How to Install SQL Server 2025 Express Edition and SSMS on Windows

Name: How to Install SQL Server 2025 on Windows 10/11 [ 2026 ] with SQL Server Management Studio 22 (SSMS)
Uploaded: 2026-01-11T23:17:35.956623+00:00
Channel: Geeky Script
Description: Summary and key takeaways on How to Install SQL Server 2025 Express Edition and SSMS on Windows, covering Introduction This guide walks you through installing

Geeky Script

Jan 11, 2026

•

3 min read

YouTube video ID: Tsbm11I04xI

Source: YouTube video by Geeky Script — Watch original video

PDF

Introduction

This guide walks you through installing the latest SQL Server 2025 Express edition and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22 on a Windows PC, using the steps demonstrated by Geeky Script.

Prerequisites

A Windows operating system with administrative rights.
Active internet connection throughout the installation.
Optional: Microsoft account for GitHub Copilot integration.

Step 1: Download SQL Server 2025 Express

Open a web browser and search for "SQL Server download" or go directly to the Microsoft SQL Server downloads page (link provided in the video description).
Scroll down to locate SQL Server 2025.
Click the Download button for the Express edition (the edition most commonly used in product‑based companies).
Save the installer file to your computer.

Step 2: Install SQL Server 2025 Express

Run the downloaded installer; Windows will request administrative privileges – click Yes.
Choose Basic installation.
Read and accept the license agreement.
Click Install. The installer will download required components and set up the server. Keep the internet connection active.
When the installation completes, you will see a confirmation that SQL Server 2025 is installed.

Step 3: Download and Install SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22

In the installer window, click Install SSMS. This opens a browser page for SSMS.
Click the Download button for SQL Server Management Studio 22.
Run the SSMS installer; again, grant administrative privileges.
The Visual Studio Installer window appears. Click Continue.
Select all four optional components listed and click Install.
Wait for the download and installation to finish (requires internet).
Once installed, click Launch to open SSMS.

Step 4: Initial SSMS Setup

When SSMS starts, you may be prompted to create a Microsoft account. Skipping is possible, but creating an account enables GitHub Copilot integration (a separate tutorial is available).
The SSMS start screen shows the Connect dialog.

Step 5: Connect to Your SQL Server Instance

Determine your computer’s system name (e.g., via System Properties → System Information).
In the Server name field, type:
<SystemName>\SQLExpress for the Express edition.
<SystemName> alone for the Developer edition.
Check Trust server certificate (optional but recommended for local installs).
Click Connect.
After a successful connection, you can open a New Query window and start creating databases, tables, etc.

Additional Resources Mentioned

Separate video on installing SQL Server Developer Edition and logging in.
Detailed tutorial on creating databases, tables, and queries.
Python project playlist for developers interested in integrating Python with SQL Server.
WordPress tutorials for web developers.
All source code and additional material are available on the official geekysk.com website.

Tips & Best Practices

Keep your Windows system updated before installing SQL Server.
Use a strong password for the sa (system administrator) account if you enable it.
Regularly apply SQL Server cumulative updates to stay secure.
Consider creating a Microsoft account to unlock GitHub Copilot features inside SSMS.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Installation hangs: Verify that the internet connection is stable and that Windows Defender or third‑party firewalls are not blocking the download.
Connection failed: Double‑check the server name format (<SystemName>\SQLExpress) and ensure the SQL Server service is running (check Services.msc).
SSMS won’t launch: Re‑run the installer and make sure all required Visual Studio components are selected.

Conclusion

By following these steps you will have a fully functional SQL Server 2025 Express instance and the latest SSMS 22 ready for development, testing, or learning SQL. You can now create queries, manage databases, and explore advanced features such as GitHub Copilot integration, all without needing to watch the original video again.

You now have SQL Server 2025 Express and SSMS 22 installed and connected, enabling you to start building and managing databases immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Geeky Script on YouTube?

Geeky Script is a YouTube channel that publishes videos on a range of topics. Browse more summaries from this channel below.

Does this page include the full transcript of the video?

