How to open .SQL files on Windows
To open .SQL files on Windows, to view/edit: Right-click the .sql file → Open with → choose a text editor (for example, Notepad).
Step-by-step instructions
- To view/edit: Right-click the .sql file → Open with → choose a text editor (for example, Notepad).
- To execute in PostgreSQL: open Command Prompt and run psql, then use psql to run the script file (see PostgreSQL psql documentation for the exact command and options).
- To execute in MySQL: use the MySQL command-line client or MySQL Workbench and run/import the .sql script as shown in the MySQL tutorial source.
Common issues
Double-clicking opens the file in the wrong program
.sql is plain text, so the OS may associate it with an unexpected editor or a database tool you don’t want to use for viewing.
- Use “Open with” to choose your preferred text editor for reading/editing.
- If you need to run it, open your database client (for example psql) and execute the script from there instead of double-clicking.
Script runs but fails with syntax errors
SQL syntax and supported features can vary between database systems, so a script generated for one product may not run unchanged on another.
- Confirm which database the script targets (for example PostgreSQL vs MySQL) and run it using the matching client/tool (psql for PostgreSQL; MySQL CLI/Workbench for MySQL).
- If you must run it on a different database, edit the SQL to match that database’s dialect and features, then try again.
Import/execute fails due to missing database connection or permissions
Executing a .sql file requires connecting to the right server/database and having privileges to create/alter objects or modify data.
- Verify you are connecting to the intended database instance and database name in your client (for example in psql connection options).
- Ask for or grant the required permissions before re-running the script.
Security note
.sql files can contain destructive statements (for example dropping tables or deleting data). Read the script in a text editor before executing it, especially if it came from an untrusted source.