View and Edit SQL Files: MySQL Workbench, Excel, & More

Written by Kyle Smith

Last Updated: October 23, 2024 Fact Checked

Files with the .SQL extension are Structured Query Language (SQL) data files, which are used to access and modify relational databases. To quickly view or edit SQL file, you can open it in a text editor like Notepad or TextEdit. You can also open SQL files in MySQL Workbench to use MySQL's database editing tools, or import an Azure SQL database into an Excel workbook. This wikiHow guide teaches you three easy ways to open SQL files in Windows and macOS.

Quick Ways to Open an SQL File

If you want to quickly view and edit an SQL file, open it in Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (macOS)
Alternatively, open the MySQL Workbench app to use their helpful editing tools.
Or, import an Azure SQL database to an Excel workbook using the Get Data feature in Excel.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Text Editor

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This will open your right-click options on a drop-down menu.
This will open a list of recommended applications to open this file.

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Select Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). This will open your SQL file in your text editor. You can easily view and manually edit the SQL script in the text editor here.
- If you don't see Notepad or TextEdit here, click Choose another app or Other at the bottom. This will open a list of all your applications.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using MySQL Workbench

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Open the MySQL Workbench app on your computer. The MySQL Workbench icon looks like a dolphin in a blue square. You can find it on your Start menu on Windows or in the Applications folder on Mac.
- If you don't have MySQL Workbench installed on your computer, you can select your system, and download the app installer at https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/workbench/ .
" You'll find your available model instances here. Just double-click the one you want to use. ^{[1]
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This button is in the upper-left corner of your screen. It will open a drop-down menu.
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Click Open SQL Script on the File menu. This will open a new file navigator window, and allow you to select the SQL file you want to open.
- Alternatively, press Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + O (Windows) or ⌘ Cmd + ⇧ Shift + O (Mac) on your keyboard.
Use the file navigator window to find your SQL file, and click on its name to select the file.
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Click Open on the bottom-right. This button is in the lower-right corner of the file navigator pop-up. It will open your SQL file's contents in the MySQL Workbench app.
- You can view and edit your SQL script here.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Import Azure SQL Data into Excel

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You can load your Azure SQL Database data into an existing Excel file , or start a new workbook. ^{[2]
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Click the Data tab or press Alt + A . ^{[3]
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This is in the Get & Transform Data section. ^{[4]
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This will show you Azure-related data options.
This will open the SQL Server database dialog box. ^{[5]
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Type the name of the server. Formatted the server name like this:
- <servername>.database.windows.net
- Replace <servername> with the name of your server.
The dialog box will prompt you for your server’s username and password. Enter this info into the text boxes. ^{[6]
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This will open the data Navigator menu.
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Load your data. This will create the connection between your Azure SQL Database and your Excel workbook.
- Choose a database on the left side of the Navigator menu.
- Click the tables or view you need for your work.
- Click Load to load the selected data into Excel.
- You’re done! Try exploring other Navigator menu options like Load to , which allows you to choose how you want to see the data in your workbook.