SQL Server 2025: Release Date, Features, Requirements

This is a reference page our SQL Server support team maintains on SQL Server 2025: the release date, what changed, what it needs to run, and how to get there from 2016, 2019, or 2022.

Release status and date

SQL Server 2025 (version 17.x) reached general availability on November 18, 2025. The GA build number is 17.0.1000.7. Microsoft announced the release on the SQL Server blog, and the build details are documented in the official release notes. It runs on Windows and Linux (RHEL 9, with RHEL 10 and Ubuntu 24.04 supported in preview at GA), and in containers.

Evaluation media is available from the SQL Server 2025 evaluation center. Cumulative updates follow the usual servicing model; apply the latest CU rather than running the RTM build.

What's new

The full list is in Microsoft's What's new in SQL Server 2025 article. The items below are the ones that change day-to-day operations.

AI and vector search

• Native vector data type. Stores fixed-dimension embeddings in an optimized binary format, exposed as JSON arrays. Single-precision elements support 1 to 1,998 dimensions; half-precision (up to 3,996 dimensions) is in preview.
• Vector functions for distance and similarity operations directly in T-SQL.
• DiskANN-based approximate vector indexes (CREATE VECTOR INDEX, VECTOR_SEARCH). These shipped in preview at GA and require the PREVIEW_FEATURES database scoped configuration — not recommended for production yet.
• External model management (CREATE EXTERNAL MODEL) for calling REST inference endpoints to generate embeddings, plus chunking support.
• GitHub Copilot in SQL Server Management Studio for query assistance.

Database engine

• ZSTD backup compression — a faster, more effective algorithm alongside the existing options.
• Optimized sp_executesql to reduce compilation storms.
• Time-bound extended event sessions that stop automatically after a set duration.
• TLS 1.3 support with TDS 8.0, including for availability group traffic.
• Availability group improvements: distributed AG synchronization performance, distributed AGs between contained AGs, listener IP removal without deleting the listener, and fast failover for persistent health issues.
• Mirroring to Microsoft Fabric for near-real-time replication of operational data into OneLake, available in all editions.

Edition changes

• Standard edition limits raised: 32 cores (up from 24) and 256 GB of buffer pool memory (up from 128 GB). Resource Governor is now available in Standard.
• Express edition: maximum database size raised from 10 GB to 50 GB. Express with Advanced Services is discontinued; its features folded into plain Express.
• Web edition is discontinued.
• Two free Developer editions: Standard Developer (matches Standard feature set) and Enterprise Developer (matches Enterprise, equivalent to the old Developer edition). Standard Developer matters because it lets you test against Standard's actual limits instead of discovering them in production.

System requirements

From the official hardware and software requirements:

Editions and licensing

Licensing follows the same model as SQL Server 2022: per-core licensing for Enterprise and Standard (sold in 2-core packs, 4-core minimum per physical processor), plus Server+CAL as an option for Standard. Express, Standard Developer, and Enterprise Developer are free; the Developer editions are licensed for development and test only. Software Assurance or subscription licenses are required for failover-server rights, Azure Hybrid Benefit, and unlimited virtualization on Enterprise. Feature-by-edition detail is in Editions and supported features of SQL Server 2025.

Support lifecycle

Exact dates are on the Microsoft Lifecycle page for SQL Server 2025. The 2016 date is the operative one: extended support ends July 14, 2026, after which there are no security updates without paid ESUs. Details in our SQL Server 2016 end of support guide.

Upgrade paths from 2016, 2019, and 2022

Direct upgrade to SQL Server 2025 is supported from SQL Server 2016 SP2 or later, 2017, 2019, and 2022. Older versions (2012, 2014) need an intermediate hop or, more practically, a side-by-side migration.

In-place vs. side-by-side

Most upgrades from 2016 are side-by-side by necessity — the host OS is usually too old. Upgrades from 2022 on current Windows Server are the main in-place candidates.

Compatibility levels

SQL Server 2025 introduces database compatibility level 170 and supports levels back to 100. Restored or upgraded databases keep their existing level (130 for 2016, 150 for 2019, 160 for 2022), so query behavior does not change at upgrade time. The standard sequence: upgrade the instance, run Query Store for a baseline period at the old level, raise the level to 170, and fix regressions with Query Store hints or automatic plan correction. Run Data Migration Assistant against the source first to catch breaking changes; the 2025-specific ones are listed in the breaking changes article.

Should you upgrade now

Version-by-version, the decision reduces to support dates and feature need. Our SQL Server versions reference covers the full timeline.

• From 2016: Yes, on a schedule. Extended support ends July 14, 2026. Going to 2025 rather than 2022 buys three extra years of support for the same migration effort.
• From 2017: Same reasoning; extended support ends in 2027.
• From 2019: Reasonable to plan for 2026-2027. Mainstream support has ended, but security updates continue to 2030. Upgrade sooner if Standard edition limits (24 cores / 128 GB) are constraining you — 2025 Standard raises both.
• From 2022: No urgency. Support runs to 2033. Upgrade if you need the vector type, ZSTD compression, Fabric mirroring, or the Standard edition limit increases; otherwise wait for a few cumulative updates and let the preview features (vector indexes among them) reach GA.

One caution: the headline AI features are not all production-ready. The vector data type and functions are GA; vector indexes and half-precision vectors still carry the preview flag. If vector search is the reason for the upgrade, verify the specific feature status in the release notes before committing.

FAQ

What is the SQL Server 2025 release date?

November 18, 2025. That is the general availability date for build 17.0.1000.7 on Windows, Linux, and containers. There was a public preview earlier in 2025; the GA build is the first one licensed for production.

What version number is SQL Server 2025?

Version 17.x. The database engine reports 17.0.1000.7 at RTM, and the new database compatibility level is 170. In Microsoft documentation it appears as sql-server-ver17.

Does SQL Server 2025 run on Windows Server 2016?

No. The minimum supported host OS is Windows Server 2019 (or Windows 10 for Standard and Express on client operating systems). Windows Server 2016 and earlier are not supported, which forces a side-by-side migration for most older instances.

Is there still a free version of SQL Server 2025?

Three: Express (now with a 50 GB database limit), Standard Developer, and Enterprise Developer. The Developer editions are free for development and test use only, not production.

Can I upgrade directly from SQL Server 2016 to 2025?

Yes, from SQL Server 2016 SP2 or later — the instance upgrade is supported. In practice the host OS usually is not, so the common path is backup/restore or log shipping to a new server running Windows Server 2022 or 2025.

Is vector search production-ready in SQL Server 2025?

Partially. The vector data type and vector distance functions are generally available. Approximate vector indexes (DiskANN), VECTOR_SEARCH, and half-precision vectors shipped in preview and require the PREVIEW_FEATURES database scoped configuration, which Microsoft does not recommend for production.