Azure Data Studio Retired: Switch to VS Code or SSMS

VS Code with the MSSQL extension, Microsoft’s replacement for Azure Data Studio. Image from Microsoft Learn.

Azure Data Studio, Microsoft’s free database tool for Windows, was retired on February 28, 2026. It gets no more updates or security fixes, so Microsoft now points everyone to two other free tools.

For writing queries and building apps, the replacement is Visual Studio Code with the MSSQL extension. Your queries, scripts and database projects open there without any conversion. For server administration, such as SQL Server Agent jobs, Microsoft sends you to SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

Both are free. VS Code runs on Windows 10 and 11, while the current SSMS needs Windows 11 or Windows Server.

Below: what the retirement means, where every Azure Data Studio feature went, how to switch step by step, and which tool to pick. Stuck mid-move? Reach out to us directly.

Retired on

February 28, 2026

Updates

None, no security fixes

Main replacement

VS Code + MSSQL

For admin work

SSMS

Get the MSSQL Extension for VS Code →Download SSMS

Table of Contents

What Happened to Azure Data Studio?

Microsoft retired Azure Data Studio to put its work into fewer tools. Its features moved into the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, and full server administration stays in SSMS.

Azure Data Studio was itself built on the VS Code editor, so the move is smaller than it sounds. The editor, IntelliSense (code suggestions as you type), Git and the integrated terminal all work the same way in VS Code.

On the retirement date Microsoft also archived the Azure Data Studio GitHub project, which means it is read-only. The last build is still listed there, but nobody will fix new bugs or security holes in it.

Can I keep using Azure Data Studio?

If it is already installed, it still opens. But an unpatched tool that holds database passwords is a risk, and it will fall further behind new SQL Server and Azure SQL features. Do not install it on new PCs, and plan your move now. Microsoft’s own notes are on its Azure Data Studio retirement page.

Where Each Azure Data Studio Feature Went

Microsoft published a replacement for every Azure Data Studio feature. Here is the full map in plain terms.

Azure Data Studio Features and Their Replacements

From Microsoft’s retirement guidance. Checked October 2026

Azure Data Studio feature	Where it lives now
Query editor, results grid, charts of results	MSSQL extension for VS Code
SQL notebooks (.ipynb)	SQL Notebooks in the MSSQL extension, using the MSSQL kernel
SQL Server Profiler	Query Profiler in the MSSQL extension, or XEvent Profiler in SSMS
SQL Server Agent jobs	SSMS
Backup, restore and database admin	Database operations in the MSSQL extension, or SSMS for full administration
Schema Compare	Schema Compare and Schema Designer in the MSSQL extension
Flat file import (.csv and .txt)	Import flat file in the MSSQL extension
DACPAC and BACPAC import and export	Data-tier Application tools in the MSSQL extension, or the SqlPackage command line
SQL database projects	SQL Database Projects extension for VS Code, or Visual Studio
Azure SQL migration and assessment	Azure’s own migration tools and the Azure Arc migration assessment
PostgreSQL extension	PostgreSQL extension for VS Code
Azure Cosmos DB (MongoDB API)	Azure Databases extension for VS Code
MySQL extension	No replacement announced yet

Using MySQL? Microsoft has not named a VS Code replacement for the Azure Data Studio MySQL extension. Until it does, a general database tool or MySQL’s own MySQL Workbench is the practical stopgap.

VS Code with the MSSQL Extension

The MSSQL extension is free and made by Microsoft. It works with SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance and SQL database in Microsoft Fabric, on Windows 10 and 11 (including Arm PCs). If you spent your day writing queries in Azure Data Studio, this is your new home.

CONNECT

Connection dialog

Connect with a server name and login, paste a full connection string, or browse the databases in your Azure account. Saved and recent connections sit on the right, and you can group them in color-coded folders.

MSSQL extension Connect to Database dialog in VS Code with fields for server name, authentication type, user name and database, plus saved and recent connections

DESIGN

Table designer

Right-click a table and choose Modify Table Structure to edit columns, keys, indexes and constraints in a form.

The designer writes the CREATE TABLE script for you as you go. Publish it straight to the database, or copy the script and run it yourself.

MSSQL extension table designer in VS Code creating a Magazines table with columns, primary key options and a generated CREATE TABLE script

PERFORMANCE

Query plan visualizer

See how SQL Server runs a query, step by step, with the cost of each step. Sort by elapsed time or cost to find the slow part fast.

Use Estimated Plan to check a query before you run it, or Enable Actual Plan to see what really happened.

MSSQL extension query plan visualizer in VS Code showing a SELECT, Top and Clustered Index Scan plan with cost percentages

SCHEMA

Schema designer

View a whole database as a diagram of tables and their relationships. Drag tables around, add new ones, and publish the changes.

With GitHub Copilot connected, you can describe a change in plain words and the designer drafts it for you to review.

MSSQL extension schema designer in VS Code showing a diagram of database tables with their columns and the relationships between them

GitHub Copilot chat

Right-click a database and choose Chat with this database to ask questions in plain words or get help writing T-SQL. Needs a GitHub account with Copilot access.

NOTEBOOKS

SQL notebooks

Mix runnable SQL cells with notes, saved as standard .ipynb files. Pick the MSSQL kernel and your old notebooks run against your database.

MONITOR

Query Profiler

Watch live database activity with Extended Events (SQL Server’s built-in event tracing), the replacement for the old Profiler extension.

