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How to install SQL Server on macOS

macOS is one of the most popular operating systems in the world, with a loyal following, second only to Microsoft Windows—in terms of numbers, that is. And if we talk user-friendliness, performance, reliability, and the sheer breadth of capabilities, it might as well be second to none. So, it is no wonder that macOS is quite widely used for database development—and, taken together with Microsoft SQL Server, which is the world's biggest proprietary relational DBMS, they make a powerful combo.

On this page, you will learn how to get this combo to work—how to install SQL Server 2022 on macOS via Docker, how to establish a connection, and how to proceed to actual database development and management most quickly and easily.

How to install and set up SQL Server on macOS
Install Docker Desktop
Install SQL Server 2022
Connect to SQL Server from Terminal
How to install dbForge Studio for SQL Server on a Mac via CrossOver
How to remotely connect to SQL Server running on macOS
How to uninstall SQL Server from macOS
Conclusion
FAQ

How to install and set up SQL Server on macOS

First, let's list the prerequisites for installation:

A Mac running macOS 11 Big Sur or later
A user with administrator-level privileges
Access to Terminal

1 - Install Docker Desktop

1. Go to the official download page and download the Docker Desktop file. Depending on the Mac you are using (either with an Intel chip or with an Apple Silicon), click the respective link to start the download.

2. Double-click the downloaded .dmg file to begin the installation and move the Docker application icon to your Applications folder.

That's it! Now you can get down to installing SQL Server on your Mac.

2 - Install SQL Server 2022

1. In Terminal, enter and run the following command.

sudo docker pull mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2022-latest

If Terminal prompts you to enter the password to your Mac, do so. Eventually, the completed download will look similar to the following.

2. After the download is complete, enter and run the following command.

docker run -d --name SQL_Server_Docker -e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' -e 'SA_PASSWORD=DB_Password' -p 1433:1433 mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2022-latest

This command consists of the following parameters:

-d — launches your Docker container name in the daemon mode, enabling it to run in the background, without the need to keep your Terminal window open.

--name — specifies the name for your Docker container. In our example, the name is SQL_Server_Docker.

-e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' — confirms that you accept the Docker EULA (End User License Agreement).

-e 'SA_PASSWORD=DB_Password' — sets your database password. In our example, the password is DB_Password.

-p 1433:1433 — maps your Docker container to the local port 1433.

-p 1433:1433 — selects an image file for Docker to use.

After it's done, SQL Server should be running on your Mac. To make sure it is so, you can check the status of your SQL Server Docker container with the following command.

docker ps -a

Now check the output. If the STATUS column says Up, your Docker container is running properly. If it says Exited, something has gone wrong, and your container is not running.

3 - Connect to SQL Server from Terminal

To connect to your newly installed SQL Server from Terminal, you will first need to install a command-line tool sql-cli by running the following command.

sudo npm install -g sql-cli

This command-line tool will enable you to run commands and queries for your SQL Server instance directly in Terminal. Note that to make this work, you need to have Node.js installed on your Mac; if you don't have Node.js, download and install it. The installation of Node.js will additionally install npm, which is used in the command above.

Once sql-cli is installed, you can connect to your SQL Server with the following command.

mssql -u sa -p DB_Password

This command consists of the following:

-u — specifies the username to connect to your database. In our example, we use the default username sa.

-p — specifies the database password. In our case, we have specified DB_Password, the one we set during the launch of our Docker container.

You will get a message similar to the following.

Connecting to localhost...done
sql-cli version 0.6.2
Enter ".help" for usage hints.
mssql

This will mean that you have successfully connected to your SQL Server.

How to install dbForge Studio for SQL Server on a Mac via CrossOver

This is where things become really interesting. After all, the installation and setup of SQL Server is a fleeting moment—and afterwards, you need to find a proper set of tools that will help you interact with your databases. We've got one for you — dbForge Studio for SQL Server — an IDE that is designed to cover the majority of possible tasks related to the development, management, and administration of SQL Server databases. Add here the intuitive user interface of the Studio, and you get yourself a toolset that will make your routine work with databases a pleasure.

The one possible drawback of the Studio is that it isn't native to macOS—it requires an additional compatibility solution called CodeWeavers CrossOver, which helps it run on your Mac seamlessly. But even with that solution, the installation will not take too long. Let's see how it's done.

1 - Download CrossOver Mac

Go to the official download page and download the CrossOver Mac installation archive. You can start with a 14-day free trial offered by CodeWeavers.

2. Extract and open the installation file

Extract the installation file from the archive. Double-click the file, click Open to launch it, and then agree to move it to your Applications folder. After CrossOver is installed, launch it.

3. Install .NET Framework 4.7.2

First of all, you need to install the prerequisite software—namely, the .NET Framework 4.7.2 package. Start entering "Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2" in the search box, and then click Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 in the results.

Once you're on the dedicated page of .NET Framework 4.7.2, click Install.

Continue installing .NET Framework 4.7.2

4. Select a bottle to use for this installation

CrossOver will ask you to select a bottle for the .NET Framework package to be installed into. A bottle is a container where an application—in our case, dbForge Studio—is installed along with the environment that it requires to run properly. That said, click Select a Bottle to create a new bottle, specify the bottle name and make sure you set the bottle type to Windows 10 64-bit. After that, click Done.

