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sqlcmd-start-the-utility.md

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title Start the sqlcmd Utility | Microsoft Docs
ms.custom
ms.date 03/06/2017
ms.prod sql-server-2014
ms.reviewer
ms.technology database-engine
ms.topic conceptual
ms.assetid 00d57437-7a29-4da1-b639-ee990db055fb
author MightyPen
ms.author genemi
manager craigg

Start the sqlcmd Utility

To begin using sqlcmd, you must first launch the utility and connect to an instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]. You can connect to either a default or named instance. The first step is to start the sqlcmd utility.

Note

Windows Authentication is the default authentication mode for sqlcmd. To use [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] Authentication, you must specify a user name and password by using the -U and -P options.

Note

By default, [!INCLUDEssExpress] installs as the named instance sqlexpress.

If you have not connected to this instance of the [!INCLUDEssDEnoversion] before, you may have to configure [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] to accept connections.

To start the sqlcmd utility and connect to a default instance of SQL Server

  1. On the Start menu click Run. In the Open box type cmd, and then click OK to open a Command Prompt window.

  2. At the command prompt, type sqlcmd.

  3. Press ENTER.

    You now have a trusted connection to the default instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] that is running on your computer.

    1> is the sqlcmd prompt that specifies the line number. Each time you press ENTER, the number increases by one.

  4. To end the sqlcmd session, type EXIT at the sqlcmd prompt.

To start the sqlcmd utility and connect to a named instance of SQL Server

  1. Open a Command Prompt window, and type sqlcmd -SmyServer\instanceName. Replace myServer\instanceName with the name of the computer and the instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] that you want to connect to.

  2. Press ENTER.

    The sqlcmd prompt (1>) indicates that you are connected to the specified instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion].

    [!NOTE]
    Entered [!INCLUDEtsql] statements are stored in a buffer. They are executed as a batch when the GO command is encountered.

See Also

Run Transact-SQL Script Files Using sqlcmd