---
title: "Display and Save Execution Plans | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "06/13/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: performance
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "Showplan results"
  - "execution plans [SQL Server]"
  - "queries [SQL Server], tuning"
  - "execution plans [SQL Server], how-to topics"
  - "SQL Server Management Studio [SQL Server], execution plans"
  - "tuning queries [SQL Server]"
ms.assetid: bcd6f094-c613-4835-ae19-4caaadb4bb17
author: MikeRayMSFT
ms.author: mikeray
manager: craigg
---
# Display and Save Execution Plans
  This section explains how to display execution plans and how to save execution plans to a file in XML format by using Microsoft [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)].  
  
 Execution plans graphically display the data retrieval methods chosen by the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] query optimizer. Execution plans represent the execution cost of specific statements and queries in [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] using icons rather than the tabular representation produced by the SET SHOWPLAN_ALL or SET SHOWPLAN_TEXT statements. This graphical approach is very useful for understanding the performance characteristics of a query.  
  
## In This Section  
  
-   [Display the Estimated Execution Plan](display-the-estimated-execution-plan.md)  
  
-   [Display an Actual Execution Plan](display-an-actual-execution-plan.md)  
  
-   [Save an Execution Plan in XML Format](save-an-execution-plan-in-xml-format.md)