Online resource to the SSIS catalog. For more information, For details, see OData Connection Manager.
Configuring Always Encrypted on an existing table fails with errors on unrelated objects.
Configuring Always Encrypted for an existing database with multiple schemas doesn't work.
The Always Encrypted, Encrypted Column wizard fails due to the database containing views that reference system views.
When you encrypt with Always Encrypted, errors from refreshing modules after encryption are incorrectly handled.
Open recent menu doesn't show recently saved files.
SSMS is slow when right-clicking an index for a table (over a remote (Internet) connection).
Fixed an issue with the SQL Designer scrollbar.
Context menu for tables momentarily stops responding.
SSMS occasionally throws exceptions in Activity Monitor and crashes.
SSMS crashes with the error: "The process was terminated due to an internal error in the .NET Runtime at IP 71AF8579 (71AE0000) with exit code 80131506."
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