How to Download SQL Server 2016 Express
SQL Server 2016 Express is a free edition of SQL Server that is ideal for development and production for desktop, web, and small server applications. It has many features that make it a powerful and reliable data management system, such as in-memory performance, advanced security, JSON support, temporal tables, query store, etc.
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In this article, you will learn how to download and install SQL Server 2016 Express on your Windows machine step by step.
Prerequisites for SQL Server 2016 Express Installation
Before you install SQL Server 2016 Express, you need to make sure that your machine meets the following hardware and software requirements:
Operating system: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, or Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1.
Processor: x64 processor with a minimum speed of 1.4 GHz.
Memory: Minimum of 512 MB of RAM (2 GB or more is recommended).
Disk space: Minimum of 4 GB of free disk space.
.NET Framework: .NET Framework version 4.0 or higher.
</ul Downloading SQL Server 2016 Express
To download SQL Server 2016 Express, you need to visit the Microsoft download page and choose the edition and language that suits your needs.
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Choosing the Edition and Language
There are four editions of SQL Server 2016 Express available for download:
SQL Server 2016 Express: This is the core database engine that supports up to 10 GB of data per database.
SQL Server 2016 Express with Tools: This includes the database engine and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), a graphical tool for managing and querying databases.
SQL Server 2016 Express with Advanced Services: This includes the database engine, SSMS, full-text search, reporting services, and data quality services.
SQL Server 2016 LocalDB: This is a lightweight version of the database engine that runs as a user process and does not require installation or configuration.
You can also choose the language of SQL Server 2016 Express from a list of supported languages, such as English, Chinese, Spanish, French, German, etc.
To download SQL Server 2016 Express, go to and select the edition and language you want. Then click Download and save the file to your preferred location. You can also use the following table to find the direct download links for each edition and language.
EditionLanguageDownload Link
SQL Server 2016 ExpressEnglish
SQL Server 2016 Express with ToolsEnglish
SQL Server 2016 Express with Advanced ServicesEnglish
SQL Server 2016 LocalDBEnglish
The following screenshot shows the Microsoft download page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Running the Setup File
After you download the setup file for SQL Server 2016 Express, you need to run it to start the installation process. You can run the setup file from the downloaded media or from a network share.
To run the setup file, double-click on it or right-click on it and select Run as administrator. You will see a User Account Control prompt asking you to allow the app to make changes to your device. Click Yes to continue.
You will then see the SQL Server Installation Center window, which provides various options for installing, upgrading, or configuring SQL Server. Click on New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation to proceed.
The following screenshot shows the setup wizard for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Installing SQL Server 2016 Express
After you run the setup file, you need to follow the steps in the installation wizard to install SQL Server 2016 Express on your machine. The installation wizard will guide you through the following steps:
Accepting the License Terms
The first step is to accept the license terms and privacy statement for SQL Server 2016 Express. You need to read and agree to the terms before you can continue with the installation. You can also view the license terms for other components, such as Microsoft R Open, Microsoft R Server, etc.
To accept the license terms, check the box that says I accept the license terms and click Next. You will then see a page that checks for global rules and product updates.
The following screenshot shows the license agreement page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Choosing the Installation Type
The next step is to choose the installation type for SQL Server 2016 Express. You can choose between a new installation or adding features to an existing installation.
A new installation will install a new instance of SQL Server 2016 Express on your machine. You can specify the instance name, features, and configuration settings later in the wizard.
Adding features to an existing installation will add new features or components to an existing instance of SQL Server 2016 Express on your machine. You can select the instance and features you want to add later in the wizard.
To choose the installation type, select either Perform a new installation of SQL Server 2016 or Add features to an existing instance of SQL Server 2016 and click Next. You will then see a page that checks for installation rules and feature rules.
The following screenshot shows the installation type page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Choosing the Features to Install
The next step is to choose the features to install for SQL Server 2016 Express. You can select the features that you want to use for your database applications, such as the database engine, management tools, reporting services, etc.
