Azure Data Studio Download

Azure Data Studio is a cross-platform desktop tool for querying SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and Azure SQL Managed Instance. Microsoft built it on the same foundation as Visual Studio Code. Many teams used it because it ran on Mac and Linux and had notebooks and a lightweight query editor. If you want the background, our Azure Data Studio overview covers the original feature set.

Here is the current situation:

• Microsoft retired the product on February 28, 2026.
• Version 1.52 is the last general availability release.
• The GitHub repository was archived and is now read-only.
• Microsoft hosts the final installers on its archived download page and in the repository’s final release.
• The archive has no support or warranty attached.

Why this matters for security: Software that no longer receives patches becomes a liability over time. An Electron-based desktop app has a large dependency tree, and nobody will fix new vulnerabilities in it. On a developer workstation that holds Entra tokens and database connections, that risk is real.

I tell clients to treat the retired tool as a short-term bridge. Use it only if you have a specific dependency, such as a notebook workflow or an extension you cannot replace yet. Set a firm date to move off it.

Pro Tip: In my experience, the safest move is to download only from Microsoft’s own archive pages and verify the file name and version before running it. I have seen mirror sites bundle adware with “free” database tools, and a locked-down corporate laptop will not save you from your own double-click.

Choosing Your Path

If you are weighing the two older Microsoft tools, our comparison of Azure Data Studio vs SSMS explains what each one does best.

Download and Install Azure Data Studio Safely

Sometimes you still need the final build. Maybe a training lab depends on it, or a migration plan is not finished. Here is how I handle that without creating risk.

Step 1: Define the Requirement

Write down why you need the retired tool. Name the exact feature that blocks you from using the MSSQL extension. If you cannot name one, skip this section and go to the replacement steps.

Step 2: Get the Installer From a Trusted Source

Use the archived download page on Microsoft Learn or the final release in Microsoft’s GitHub repository. Pick the user installer for Windows when you can. It installs per user and does not need administrator rights. That follows the principle of least privilege, which means giving a person or tool only the access it needs.

Avoid third-party download sites completely. They are the most common way malware reaches a developer machine.

Step 3: Install and Verify

For a single laptop, double-click the downloaded azuredatastudio-windows-setup-1.52.0.exe file and accept the defaults. For a team, you can script the install with standard silent switches.

$InstallerPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\azuredatastudio-windows-setup-1.52.0.exe"

Get-FileHash -Path $InstallerPath -Algorithm SHA256

Start-Process -FilePath $InstallerPath `
  -ArgumentList "/SP- /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART" `
  -Wait

The Get-FileHash cmdlet prints the file’s SHA-256 hash. Record it in your wiki so every machine gets the same verified file. The Start-Process cmdlet runs the installer, and -Wait pauses the script until it finishes. The /VERYSILENT switch hides the setup screens, /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES blocks pop-up prompts, and /NORESTART prevents an automatic reboot. These switches are standard for this installer type, but test them on one machine before a wider rollout.

After installing, open Help > About and confirm the version reads 1.52. Our step-by-step Azure Data Studio installation guide walks through the Windows, Mac, and Linux options.

Then turn off anything you do not need. Preview features are a good example. If you enabled them earlier by following our guide on enabling preview features in Azure Data Studio, consider turning them off again, since nobody will stabilize them now.

Pro Tip: I always document the installed version, the file hash, and the reason for the exception in the team wiki. When the auditor asks why a retired tool is on a laptop, a dated note with an exit plan ends the conversation quickly.

Connect Securely to Azure SQL Database

Whichever client you use, the connection design matters more than the tool. I have seen more incidents from badly configured database access than from any editor bug.

Prefer Microsoft Entra ID Over SQL Logins

Microsoft Entra ID is the identity service Azure uses for sign-in and access control. Azure SQL supports Entra authentication, so you can sign in with your work account and MFA instead of a shared SQL password. Passwords in connection strings end up in chat messages, spreadsheets, and screenshots. Entra sign-in avoids that and gives you per-user audit trails.

For apps and automation, use managed identities. A managed identity is an identity Azure creates and rotates for a resource, so your code never stores a secret. Our article on managed identities in Azure explains how they work.

Set an Entra Admin on the SQL Server

This Azure CLI command assigns an Entra admin to a logical SQL server.

az sql server ad-admin create \
  --resource-group <resource-group-name> \
  --server <sql-server-name> \
  --display-name <entra-admin-group-name> \
  --object-id <entra-group-object-id>

The --resource-group and --server parameters identify the target server. The --display-name parameter is the label for the admin. The --object-id parameter is the unique ID of the Entra principal. I strongly suggest using a security group rather than one person. When that person leaves, you change group membership instead of touching the database server.

If you are new to the CLI, start with our Azure CLI basics article.

Open the Firewall Narrowly

Azure SQL blocks outside connections by default. When a developer cannot connect, the temptation is to allow every IP address. Do not do that. It exposes your database to the entire internet, so treat it as a high-risk change.

az sql server firewall-rule create \
  --resource-group <resource-group-name> \
  --server <sql-server-name> \
  --name allow-dev-office \
  --start-ip-address <office-public-ip> \
  --end-ip-address <office-public-ip>

This creates a firewall rule named allow-dev-office. Setting the start and end addresses to the same value allows exactly one IP. Remove temporary rules when the work ends. For a deeper explanation, see our post on Azure SQL Database IP addresses.

Connect From the Tool

In Azure Data Studio, choose New Connection, enter the server name, and set the authentication type to Microsoft Entra ID. Our guide on connecting to Azure SQL Database from Azure Data Studio shows each field. If your target is an on-premises server instead, use the walkthrough on connecting Azure Data Studio to SQL Server.

Pro Tip: I test every new connection with a non-administrator account first. Twice I found that the “working” connection only succeeded because the tester had Owner rights on the subscription, and the real users had no database permissions at all.

Move to Visual Studio Code and the MSSQL Extension

Microsoft’s recommended replacement is Visual Studio Code with the SQL Server (mssql) extension. It supports Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL Server, and SQL database in Microsoft Fabric. You get a query editor, object explorer, schema design, and execution plans. Existing queries, scripts, and SQL database projects open without conversion.

Microsoft is clear that the extension is not a one-to-one clone of Azure Data Studio. Some DBA tasks, like SQL Server Agent management and profiling, still point you to SSMS. Plan for a two-tool setup if you run heavy administration.

Install the Extension

The extension installs from the command line, which suits a standard developer image.

$ExtensionId = "ms-mssql.mssql"

code --install-extension $ExtensionId
code --list-extensions | Select-String "mssql"

The code --install-extension command installs the extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace by its ID. The second line lists installed extensions and filters for the mssql entry, so you can confirm success. Our tutorial on connecting to Azure SQL Database from Visual Studio Code covers the connection dialog in detail.

Migrate Your Daily Workflow

Move in stages. In my experience, teams that try a one-day cutover hit resistance. A phased plan works better:

1. Install VS Code and the MSSQL extension on a pilot group.
2. Export saved connections and recreate them using Entra authentication.
3. Move your .sql scripts into a Git repository so they get version control and review.
4. Replace ADS-only extensions with VS Code equivalents, such as the PostgreSQL extension.
5. Remove Azure Data Studio from standard images after a fixed date.

Step 3 gets less attention than it deserves. Scripts that live only in someone’s local editor tabs are a quiet business risk. Putting them in Git, ideally with a pipeline, makes changes reviewable and repeatable.

Pro Tip: I keep one shared “connection cheat sheet” with server names only, never credentials. New hires get productive in minutes, and nobody has a reason to store a password in a notes file.