However, if you are managing a fleet of older on-premise SQL Servers that rely on self-signed certificates or have strict legacy connection requirements, be prepared to educate your team on the new "Trust Server Certificate" toggle during the transition.

Yes! SSMS 20 installs alongside previous versions (like SSMS 18 or 19). It does not replace them. This allows you to test the new version while keeping your old reliable setup ready as a backup.

Click “More info” and then “Run anyway” (the installer is digitally signed by Microsoft).

In previous versions of SSMS, encryption was optional ( Encrypt=False ) by default. In SSMS 20, the default setting is now (Mandatory).

Look for the section titled “Download SSMS”. If SSMS 20 is the newest, you’ll see a button labeled Download SSMS 20 .

SSMS 20 natively accommodates communication frameworks. The upgraded login interface provides three explicit dropdown levels:

While this might feel like a nuisance for local development, this change is a massive win for security, ensuring that data in transit is protected by default rather than as an afterthought.

Follow these steps to ensure you get the authentic, safe installer: