view-a-sql-server-audit-log.md

title	View a SQL Server Audit Log | Microsoft Docs
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ms.date	03/14/2017
ms.prod	sql
ms.prod_service	database-engine
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ms.component	security
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ms.suite	sql
ms.technology	database-engine
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ms.topic	article
helpviewer_keywords	audits [SQL Server], viewing logs viewing audit logs logs [SQL Server], audit
ms.assetid	e8feaca0-7852-422b-895a-319b965d8d9b
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author	edmacauley
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manager	craigg
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View a SQL Server Audit Log

[!INCLUDEappliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md] This topic describes how to view a SQL Server audit log in [!INCLUDEssCurrent] by using [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull].

In This Topic

• Before you begin:

  Security

• To view a SQL Server audit log, using:

  SQL Server Management Studio

Before You Begin

Security

Permissions

Requires the CONTROL SERVER permission.

Using SQL Server Management Studio

To view a SQL Server audit log

1. In Object Explorer, expand the Security folder.

2. Expand the Audits folder.

3. Right-click the audit log that you want to view and select View Audit Logs. This opens the **Log File Viewer –**server_name dialog box. For more information, see Log File Viewer F1 Help.

4. When finished, click Close.

[!INCLUDEmsCoName] recommends viewing the audit log by using the Log File Viewer. However, if you are creating an automated monitoring system, the information in the audit file can be read directly by using the sys.fn_get_audit_file (Transact-SQL) function. Reading the file directly returns data in a slightly different (unprocessed) format. See sys.fn_get_audit_file for more information.

See Also

SQL Server Audit (Database Engine)
Write SQL Server Audit Events to the Security Log