---
title: Configure SQL Server Agent
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: sql-tools
ms.technology: ssms
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "SQL Server Agent, configuring"
  - "accounts [SQL Server], SQL Server Agent"
  - "SQL Server Agent, permissions"
  - "security [SQL Server], SQL Server Agent"
ms.assetid: 2e361a62-9e92-4fcd-80d7-d6960f127900
author: markingmyname
ms.author: maghan
ms.manager: jroth
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.custom: seo-lt-2019
ms.date: 01/19/2017
monikerRange: "= azuresqldb-mi-current || >= sql-server-2016 || = sqlallproducts-allversions"
---

# Configure SQL Server Agent

[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

> [!IMPORTANT]  
> On [Azure SQL Database managed instance](https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/sql-database/sql-database-managed-instance), most, but not all SQL Server Agent features are currently supported. Enabling and disabling SQL Server Agent is currently not supported in SQL Database managed instance. SQL Agent is always running. See [Azure SQL Database managed instance T-SQL differences from SQL Server](https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/sql-database/sql-database-managed-instance-transact-sql-information#sql-server-agent) for details.

This topic describes how to specify some configuration options for [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent during installation of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]. The full set of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent configuration options is only available within [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)], [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Management Objects (SMO), or the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent stored procedures.  
  
## <a name="BeforeYouBegin"></a>Before You Begin  
  
### <a name="Restrictions"></a>Limitations and Restrictions  
  
-   Click **SQL Server Agent** in Object Explorer of [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] to administer jobs, operators, alerts, and the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent service. However, Object Explorer only displays the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent node if you have permission to use it.  
  
-   Auto-restart should not be enabled for the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] service or the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent service on failover cluster instances.  
  
### <a name="Security"></a>Security  
  
#### <a name="Permissions"></a>Permissions  
To perform its functions, [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent must be configured to use the credentials of an account that is a member of the **sysadmin** fixed server role in [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]. The account must have the following Windows permissions:  
  
-   Log on as a service (SeServiceLogonRight)  
  
-   Replace a process-level token (SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege)  
  
-   Bypass traverse checking (SeChangeNotifyPrivilege)  
  
-   Adjust memory quotas for a process (SeIncreaseQuotaPrivilege)  
  
For more information about the Windows permissions required for the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent service account, see [Select an Account for the SQL Server Agent Service](../../ssms/agent/select-an-account-for-the-sql-server-agent-service.md) and [Setting Up Windows Service Accounts](../../database-engine/configure-windows/configure-windows-service-accounts-and-permissions.md).  
  
## <a name="SSMSProcedure"></a>Using SQL Server Management Studio  
  
#### To configure SQL Server Agent  
  
1.  Click the **Start** button, and then, on the **Start**  menu, click **Control Panel**.  
  
2.  In Control Panel, click **System and Security**, click **Administrative Tools**, and then select **Local Security Policy**.  
  
3.  In Local Security Policy, click the chevron to expand the **Local Policies** folder, and then click the **User Rights Assignment** folder.  
  
4.  Right-click a permission that you want to configure for use with [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] and select **Properties**.  
  
5.  In the permission's properties dialog box, verify that the account under which [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent runs is listed. If not, click **Add User or Group**, enter the account under which [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent runs in the **Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups** dialog box, and then click **OK**.  
  
6.  Repeat for each permission that you want to add to run with [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent. When finished, click **OK**.