---
title: "SQL Server Agent Service cannot use SQL Server Authentication | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "06/13/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: "database-engine"
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "authentication [SQL Server Agent]"
  - "SQL Server Authentication [SQL Server Agent]"
ms.assetid: c39f3ec3-fc2c-4c12-940f-60d8d3d17660
author: mashamsft
ms.author: mathoma
manager: craigg
---
# SQL Server Agent Service cannot use SQL Server Authentication
  [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent only supports Windows Authentication when the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent service connects to an instance of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)].  
  
## Component  
 [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent  
  
## Description  
 In [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)], the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent service can only log on to the database using Windows Authentication. This means that the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent service account must be a [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] user.  
  
 For more information, see the topics "Security for Automatic Administration" and "Implementing [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent Security" in [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Books Online.  
  
## See Also  
 [SQL Server Agent Upgrade Issues](../../../2014/sql-server/install/sql-server-agent-upgrade-issues.md)