Design databases with Database Designer

Last modified: July 22, 2025

This section describes how to visually design and manage database structures using the Database Designer. It covers creating and editing database diagrams, adding and modifying objects, working with table relationships, and customizing layout and appearance. Additional topics include exporting, printing, and restoring diagrams, as well as configuring display options and relation notations. The designer provides a visual approach to database modeling that supports clarity, documentation, and collaboration.

In this section

• Create a database diagram in SQL Server
• Add database objects to a diagram
• Manage elements on a diagram
• Navigate a database diagram
• Work with relations
• Diagram shapes and layout
• Save and open a diagram
• Export a diagram
• Print a diagram
• Manage database objects on a diagram
• Set diagram options
• Relation notations
• Search text on a database diagram