The database engine is the core service that stores and processes data. It is required for any SQL Server installation. You can also choose to install SQL Server Replication, which enables data synchronization across multiple servers.
The management tools include SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), which is a graphical tool for managing and querying databases, and SQL Server Configuration Manager, which is a tool for configuring and managing SQL Server services and network protocols.
The reporting services include SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), which is a server-based platform for creating and delivering reports, and Data Quality Services (DQS), which is a tool for cleansing and matching data.
To choose the features to install, check the boxes that correspond to the features you want and click Next. You can also click on the feature name to see a description of what it does. You will then see a page that checks for feature rules and disk space requirements.
The following screenshot shows the feature selection page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Configuring the Instance Name and ID
The next step is to configure the instance name and ID for SQL Server 2016 Express. An instance is a copy of the SQL Server database engine that runs as a Windows service. You can have multiple instances of SQL Server on the same machine, each with its own name, ID, and configuration settings.
The default instance name for SQL Server 2016 Express is SQLEXPRESS. You can use this name or specify a different name for your instance. The instance ID is derived from the instance name and is used to identify the installation folders and registry keys for your instance.
To configure the instance name and ID, enter the name you want for your instance in the Named instance box and click Next. You will then see a page that checks for installation configuration rules.
The following screenshot shows the instance configuration page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Configuring the Service Accounts and Collation
The next step is to configure the service accounts and collation for SQL Server 2016 Express. Service accounts are the Windows accounts that SQL Server services use to log on and access resources. Collation is the set of rules that determine how SQL Server sorts and compares data.
By default, SQL Server 2016 Express uses the NT Service\MSSQL$ account for the database engine service and the NT Service\SQLAgent$ account for the SQL Server Agent service. You can use these accounts or specify different accounts for each service. You can also change the startup type of each service to automatic, manual, or disabled.
By default, SQL Server 2016 Express uses the SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS collation, which is case-insensitive and accent-sensitive. You can use this collation or choose a different one from the list of available collations. You can also change the collation of individual databases after installation.
To configure the service accounts and collation, enter the account name and password for each service in the Service Accounts tab and select the collation you want in the Collation tab. Then click Next. You will then see a page that checks for database engine configuration rules.
The following screenshot shows the server configuration page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Configuring the Database Engine Settings
The next step is to configure the database engine settings for SQL Server 2016 Express. These settings include the authentication mode, the data directories, the tempDB settings, and the filestream settings.
The authentication mode determines how users can connect to SQL Server. There are two modes: Windows authentication and mixed mode. Windows authentication uses the Windows credentials of the user to log on to SQL Server. Mixed mode allows both Windows authentication and SQL Server authentication, which uses a username and password stored in SQL Server.
By default, SQL Server 2016 Express uses Windows authentication mode. You can use this mode or choose mixed mode and specify a strong password for the system administrator (sa) account. You can also add other administrators to the SQL Server system administrator role.
The data directories determine where SQL Server stores the data and log files for the system and user databases. By default, SQL Server 2016 Express uses the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.\MSSQL\DATA folder for both data and log files. You can use this folder or specify different folders for each file type.
The tempDB settings determine how SQL Server configures the tempDB database, which is a system database that stores temporary data such as intermediate results, temporary tables, etc. By default, SQL Server 2016 Express creates one data file and one log file for tempDB, with an initial size of 8 MB and an autogrowth of 64 MB. You can use these settings or specify different values for the number, size, and autogrowth of tempDB files.
The filestream settings determine how SQL Server enables and manages filestream data, which is binary data that is stored in the file system instead of the database. Filestream data can be accessed through Transact-SQL or Win32 APIs. By default, SQL Server 2016 Express does not enable filestream data. You can enable it and specify the level of access and the name of the filestream share.
To configure the database engine settings, enter the authentication mode, password, administrators, data directories, tempDB settings, and filestream settings in the Database Engine Configuration page. Then click Next. You will then see a page that shows the ready to install summary.
