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open-log-file-viewer.md

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title Open Log File Viewer
description Learn to use Log File Viewer in SQL Server Management Studio to access information about errors and events that are captured in several logs.
author MashaMSFT
ms.author mathoma
ms.date 12/16/2025
ms.service sql
ms.subservice supportability
ms.topic how-to
helpviewer_keywords
Log File Viewer, opening

Open Log File Viewer

[!INCLUDE SQL Server]

You can use Log File Viewer in [!INCLUDE ssManStudioFull] to access information about errors and events that are captured in the following logs:

  • Audit collection
  • Data collection
  • Database Mail
  • Job history
  • SQL Server
  • SQL Server Agent
  • Windows events (These Windows events can also be accessed from Event Viewer.)

You can use Registered Servers to view [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] log files from local or remote instances of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion]. By using Registered Servers, you can view the log files when the instances are either online or offline.

For more information about how to access offline [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] log files, see View Offline Log Files.

You can open Log File Viewer in several ways, depending on the information that you want to view.

Permissions

To access log files for instances of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] that are online, this requires membership in the securityadmin fixed server role.

To access log files for instances of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] that are offline, you must have read access to both the Root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement10 WMI namespace, and to the folder where the log files are stored. For more information, see the Security section of the topic View Offline Log Files.

View log files

View logs that are related to general SQL Server activity

  1. In Object Explorer, expand Management.

  2. There are two options to view logs:

    • Right-click SQL Server Logs, point to View, and then select either SQL Server Log or SQL Server and Windows Log.

    • Expand SQL Server Logs, right-click any log file, and then select View SQL Server Log. You can also double-click any log file.

    The logs include Database Mail, SQL Server, SQL Server Agent, and Windows.

View logs that are related to jobs

In Object Explorer, expand SQL Server Agent, right-click Jobs, and then select View History.

The logs include Database Mail, Job History, and SQL Server Agent.

View logs that are related to maintenance plans

In Object Explorer, expand Management, right-click Maintenance Plans, and then select View History.

The logs include Database Mail, Job History, Maintenance Plans, Remote Maintenance Plans, and SQL Server Agent.

View logs that are related to Data Collection

In Object Explorer, expand Management, right-click Data Collection, and then select View Logs.

The logs include Data Collection, Job History, and SQL Server Agent.

View logs that are related to Database Mail

In Object Explorer, expand Management, right-click Database Mail, and then select View Database Mail Log.

The logs include Database Mail, Job History, Maintenance Plans, Remote Maintenance Plans, SQL Server, SQL Server Agent, and Windows.

View logs that are related to Audits collections

In Object Explorer, expand Security, expand Audits, right-click an audit, and then select View Audit Logs.

The logs include Audit Collection and Windows.

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