open-view-and-print-a-deadlock-file-sql-server-management-studio.md

title	Open, view, print deadlock file (SSMS)
description	Learn how to capture deadlock information that SQL Server Profiler generates and view it in SQL Server Management Studio.
author	MikeRayMSFT
ms.author	mikeray
ms.reviewer	randolphwest
ms.date	03/01/2017
ms.service	sql
ms.subservice	performance
ms.topic	conceptual
ms.custom	ignite-2025
helpviewer_keywords	deadlocks [SQL Server], printing files deadlocks [SQL Server], opening files opening deadlock files printing deadlock files
monikerRange	=azuresqldb-current || >=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-2017 || =azuresqldb-mi-current || =fabric-sqldb

Open, view, and print a deadlock file in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

[!INCLUDE SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance FabricSQLDB] When [!INCLUDEssSqlProfiler] generates a deadlock, you can capture and save the deadlock information to a file. After you've saved the deadlock file, you can open it in [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull] to view it or print it.

Open and view a deadlock file

1. On the File menu in [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull], point to Open, and then select File.

2. In the Open File dialog box, select the .xdl file type in the Files of type box. You now have a filtered list of only deadlock files.

Print a deadlock file

1. On the File menu in [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull], point to Open, and then select File.

2. In the Open File dialog box, select the .xdl file type in the Files of type box. You now have a filtered list of only deadlock files.

3. Select the deadlock file you want to print, and select Open.

4. On the File menu, select Print.

See also

Save deadlock graphs (SQL Server Profiler)