The following screenshot shows the database engine configuration page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Reviewing and Confirming the Installation Options
The next step is to review and confirm the installation options for SQL Server 2016 Express. You can see a summary of the features, instance name, configuration settings, and disk space requirements for your installation. You can also view the configuration file that contains the installation parameters.
To review and confirm the installation options, check the summary and click Install. You will then see a page that shows the installation progress and status.
The following screenshot shows the ready to install page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Completing the Installation Process
The final step is to complete the installation process for SQL Server 2016 Express. You can monitor the progress and status of each feature installation, such as database engine, management tools, reporting services, etc. You can also view the detailed log of the installation in a separate window.
To complete the installation process, wait until all the features are installed successfully and click Close. You will then see a page that shows the complete summary and links to additional information.
The following screenshot shows the installation progress page and the complete page for SQL Server 2016 Express:
Verifying and Testing SQL Server 2016 Express Installation
After you install SQL Server 2016 Express, you need to verify and test that it is installed and working properly. You can do this by connecting to it with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), querying system databases, creating user databases, etc.
To verify and test SQL Server 2016 Express installation, follow these steps:
Open SSMS from the Start menu or the desktop shortcut. You will see a Connect to Server dialog box.
Enter the server name, which is either \SQLEXPRESS or localhost\SQLEXPRESS, depending on how you configured your instance name. If you chose mixed mode authentication, enter your username and password. Otherwise, use Windows authentication.
Click Connect. You will see the Object Explorer window, which shows the server name, databases, security, server objects, etc.
Expand the Databases node and select System Databases. You will see four system databases: master, model, msdb, and tempdb. These databases store information about the server configuration, security, backup and restore operations, temporary data, etc.
Right-click on any system database and select New Query. You will see a query editor window where you can write and execute Transact-SQL statements.
Type SELECT @@VERSION; in the query editor window and click Execute. You will see the result window below the query editor window, which shows the version information of your SQL Server 2016 Express instance.
Type SELECT name FROM sys.databases; in the query editor window and click Execute. You will see the result window below the query editor window, which shows the names of all the databases on your SQL Server 2016 Express instance.
To create a user database, right-click on Databases node and select New Database. You will see a New Database dialog box where you can specify the database name, owner, data files, options, etc.
Enter a name for your database in the Database name box and click OK. You will see a message that says your database has been created successfully.
Expand your database node and select Tables. You will see an empty list of tables for your database.
To create a table in your database, right-click on Tables node and select New Table. You will see a table designer window where you can specify the columns, data types, constraints, indexes, etc.
Enter a name for your table in the Name column of the table designer window. Then enter some columns with their data types and properties in the table designer window.
To save your table, right-click on the table designer window and select Save . You will see a message that says your table has been created successfully.
To insert some data into your table, right-click on your table node and select Edit Top 200 Rows. You will see an editor window where you can enter some values for your table columns.
To query your table data, right-click on your table node and select New Query. You will see a query editor window where you can write and execute Transact-SQL statements.
Type SELECT * FROM ; in the query editor window and click Execute. You will see the result window below the query editor window, which shows all the data from your table.
You will see the SQL Server Installation Center window, which provides various options for installing, upgrading, or configuring SQL Server. Click on Upgrade from a previous version of SQL Server to proceed.
You will see a page that checks for global rules and product updates.
Select the instance of SQL Server 2016 Express that you want to upgrade and click Next. You will see a page that checks for installation rules and feature rules.
Accept the license terms and privacy statement for the higher edition of SQL Server and click Next. You will see a page that checks for upgrade rules.
Select the features that you want to upgrade and click Next. You will see a page that shows the ready to upgrade summary.
Click Upgrade to confirm the upgrade. You will see a page that shows the upgrade progress and status.
Click Close to complete the upgrade process. You will then see a page that shows the complete summary and links to additional information.
How do I troubleshoot common errors during or after SQL Server 2016 Express installation?
