Setting up SQL Server Management Studio for a Productive Work Environment

Working in SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) can be daunting if you don't know your way around the interface.
In this Article, you will find all the helpful ways I use SSMS in your daily, productive environment.
Updated on: March 10, 2026 @ 7:44 PM
  1. Allow for Pinned Opened Tabs«
  2. Line Number«
  3. Word Wrap«
  4. Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation«
  5. Change Default Location for Saving Query Results«
  6. Toggle the Results window On/Off«
  7. Comment and Uncomment out code«
  8. ▼Updated for SSMS 22▼«
  9. Where is the Title Bar?«
  10. Insert new tabs to the right of existing tabs
    Show tabs in Multiple Rows
    Show pinned tabs in a separate row    «
  11. Line Number«
  12. Word Wrap«
  13. Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation«
  14. Change Default Location for Saving Query Results«
  15. Change Theme of UI«
  16. Change Tab Location«
  17. Floating Windows«
  18. Locations of Documents«
  19. Stop showing [Success] Dialog ("Querying transaction count")«
  20. Prompt to save unsaved T-SQL query«
  21. Query Completion Message«
  22. Edit Top 200 Rows (change to All)«
Allow for Pinned Opened Tabs
Got to
[Options] | [Environment] | [Tabs and Windows]
Check this box.
[x]Show pinned tabs in a separate row
(This will allow you to Pin the most used Window to the top of the Stack.
All other windows will be below the Pinned Tags.
Line Number
Got to
[Options] | [Text Editor] | [All Languages] | [General]
Check this box.
[x][Line Numbers]
Word Wrap[Options] | [Text Editor] | [All Languages] | [General]
Check this box.
[x][Word Wrap]
Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation[Options] | [Designers]
Uncheck this box.
[ ][Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation (Uncheck)]
Change Default Location for Saving Query Results[Options] | [Query Results]
Default location for saving query results: (Mine is stored here, and this location is backed up.)
[G:\SQL Server Data\Query Results]
Toggle the Results window On/Off
When working on your Query, you may not want the Results window open all the time.
To toggle off or on, click [Ctrl]+[R]
Comment and Uncomment out code
Sometimes you want to comment out sections of code, or maybe you wrote up information about what a certain thing does.
To comment out.
Click [Ctrl]+[K] then [Ctrl]+[C]
To Uncomment
Click [Ctrl]+[K] then [Ctrl]+[U]
Updated for SSMS 22
Where is the Title Bar?
For some reason, they removed the Title Bar from the new SSMS 22.
I am not happy about this decision. I do not understand why they would do
Such a thing, but they did.
Maybe someone will design a plugin to give it back to those of us who want it.
Allow for Pinned Opened Tabs
Allow for Pinned Opened Tabs
Got to
[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Environment] | [Tabs]
Under [Document Tabs]
Check the following options
[x] Insert new tabs to the right of existing tabs
[x] Show tabs in Multiple Rows
[x] Show pinned tabs in a separate row
Uncheck the following (If you want)
[ ] Toggle multiple rows with the mouse wheel
Line Numbers[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Languages] | [Defaults]
On my Default in SSMS 22
Word Wrap[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Languages] | [Defaults][x] Word Wrap(If it does not take, uncheck and check again.)
Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Designers]
(The link will open the legacy Options dialog.)
Uncheck this box.
[ ][Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation (Uncheck)]
Change Default Location for Saving Query Results[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Query Results] | [SQL Server]
Default location for saving query results: (Mine is stored here, and this location is backed up.)
[G:\SQL Server Data\Query Results]
Change Theme of UI[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Environment] | [Visual Experience][Color theme]: Choose your theme.
To really know if you will like the theme you have chosen.
Have the [Object Explorer] open, so you can see what it looks like through the different selected [Themes].
You might not like what you see. So choose one you like and are comfortable with.
Change Tab Location[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Environment] | [Tabs]
From the right section, under [Tabs][[Tab layout]:{Top} is Default.
You can change it at any time by clicking the Gear icon and selecting a different location.
(I am going to try it on the Left, as in Notepad++, I have Opened Documents on the Left. So it would feel more natural to be the same.)
Floating Windows[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Environment] | [Windows] | [Floating Windows]
This is when you drag the Tab out of SSMS, and it creates its own [Tooless Window].
From here, you can select if you want to have a [None] | [Tool Window] | [Documents and Tool Window]
Locations of Documents[Tools] | [Options] | [All Settings] | [Projects and Solutions] | [Locations]
This is where you [Project location] | [User project template location] | [User item template location] are located.
I have the first one, [Project location] = [ A:\Projects\Microsoft\SSMS]
My A: Drive is where I store all my project files. This drive is constantly backed up. Saving them in case of a corrupt OS drive.
Stop showing Success Dialog ("Querying transaction count")[1] Open the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) application.
[2] Navigate to the Tools menu and select Options.
[3] In the left-hand sidebar, expand Query Execution, then select SQL Server.
[4] Choose the General sub-menu.
[5] Uncheck the option labeled Check for open transactions before closing T-SQL query windows.
[6] Click OK to save the changes.
Prompt to save unsaved T-SQL query
Caution when doing this, as you might be working on a Query and accidentally close the Window, losing all your work.
  1. Open the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) application.
  2. Navigate to the Tools menu and select Options.
  3. In the left-hand sidebar, expand [All Settings] | [Query Execution], then select [SQL Server].
  4. Choose the [General] sub-menu.
  5. [Prompt to save unsaved T-SQL query windows on close].
  6. Click OK to save the changes.
Query Completion Message
To remove the "Completion time" text from the Messages tab
  1. Open the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) application.
  2. Navigate to the Tools menu and select Options.
  3. In the left-hand sidebar, expand [All Settings] | [Query Execution], then select [SQL Server].
  4. Choose the [Advanced] sub-menu.
  5. 3rd from the bottom, Uncheck [Show completion]
  6. Click OK to save the changes.
Edit Top 200 Rows (change to All)
  1. Navigate to the Tools menu and select Options.
  2. In the left-hand sidebar,
    expand [All Settings]
    [SQL Server Object Explorer]
    [Commands].
  3. Choose the [Table and View Options].
  4. Change the top one from [200] to [0]
  5. Now, click out of the window, and you should now be able to select [Edit All Rows]