| title | SQL Server 2025 Release Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| description | Find information about SQL Server 2025 (17.x) limitations, known issues, help resources, and other release notes. | |
| author | MikeRayMSFT | |
| ms.author | mikeray | |
| ms.reviewer | randolphwest | |
| ms.date | 09/16/2025 | |
| ms.service | sql | |
| ms.subservice | release-landing | |
| ms.topic | release-notes | |
| ms.custom |
|
|
| monikerRange | >=sql-server-2016 |
[!INCLUDE sqlserver2025]
This article describes requirements, and limitations for [!INCLUDE sssql25-md].
This article is updated for release candidate (RC) 1.
This release candidate [!INCLUDE sssql25-md] supports upgrading from previous versions of SQL Server. The operating system environment must meet the requirements in Hardware and software requirements for SQL Server 2025 Preview.
Explore preview development features with a new PREVIEW_FEATURES database scoped configuration. Enable PREVIEW_FEATURES to test some features, such as vector indexes. This configuration lets you try select features in preview even after SQL Server reaches general availability. These features will become generally available in future cumulative updates. When a cumulative update provides general availability for a feature, the database-scoped configuration is no longer be necessary for that feature.
To use these features, enable the PREVIEW_FEATURES database scoped configuration.
[!INCLUDE preview-features]
All other features described in the What's new in SQL Server 2025 Preview article are aligned with the release of SQL Server. They don't require enabling the preview feature database scoped configuration.
For more information, review Opt in for preview features - FAQ.
The Optimized Halloween protection feature isn't currently available in [!INCLUDE sssql25-md] starting with RC 0. For more information, see the SQL Server 2025: introducing optimized Halloween protection blog.
[!INCLUDE sssql25-md] introduces breaking changes to a few SQL Server Database Engine features. To learn more, review Breaking changes to Database Engine features in SQL Server 2025 Preview.
| Build | Version number | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Preview (RC 1) | 17.0.925.4 | September 16, 2025 |
| Preview (RC 0) | 17.0.900.7 | August 20, 2025 |
| Preview (CTP 2.1) | 17.0.800.3 | June 16, 2025 |
| Preview (CTP 2.0) | 17.0.700.9 | May 19, 2025 |