Edit

Share via

Configure login auditing (SQL Server Management Studio)

  • Article
  • 02/13/2025

Applies to: SQL Server - Windows only

This article describes how to configure login auditing in SQL Server on Windows, to monitor SQL Server Database Engine login activity. Login auditing can be configured to write to the error log on the following events.

  • Failed logins
  • Successful logins
  • Both failed and successful logins

You must restart SQL Server before this option will take effect.

Use SQL Server Management Studio

Configure login auditing

  1. In SQL Server Management Studio, connect to an instance of the SQL Server Database Engine with Object Explorer.

  2. In Object Explorer, right-click the server name, and then select Properties.

  3. On the Security page, under Login auditing, select the desired option and close the Server Properties page.

  4. In Object Explorer, right-click the server name, and then select Restart.

    Screenshot of the configure login audit window.

Related content

Additional resources

Documentation

Training

Module

Implement Windows Server auditing and diagnostics - Training

Learn to audit and diagnose your Windows Server environment for regulatory compliance, user activity, and troubleshooting. Implement security best practices through regular audits of your network environment to gain early warning of potential malicious activity.

Certification

Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate - Certifications

Administer an SQL Server database infrastructure for cloud, on-premises and hybrid relational databases using the Microsoft PaaS relational database offerings.