How do I find SQL Server version?

Using GUI tools:

Method 1: SQL Server Management Studio
Method 2: Windows Explorer – file properties
Method 3: Windows Registry editor
Method 4: SQL Server ERRORLOG file

Using command–line:

Method 5: SQLCMD Utility
Method 6: OSQL Utility
Method 7: Windows PowerShell

Command–line examples:

Example 1: A batch that creates a CSV file with versions from multiple SQL Servers

GUI tools

Method 1: Using SQL Server Management Studio

The SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is the integrated environment for managing your SQL Server infrastructure. Management Studio is now a completely standalone product, not tied to any specific version or edition of SQL Server, and no longer requires licensing of any kind.

Option A: Object Explorer:

Connect to the server by using Object Explorer in SQL Server Management Studio. When Object Explorer is connected, it shows version information in parentheses.

Option B: Server Properties dialog:

Option C: Execute SQL statement:

Method 2: Windows Explorer – file properties

Example:

Path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL2017\MSSQL\Binn File: sqlservr.exe

Method 3: Windows Registry editor

Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL{MajorVersion}.{InstanceName}\Setup Value: PatchLevel

Example:

SQL Server 2017 (→ major version "14"), instance name "SQL2017"

Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL2017\Setup

Method 4: SQL Server ERRORLOG file

Path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL{MajorVersion}.{InstanceName}\MSSQL\Log File: ERRORLOG (without extension)

Example:

SQL Server 2017 (→ major version "14"), instance name "SQL2017"

Path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQL2017\MSSQL\Log

From command line

Possible SQL statements:

SELECT @@VERSION;

Typical results:

Microsoft SQL Server 2017 (RTM-CU13-OD) (KB4483666) - 14.0.3049.1 (X64) 
    Dec 15 2018 11:16:42
    Copyright (C) 2017 Microsoft Corporation
    Developer Edition (64-bit) on Windows 10 Pro 10.0 <X64> (Build 17763: )

(1 row affected)

Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (RTM-GDR) (KB4517790) - 15.0.2070.41 (X64) 
    Oct 28 2019 19:56:59
    Copyright (C) 2019 Microsoft Corporation
    Developer Edition (64-bit) on Windows 10 Pro 10.0 <X64> (Build 17763: )

(1 row affected)

-or-

SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion')         AS ProductVersion,
       SERVERPROPERTY('ProductLevel')           AS ProductLevel,
       SERVERPROPERTY('Edition')                AS Edition,
       SERVERPROPERTY('ProductUpdateLevel')     AS ProductUpdateLevel,
       SERVERPROPERTY('ProductUpdateReference') AS ProductUpdateReference;

Typical result:

ProductVersion  ProductLevel  Edition                     ProductUpdateLevel  ProductUpdateReference
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.0.3049.1     RTM           Developer Edition (64-bit)  CU13                KB4483666

(1 row affected)

-or-

EXEC sys.xp_msver;

Typical result:

Index  Name                 Internal_Value Character_Value
------ -------------------- -------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
1      ProductName          NULL           Microsoft SQL Server
2      ProductVersion       917504         14.0.3049.1
3      Language             1029           English (United States)
4      Platform             NULL           NT x64
5      Comments             NULL           SQL
6      CompanyName          NULL           Microsoft Corporation
7      FileDescription      NULL           SQL Server Windows NT - 64 Bit
8      FileVersion          NULL           2017.0140.3049.01 ((SQLServer2017-CU13-OD).181215-1843)
9      InternalName         NULL           SQLSERVR
10     LegalCopyright       NULL           Microsoft. All rights reserved.
11     LegalTrademarks      NULL           Microsoft SQL Server is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
12     OriginalFilename     NULL           SQLSERVR.EXE
13     PrivateBuild         NULL           NULL
14     SpecialBuild         199819265      NULL
15     WindowsVersion       199819265      6.3 (17763)
16     ProcessorCount       4              4
17     ProcessorActiveMask  NULL                          f
18     ProcessorType        8664           NULL
19     PhysicalMemory       3978           3978 (4171210752)
20     Product ID           NULL           NULL

(20 rows affected)

You can also use specific option:

EXEC sys.xp_msver 'ProductVersion';

Typical result:

Index  Name                 Internal_Value Character_Value
------ -------------------- -------------- ---------------
2      ProductVersion       917504         14.0.3049.1

(1 row affected)

Method 5: `SQLCMD` Utility

SQLCMD is a part of the SQL Server Client Tools.

Example:

sqlcmd.exe -S ServerName\InstanceName -E -Q "SELECT @@VERSION"

Method 6: `OSQL` Utility

OSQL is a part of the SQL Server Client Tools (obsolete but still functional).

Example:

osql.exe -S ServerName\InstanceName -E -Q "SELECT @@VERSION"

Method 7: Windows PowerShell

Example:

# The SQLPS module must be installed
Import-Module SQLPS

Invoke-SqlCmd -ServerInstance ".\SQL2017" -Query "SELECT @@VERSION"

Command line examples

Example 1: A batch that creates a CSV file with versions from multiple SQL Servers

Windows batch SqlServerVersionsToCsv.cmd:

echo SQLServer,Version > SQLServerVersions.csv
set query="SET NOCOUNT ON; SELECT CONCAT(CAST(SERVERPROPERTY('ServerName') AS VARCHAR(30)), ',', CAST(SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion') AS VARCHAR(30)));"
sqlcmd.exe -S Server1\Instance1 -E -h-1 -W -Q %query% >> SQLServerVersions.csv
sqlcmd.exe -S Server1\Instance2 -E -h-1 -W -Q %query% >> SQLServerVersions.csv
sqlcmd.exe -S Server2\Instance1 -E -h-1 -W -Q %query% >> SQLServerVersions.csv
.
.
etc.

You need to replace the ServerX\InstanceY with your SQL Server names, e.g. (local)\SQL2017, (local)\SQL2016.

Typical result – content of the file SQLServerVersions.csv:

SQLServer,Version 
SERVER1\SQL2017,14.0.3049.1
SERVER1\SQL2016,13.0.5239.0
SERVER2\SQL2014,12.0.6205.1

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