Sql Server Management Studio 2019 New May 2026
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 18.0 was launched with SQL Server 2019 as a standalone installer based on the Visual Studio 2017 shell, featuring improvements in side-by-side installation, data masking, and Azure Data Studio integration [21, 28, 29]. As of April 2026, SSMS 22 is the recommended general availability release for managing SQL Server 2019, which moved to extended support on February 28, 2025 [11, 41]. For more details, visit the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.
Note: There is no official "SSMS 2019" version number; the major version released alongside SQL Server 2019 was SSMS 18.0 (later updated to 18.12.1). Below are the major features introduced in the SSMS 18.x generation. sql server management studio 2019 new
Migration Checklist: Moving from SSMS 17 to 18
If you are upgrading from SSMS 17 (for SQL 2016/2017), here is your checklist: SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 18
- Uninstall SSMS 17 (SSMS 18 installs side-by-side but to avoid confusion).
- Export your registered servers:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SQL Server Management Studio\17.0\SqlStudio.bin - Import into 18 via
Tools > Import Registered Servers. - Reinstall your custom add-ins (e.g., Redgate, ApexSQL) – many require SSMS 18-specific versions.
- Reset your keyboard mapping to "Visual Studio Code" if you use cross-platform habits.
8. Diagnostics & Troubleshooting
- Query Store Viewer: Built-in viewer with custom time intervals, top resource consumers, and regression detection.
- Performance Dashboard: Updated with newer DMVs for CPU, I/O, and wait stats.
- Error Log Viewer: Search, filter, and export SQL Server error log entries.
- Deadlock Graph Viewer: Enhanced XML deadlock report rendering with graphical diagram.
5. Backup & Restore
- Backup to URL – SMB 3.0: Direct backup to Azure Blob Storage using Shared Access Signature (SAS) – no storage key required.
- Restore from URL: Browse and restore from multiple backup files in cloud storage.
- Backup Checksum Validation: Enabled by default in UI with user configurable options.