open-database-diagram-designer-visual-database-tools.md

title	Open Database Diagram Designer
ms.custom	seo-lt-2019
ms.date	01/19/2017
ms.prod	sql
ms.prod_service	sql-tools
ms.technology	ssms
ms.topic	conceptual
helpviewer_keywords	opening Database Diagram Designer Database Diagram Designer database diagrams [SQL Server], Database Diagram Designer diagrams [SQL Server], Database Diagram Designer
ms.assetid	9427c418-1e2f-464f-8a6c-9109f053e832
author	markingmyname
ms.author	maghan
ms.manager	jroth
ms.reviewer

Open Database Diagram Designer (Visual Database Tools)

[!INCLUDEappliesto-ss-asdb-asdw-pdw-md] The Database Diagram Designer is a visual tool that allows you to design and visualize a database to which you are connected. When designing a database, you can use Database Designer to create, edit, or delete tables, columns, keys, indexes, relationships, and constraints. To visualize a database, you can create one or more diagrams illustrating some or all of the tables, columns, keys, and relationships in it.

You can open Database Diagram Designer by opening a new or existing diagram.

Open a new database diagram

1. Right-click the Database Diagrams node of your database in Object Explorer.

2. From the drop-down menu, click New Database Diagram.

3. In the Add Table dialog box, choose tables to work with in the diagram.

   [!NOTE]
   If you choose Close without adding tables, you can go back and add tables later.

4. The Database Diagram menu will be added to the main menu and the designer pane will open.

Open an existing database diagram

1. Right-click the diagram under the Database Diagrams node of your database in Object Explorer.

2. From the drop-down menu, click Design Database Diagram.

3. The Database Diagram menu will be added to the main menu and the diagram will open in the designer pane.

See Also

Design Database Diagrams (Visual Database Tools)