DATA

Edit data in a grid

Double-click a table to change rows like a spreadsheet. Changes wait until you select Save Changes, and you can see the script first.

How to Move from Azure Data Studio to VS Code

The whole switch takes about ten minutes. Nothing in your scripts or projects needs converting.

1 Install Visual Studio Code from code.visualstudio.com, or run winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode in Windows Terminal.

2 Open the Extensions view with Ctrl + Shift + X.

3 Search for mssql and install SQL Server (mssql), published by Microsoft.

4 Select the SQL Server icon in the left bar, then Add Connection, and enter your server details.

5 Open your old work folder with File, then Open Folder. Your .sql files, notebooks and SQL projects open as they are.

6 Add the other extensions you need, such as the PostgreSQL or SQL Database Projects extensions, from the same Extensions view.

VS Code Extensions view showing the SQL Server (mssql) extension by Microsoft ready to install

Search for mssql in VS Code’s Extensions view and install SQL Server (mssql) by Microsoft. Image from Microsoft Learn.

Know when it worked: a SQL Server icon appears in the left bar and the Connections view opens. Want more add-ons? See our best VS Code extensions for developers.

Get the MSSQL Extension for VS Code →Download SSMS

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for Admin Work

SSMS is Microsoft’s full SQL Server admin tool, and it is free. Keep it for the jobs the MSSQL extension does not cover, above all SQL Server Agent jobs and server-level settings. It works with SQL Server 2014 and later, plus Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric.

SQL Server Management Studio with Object Explorer open on a SQL Server 2025 instance, showing databases, security, replication and SQL Server Agent folders

SSMS with Object Explorer open, including the SQL Server Agent folder that VS Code does not have. Image from Microsoft Learn.

SSMS System Requirements

From Microsoft Learn. Checked October 2026

Requirement	What you need
Windows	Windows 11 (Home, Pro, Enterprise or Education, including Arm64), or Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025
Not supported	Windows 10, Windows in S mode, 32-bit Windows
Processor	x64, quad-core or better recommended
Memory	4 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended
Disk space	4 GB to 50 GB, depending on what you install
Screen	1366 by 768 or higher, 1920 by 1080 recommended

1 Download the SSMS installer (vs_SSMS.exe) from Microsoft’s SSMS install page.

2 Run it and select Yes at the User Account Control prompt. You need admin rights.

3 Pick any extra workloads in the Visual Studio Installer, or keep the defaults.

4 Select Install, then open SSMS from the Start menu when it finishes.

SSMS has GitHub Copilot too. Sign in with a GitHub account that has Copilot access to get chat, code suggestions and an agent mode that can run queries with your approval. Setting up a test server first? See our SQL Server 2025 download guide.

VS Code or SSMS: Which Should You Use?

Many people end up with both. Use VS Code for daily query work and SSMS when you need to manage the server itself.

VS Code with MSSQL vs SSMS

The practical differences

	VS Code + MSSQL extension	SSMS
Price	Free	Free
Windows support	Windows 10 and 11, x64 and Arm64	Windows 11 and Windows Server only
Mac and Linux	Yes	No
Best at	Writing queries, app development, notebooks, Git	Full administration and server settings
SQL Server Agent jobs	No	Yes
Live activity tracing	Query Profiler	XEvent Profiler
GitHub Copilot	Yes, with Copilot access	Yes, with Copilot access
Install size	Small editor plus one extension	4 GB to 50 GB

DEVELOPERS

Pick VS Code if

You mostly write and test queries, you build apps, you work on a Mac or Linux machine too, or your PC still runs Windows 10. It feels the most like Azure Data Studio.

DBAS

Pick SSMS if

You manage SQL Server for a living: Agent jobs, security, replication, high availability and server settings. Install it next to VS Code, not instead of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still download Azure Data Studio?

The final build is still listed on Microsoft’s archived Azure Data Studio GitHub project, but Microsoft no longer supports it and it gets no security fixes. For a new install, use VS Code with the MSSQL extension instead.

Will my Azure Data Studio notebooks work in VS Code?

Yes. Azure Data Studio notebooks are standard .ipynb files. Open one in VS Code with the MSSQL extension installed, choose the MSSQL kernel, connect to your server, and the SQL cells run as before.

Does the MSSQL extension work with MySQL or PostgreSQL?

No. The MSSQL extension covers SQL Server, Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric. For PostgreSQL, install Microsoft’s PostgreSQL extension for VS Code. Microsoft has not announced a MySQL replacement yet.

Can I install SSMS on Windows 10?

Not the current version. SSMS 22 supports Windows 11 and Windows Server 2019, 2022 and 2025 only. On a Windows 10 PC, use VS Code with the MSSQL extension, which supports Windows 10 and 11.

Is SSMS available for Mac or Linux?

No, SSMS is Windows only. On a Mac or Linux machine, VS Code with the MSSQL extension is Microsoft’s supported tool for SQL Server and Azure SQL.

Do I need to pay for GitHub Copilot to use the MSSQL extension?

No. The MSSQL extension is free and works fully without Copilot. Only the AI features, such as chat with your database and Copilot in the schema designer, need a GitHub account with Copilot access.

Support and Community

What’s happening with Azure Data Studio, Microsoft’s official retirement and migration guide.
MSSQL extension documentation on Microsoft Learn, with a guide for every feature.
MSSQL extension on GitHub, to report bugs or request features from Microsoft’s team.
SSMS documentation on Microsoft Learn, including release notes and Copilot setup.
r/SQLServer on Reddit, a large community of SQL Server admins and developers.

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