Yes, the full transcript for this video is available on this page. Click 'Show transcript' in the sidebar to read it.

Summarize another video

Full Transcript YouTube

Hello everyone, I welcome you all to Geeky 
Script. Today I'm going to show you how to install  
latest version of SQL Server 2025 on the Windows 
operating system. So first you need to go to fab  
browser and to type over here SQL server download. 
So that going to show you this microsoft.com. So  
just simply click on this Microsoft SQL server 
downloads. So this link I'm going to provide right  
in our channel description. And once when you 
are here to scroll down and you will get this SQL  
server 2025 is available to download. So you're 
going to proceed with SQL server 2025 express  
edition. So just simp click on download button for 
express. So this express edition is what commonly  
used on product based company. So that is what 
we are going to show you. If you want to use the  
developer edition so that also I have made a video 
on how to use this SQL server developer edition  
and how to login. So for that I have already made 
a video so you can also check that out. So our SQL  
Server Express edition 2025 is right downloaded 
over here. So just simply click on that installer.  
It going to ask you for administrative privileges. 
Click on yes and minimize your browser here. You  
need to just simp click on basic installation. 
And these are all license agreement. You must  
read this and click on accept. So this is where 
our SQL server is going to be installed. Totally  
fine. and click on install and that going to 
immediately start installing our SQL server  
2025 express edition and to have active internet 
connection during this installation. So we'll come  
back. So now as you can clearly see that our SQL 
server 2025 is now rightly installed. So now it's  
time to install this SMS. So just simply click 
on this install SMS that going to redirect to  
your browser. And here you'll get download SQL 
Server Management Studio 22 installer. So just  
simply click on that button and our installer 
going to download automatically. Just simply  
click on that installer and you can minimize your 
browser. It going to ask you for administrative  
privileges. Click on yes. And here is our Visual 
Studio installer. You can close this SQL Server  
22 for now. Here just simp click on continue. 
Visual Studio installer is rightly downloading
here. Let's maximize it. I need to select 
all these four option and just simply click  
on install. So that going to immediately 
start downloading and going to install it.  
So it's going to take some time. You need to 
have active internet connection for this. And  
there you go. So our SQL server management 
studio version 22 is also rightly installed.  
So let's launch it. Just simp click on this 
launch button. That going to launch our SQL  
server management studio 22 and minimize your 
Visual Studio installer. And here it is telling  
whether you like to create a account or not. So 
for now I'm going to skip creating an account but  
I highly recommend you to create an account. And 
here is our SS SMS22. So this is our connection  
window and this is our GitHub copilot chat. Again 
as I told you it is important to sign in then only  
you'll be able to access GitHub copilot. Again 
how to use GitHub copilot and also for that I have  
already made a video so you can check that out. 
Now I'm going to show you how to login into SQL  
server 22. So first you need to provide a server 
name. To know the server name first you need to  
open system properties or system information. 
So just open that and there you will get system  
name. So in my case system name is GS. So I'm 
going to use that here. You'll be getting your  
own system name. So whatever is your system name 
you need to type that system name over here. And  
then you have to give a slash and then you need to 
type SQL Express. Remember we need to provide SQL  
Express only when you are downloading SQL Server 
2025 Express edition. If you're downloading SQL  
server developer then you need to only provide 
your system name you don't need to give this /sql  
express when you are downloading developer edition 
but for express edition you need to provide system  
name then /sql express all right and then to check 
this trust server certificate and click on connect  
going to let me in into SQL server express edition 
2025 and you can always create a you know click on  
this new query window and you and start working 
on your SQL projects right over here. Again,  
how to create table database and all that. I have 
already made detail detail dedicated video for  
that as well. You can always check all that out on 
our channel. And if you're interested on Python,  
I highly recommend you to follow this cool Python 
project playlist. So all these videos are really  
going to be very useful for you to learning 
more about Python and details source code  
are also available on our official geekysk.com 
website. And if you're interested on WordPress,  
you can always check all these videos. Again, 
all are totally free. So that's basically all  
about this video friends. Thank you very much 
for watching this video and God bless you