Install SQL Server documentation to view offline in SSMS

Applies to: SQL Server

This article describes how to download and view offline SQL Server content in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). Offline content enables you to access the documentation without an internet connection (although an internet connection is initially required to download it).

Overview

Offline documentation is available for versions of SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions. Although you can view content for previous versions online, an offline option provides a convenient way to access the older content.

• SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions
• SQL Server 2014 (12.x)
• SQL Server 2012 (11.x)

If your system doesn't have internet access and you want to install the offline content, first download the content on a system that has internet access, and then move the package over to the offline system. Use SSMS to locate the installation file path and load the files.

Offline content for SQL Server

The following steps explain how to load offline content for SQL Server, by using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) that has access to the internet.

SQL Server 2016 and later versions

This section describes how to load offline content for SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.

1. In SSMS, select Add and Remove Help Content on the Help menu.

   

   The Help Viewer opens to the Manage Content tab.

2. To find the latest help content for SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions, under the Manage Content tab choose Online under the Installation source and then type in sql server in the search bar.

   

   Note

   The Local store path on the Manage Content tab shows where on the local computer the content is installed. To change the location, select Move, enter a different folder path in the To field, and then select OK. If the help installation fails after changing the Local store path, close and reopen Help Viewer. Ensure the new location appears in the Local store path and then try the installation again.

3. To install the latest help content for SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions, select Add next to each content package (book) that you want to install and then select Update in the lower right.

   

   Note

   If the Help Viewer freezes (hangs) while adding content, change the Cache LastRefreshed="<mm/dd/yyyy> 00:00:00" line in the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\HelpViewer2.x\HlpViewer_SSMSx_en-US.settings or HlpViewer_VisualStudiox_en-US.settings file to some date in the future. For more information about this issue, see Visual Studio Help Viewer freezes.

4. You can verify that the SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later version content loaded, by searching under the left content pane for sql server <nnnn>, where <nnnn> is the version you installed.

   

5. (Optional) To move the content to an offline system, go to the Local store path (mentioned in step 2) where the files were installed. Copy the ContentStore and IndexStore folders to new folder in another location. After copying, zip up the folders and their contents, then copy them to the offline system.

6. On the offline system, open SSMS, select Add and Remove Help Content on the Help menu. Go to the Manage Content tab and note the location for the Local store path. Close SSMS.

7. Extract the contents of the zip file. Copy the contents of the ContentStore folder into the ContentStore folder within the Local store path.

   Note

   The installedBooks.*.xml file should be larger than 1 KB. If there are two files with the same names, rename the smaller file to .old by changing the file extension.

8. Copy the contents of the IndexStore folder into the IndexStore folder within the local store path.

9. Open SSMS, select Add and Remove Help Content on the Help menu to view the documentation.

SQL Server 2014

This section describes how to load offline content for SQL Server 2014 (12.x).

Important

SQL Server 2014 (12.x) Transact-SQL content is only available offline.

1. Download the Product Documentation for Microsoft SQL Server 2014 for firewall and proxy restricted environments content from the download center and save it to a folder.

2. Unzip the file to view the *.msha* file.

   

3. In SSMS, select Add and Remove Help Content on the Help menu.

   

   The Help Viewer opens to the Manage Content tab.

4. To install the latest help content, choose Disk under Installation source and then the ellipses (...).

   

   Note

   The Local store path on the Manage Content tab shows where on the local computer the content is located. To change the location, select Move, enter a different folder path in the To field, and then select OK. If the help installation fails after changing the Local store path, close and reopen the Help Viewer. Ensure the new location appears in the Local store path and then try the installation again.

5. Locate the folder where you unzipped the content. Select the HelpContentSetup.msha file in the folder then select Open.

   

6. Type in sql server 2014 in the search bar. Once you see the 2014 content available, select Add next to each content package (book) that you want to install to Help Viewer and then select Update.

   

   

   Note

   If the Help Viewer freezes (hangs) while adding content, change the Cache LastRefreshed="<mm/dd/yyyy> 00:00:00" line in the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\HelpViewer2.x\HlpViewer_SSMSx_en-US.settings or HlpViewer_VisualStudiox_en-US.settings file to some date in the future. For more information about this issue, see Visual Studio Help Viewer freezes.

7. You can verify that the SQL Server 2014 content installed by searching under the content pane on the left for sql server 2014.

   

SQL Server 2012

This section describes how to load offline content for SQL Server 2012 (11.x).

1. Download the Product Documentation for Microsoft SQL Server 2012 for firewall and proxy restricted environments content from the download center and save it to a folder.

2. Unzip the file to view the *.msha* file.

   

3. In SSMS, select Add and Remove Help Content on the Help menu.

   

   The Help Viewer opens to the Manage Content tab.

4. To install the latest help content, choose Disk under Installation source and then the ellipses (...).

   

   Note

   The Local store path on the Manage Content tab shows where on the local computer the content is located. To change the location, select Move, enter a different folder path in the To field, and then select OK. If the help installation fails after changing the Local store path, close and reopen the Help Viewer. Ensure the new location appears in the Local store path and then try the installation again.

5. Locate the folder where you unzipped the content. Select the HelpContentSetup.msha file in the folder then select Open.

   

6. Type in sql server 2012 in the search bar. Once you see the 2012 content available, select Add next to each content package (book) that you want to install to Help Viewer and then select Update.

   

   

   Note

   If the Help Viewer freezes (hangs) while adding content, change the Cache LastRefreshed="<mm/dd/yyyy> 00:00:00" line in the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\HelpViewer2.x\HlpViewer_SSMSx_en-US.settings or HlpViewer_VisualStudiox_en-US.settings file to some date in the future. For more information about this issue, see Visual Studio Help Viewer freezes.

7. You can verify that the SQL Server 2012 (11.x) content is loaded by searching under the content pane on the left for sql server 2012.

   

View offline documentation

You can view SQL Server help content using the Help menu in the latest version of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

View offline help content in SSMS

To view the installed help in SSMS, select Launch in Help Viewer from the Help menu, to launch the Help Viewer.

Help Viewer opens to the Manage Content tab, with the installed help table of contents in the left pane. Select Articles in the table of contents to display them in the contents pane.

Important

If the contents pane isn't visible, select Contents on the left margin. Select the pushpin icon to keep the contents pane open.

Lifecycle policy

Review the Microsoft Product Lifecycle for information about how a specific product, service, or technology is supported:

• Microsoft Lifecycle Policy

Get help

• Ideas for SQL: Have suggestions for improving SQL Server?
• Microsoft Q & A (SQL Server)
• DBA Stack Exchange (tag sql-server): Ask SQL Server questions
• Stack Overflow (tag sql-server): Answers to SQL development questions
• Reddit: General discussion about SQL Server
• Microsoft SQL Server License Terms and Information
• Support options for business users
• Contact Microsoft
• Additional SQL Server help and feedback

Contribute to SQL documentation

Did you know that you can edit SQL content yourself? If you do so, not only do you help improve our documentation, but you also get credited as a contributor to the page.

For more information, see How to contribute to SQL Server documentation

Related content

• Online documentation for SQL Server 2016 and later versions
• SQL Server 2014 online documentation
• Previous versions of SQL Server documentation
• Versioning system for SQL documentation