Some of the common errors that you may encounter during or after SQL Server 2016 Express installation are:
The setup failed to install or start some features or components, such as database engine, management tools, reporting services, etc.
The setup failed to connect to or authenticate with the SQL Server instance.
The setup failed to create or configure the system or user databases.
The setup failed to register or start the SQL Server services.
The setup failed to apply the security settings or permissions for the SQL Server instance or databases.
To troubleshoot these errors, you can try the following steps:
Check the summary log file and the detailed log files for any error messages or warnings. You can find these files in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Setup Bootstrap\Log folder.
Check the Windows event logs for any system or application errors related to SQL Server. You can use the Event Viewer tool to view these logs.
Check the SQL Server error logs for any database engine errors or messages. You can use SSMS or the SQL Server error log viewer tool to view these logs.
Check the online documentation or forums for any solutions or workarounds for your specific error. You can also contact Microsoft support or customer service for assistance.
How do I update SQL Server 2016 Express with the latest patches or service packs?
To update SQL Server 2016 Express with the latest patches or service packs, you need to download and install them from the Microsoft update page. You can follow these steps:
Go to and select SQL Server 2016 from the product list. You will see a list of available updates for SQL Server 2016, such as cumulative updates, security updates, service packs, etc.
Select the update that matches your edition and language of SQL Server 2016 Express and click Download. Save the file to your preferred location.
Run the update file as an administrator. You will see a User Account Control prompt asking you to allow the app to make changes to your device. Click Yes to continue.
You will see the SQL Server Installation Center window, which provides various options for installing, upgrading, or configuring SQL Server. Click on Install SQL Server updates to proceed.
You will see a page that checks for global rules and product updates.
Select the instance of SQL Server 2016 Express that you want to update and click Next. You will see a page that checks for installation rules and feature rules.
Review and confirm the update options and click Update. You will see a page that shows the update progress and status.
Click Close to complete the update process. You will then see a page that shows the complete summary and links to additional information.
How do I backup and restore SQL Server 2016 Express databases?
To backup and restore SQL Server 2016 Express databases, you can use SSMS or Transact-SQL commands. You can follow these steps:
To backup a database:
Open SSMS and connect to your SQL Server 2016 Express instance.
Expand the Databases node and right-click on the database that you want to backup. Select Tasks > Back Up...
You will see a Back Up Database dialog box where you can specify the backup type, destination, options, etc.
Select Full as the backup type, which creates a complete backup of the database and its transaction log.
Select Disk as the destination, which saves the backup file to a disk or a network share. You can also add multiple destinations for redundancy or performance.
Click on Add to specify the file name and location of the backup file. You can also use the default name and location, which is \.bak.
Click on OK to start the backup process. You will see a message that says your backup has been created successfully.
You can also use the BACKUP DATABASE Transact-SQL command to backup a database. For example, the following command backs up the AdventureWorks2016 database to the C:\Backup folder:
BACKUP DATABASE AdventureWorks2016 TO DISK = 'C:\Backup\AdventureWorks2016.bak' WITH FORMAT, INIT, STATS = 10;
To restore a database:
Open SSMS and connect to your SQL Server 2016 Express instance.
Right-click on the Databases node and select Restore Database...
You will see a Restore Database dialog box where you can specify the source, destination, options, etc.
Select Device as the source, which restores the database from a disk or a network share. You can also restore the database from a URL or a tape.
Click on ... to browse and select the backup file that you want to restore. You can also add multiple backup files if you have a backup set.
Select the database name that you want to restore in the Destination box. You can also use the same name as the source database or specify a different name.
Click on OK to start the restore process. You will see a message that says your database has been restored successfully.
You can also use the RESTORE DATABASE Transact-SQL command to restore a database. For example, the following command restores the AdventureWorks2016 database from the C:\Backup folder:
RESTORE DATABASE AdventureWorks2016 FROM DISK = 'C:\Backup\AdventureWorks2016.bak' WITH REPLACE, STATS = 10; 44f88ac181
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