After the installation of the .NET Framework package begins, you'll need to agree to the license terms and repeatedly reboot the bottle environment by clicking Restart Now when prompted (note that these reboots will not restart your machine). After the last component—.NET Framework 4.7.2—is installed, you will get a corresponding message. Now the environment in your bottle is ready—click Finish and proceed to install dbForge Studio for SQL Server.

5. Install the Studio into the bottle

First, you need to download the dbForge Studio installer file and place it in a folder of your choice. Then go back to CrossOver, find the bottle you've just created and click Install Application into Bottle under Bottle Actions.

On the Install a Windows Application page, click Install an unlisted application.

On the Unlisted Application page, click Install.

5-1. Choose the installer

This is where you need to specify the location of the previously downloaded dbForge Studio installer file. Once it's done, click Open.

5-2. Go through the Studio's installation wizard

The dbForge Studio installation wizard opens. Click Install.

On the Select Destination page, select the folder for the Studio to be installed into and click Next.

On the File Associations page, you can keep all the selected settings unchanged and simply click Next.

On the Startup Optimization page, select the option you prefer and click Next. Note that if you select to generate images, the installation will require a bit of extra time, but the application launch will commence faster in the future.

Once the installation is complete, click Finish. Note that the Launch dbForge Studio for SQL Server checkbox should be cleared in order to allow CrossOver to finalize the installation properly.

6. Turn on High Resolution Mode

Finally, CrossOver will inform you about the success of your installation, and you'll see that dbForge Studio is shown in the bottle. We also recommend activating the High Resolution Mode with the corresponding toggle and rebooting the bottle afterwards. This will make your experience with the Studio smoother and more convenient.

Video guide: How to install dbForge Studio for SQL Server on macOS

Besides the step-by-step workflow described above, you can consult our video guide that shows the process on installing dbForge Studio on macOS in detail.

How to remotely connect to SQL Server running on macOS

Now that the dbForge Studio is installed and ready for work, you might as well start with connecting to your SQL Server, which is just a matter of moments.

Note

In order to enable remote access to your SQL Server, the machine hosting it must be connected under a public IP address, which can be delivered by your Internet provider. If you have a public IP address and the remote connection still fails, you may need to set up port forwarding from your router to the server (the instructions may be found in the manual of the router model you are using).

1. Launch dbForge Studio in CrossOver

Launch the Studio in CrossOver, go to the Database menu and click New Connection.

Feel free to check How to manage database connections in dbForge Studio to learn all about the connection management capabilities of the Studio.

2. Database Connection Properties

Now all you have to do is configure your connection parameters: specify the server name, authentication method, login, password, and the database you are going to work with. Optionally, you can click Test Connection to check whether everything's all right. Or you can just click Connect, and that will be it.

How to uninstall SQL Server from macOS

You can uninstall SQL Server from macOS by simply removing the Docker container that stores it via Terminal. The following example shows how we can remove the abovementioned container - SQL_Server_Docker.

docker stop SQL_Server_Docker
docker rm SQL_Server_Docker

Please note that the removal of a container is an irreversible operation, so, if necessary, be sure to back up your databases and the data contained within before executing this command.

Conclusion

This is how you can set up your work with SQL Server databases on a Mac from scratch. Probably the most important thing here is to choose the toolset that will empower you to handle nearly any operation with your databases and actual data. That's why we invite you to download dbForge Studio for SQL Server for a FREE 30-day trial. Explore its rich capabilities yourself—and your productivity and effectiveness will reach an all-time high from day one.

FAQ

Can I install SQL Server natively on macOS, or do I need a virtual environment?

Currently, the easiest way to install SQL Server on macOS involves the use of a virtual environment like Docker Desktop.

What are the prerequisites for running SQL Server on a Mac?

A Mac running macOS 11 Big Sur or any later version
An administrator account with the necessary privileges
Access to Terminal

How do I install SQL Server on a Mac using Docker?

First, you need to install the required version of Docker Desktop on your Mac. Then, install SQL Server into your Docker via Terminal and connect to it from there. You will find the workflow and the required commands in the guide above.

What are the required Docker settings to run SQL Server efficiently on macOS?

In Docker Desktop, go to Settings > Resources > Advanced. There, in Resource Allocation, make sure your CPU limit is set to no less than 5, and your Memory limit is at least 4 GB. These are the minimum requirements; if these settings are already at this level or higher, you don't need to tweak them.

Can I install SQL Server on a Mac using Parallels Desktop?

Yes, you can. Parallels Desktop allows you to set up and run Docker containers as if they were running directly on your Mac. Thus, you can set up VMs with Docker Engine pre-installed and set up Microsoft SQL Server.

Can I use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) on a Mac?

SSMS is available natively for Windows only. If you need a tool that runs natively on Windows, Linux, and macOS, you can check Microsoft Azure Data Studio. However, the latter offers a rather limited functionality, mostly about writing queries and executing terminal commands.

And if you are looking for a more advanced feature set and intuitive wizard-aided experiences, you may try dbForge Studio for SQL Server. Again, it's a Windows-native application, but you can run it on macOS and a variety of Linux distributions via compatibility solutions like CrossOver.

How do I uninstall SQL Server from a Mac completely?

Simply run the docker stop and docker rm commands from Terminal, as described above. Your Docker container will be removed along with the installed SQL Server. You can't revert this operation, so you might need to back up your databases and data before executing it.