How to Connect TablePlus to SQL Server (SSH, TLS, Errors)

Short answer

A TablePlus SQL Server connection uses host, port, user and password; the default instance listens on TCP port 1433, while named instances use dynamic ports unless you fix one.
New Developer and Express installations have TCP/IP disabled for network connections, so enable it in SQL Server Configuration Manager before connecting from TablePlus.
A SQL Server login (user name and password) needs the server in SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode; TablePlus added Microsoft Entra ID login in September 2026.
TablePlus documents built-in SSH tunnelling; check the encryption of a session with sys.dm_exec_connections.
Error 18456 (login failed), 4060 (cannot open database), 53 and 10061 (network) and 40615 (Azure firewall) are the usual failures.

How we know: Research-based: TablePlus steps and options were checked against the TablePlus documentation and the macOS and Windows changelogs; SQL Server ports, protocols, authentication modes and the connection view were checked against Microsoft Learn on 8 October 2026. We have not run these connections for this guide; follow the official pages if your version differs.

Prepare SQL Server for a TablePlus connection

Most first-time failures happen before TablePlus is involved. Check three things on the server:

TCP/IP is enabled. Microsoft's default protocol table shows TCP/IP disabled for network connections on new Developer and SQL Server Express installations. Enable it in SQL Server Configuration Manager and restart the service.
SQL Server authentication is allowed. If Windows Authentication mode was chosen during setup, SQL logins cannot sign in and the sa login is disabled. Switch the server to SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode (mixed mode) if you plan to use a user name and password.
You know the port. The default instance listens on TCP port 1433. Named instances use dynamic ports, and clients normally find them through the SQL Server Browser service on UDP port 1434. Giving a named instance a fixed port makes the TablePlus connection simpler and more reliable.

Create the SQL Server connection in TablePlus

Launch TablePlus and click Create a new connection on the welcome screen.
Choose SQL Server (listed as Microsoft SQL Server in the TablePlus documentation) as the database type and click Create.
Name the connection and pick a tag (Local, Testing, Development, Staging or Production) and colour.
Enter the host (server name or IP address) and port: 1433 for a default instance, or the fixed port you assigned to a named instance.
Enter the SQL Server login and password, and the database to open.
Test the connection, then connect. TablePlus saves it on the welcome screen.

The macOS changelog records two SQL Server additions to the connection form: choosing the protocol version when creating a connection, and Microsoft Entra ID login (version 26.10.0, September 2026; the Windows app gained Entra ID login in 26.10.2). The TablePlus documentation does not describe Windows integrated authentication, so plan on a SQL Server login or Entra ID. For Azure, see our Azure SQL Database guide; for AWS, Amazon RDS for SQL Server.

SSH tunnels and encrypted SQL Server connections

SSH tunnel. The TablePlus connection form supports SSH with a password or private key, and reads ~/.ssh/config when you tick Use SSH key and leave the key field empty. This is useful when SQL Server sits on a private network behind a Linux or Windows host that runs an SSH server. If the tunnel fails, turn on Help > Enable SSH Debug Log.

Encryption. The TablePlus documentation does not describe the TLS settings of the connection form beyond a tLSMode URL parameter. After connecting, you can confirm whether the session is encrypted from the SQL Server side: sys.dm_exec_connections has an encrypt_option column that shows whether encryption is enabled for each connection. Run the query below in the TablePlus query editor.

T-SQL: is the current TablePlus session encrypted?

SELECT session_id, encrypt_option, net_transport, auth_scheme
FROM sys.dm_exec_connections
WHERE session_id = @@SPID;

Common TablePlus SQL Server connection errors

TablePlus passes on the message SQL Server or the network returns. Our error library explains each in detail.

SQL Server connection errors and where to look
Error	Usual cause	Guide
18456: Login failed for user	Wrong password, disabled login, or the server is in Windows Authentication mode only.	Error 18456
4060: Cannot open database requested by the login	The database name is wrong, offline, or the login has no user in it.	Error 4060
53: network-related or instance-specific error	Wrong host or instance, TCP/IP disabled, or a firewall in the way.	Error 53
10061: target machine actively refused it	The host was reached but nothing is listening on that port.	Error 10061
40615: Cannot open server (Azure)	The Azure SQL firewall does not allow your IP address.	Error 40615

Next steps

Once connected, see exporting query results to CSV or Excel and the TablePlus keyboard shortcuts. If you work mainly with SQL Server, compare TablePlus with Microsoft's own tool in our SSMS review and SQL Server GUI tools guide. The TablePlus review covers the tool as a whole.

Frequently asked questions

What port does TablePlus use for SQL Server?

The port you enter. A default SQL Server instance listens on TCP 1433; named instances use dynamic ports unless an administrator sets a fixed one.

Can TablePlus use Windows authentication for SQL Server?

The TablePlus documentation does not describe Windows integrated authentication. It supports SQL Server logins, and the changelogs record Microsoft Entra ID login added in September 2026.

How do I connect TablePlus to a named SQL Server instance?

Find or assign the instance's TCP port in SQL Server Configuration Manager and enter the host and that port in TablePlus. Named instances use dynamic ports by default, which the SQL Server Browser service on UDP 1434 normally resolves.

Why does TablePlus show Login failed for user (18456)?

SQL Server rejected the login. Common causes are a wrong password, a disabled login such as sa, or a server that only allows Windows authentication. See error 18456.

Does TablePlus work with SQL Server on Mac and Linux?

Yes. Microsoft SQL Server is in the TablePlus supported database list, which applies to its macOS, Windows and Linux apps; check the Linux changelog for features, as that app is versioned separately.

Sources

Checked 8 October 2026.

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