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sidebar_position: 3
title: "Restoring a Database"
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# Restoring a Database

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**WARNING:** Restoring a database **replaces its current contents**. Always confirm you are targeting the correct server and database before proceeding. Close any active connections to the target database beforehand.

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## Restore from a Full Backup

1. In **Object Explorer**, right-click the **Databases** node (not a specific database) and select **Restore Database…**

![SSMS Restore Menu](img/16.png)

2. The **Restore Database** window opens on the **General** page. Under **Source**, select **Device**, then click the … (Browse) button.

![Restore Source Device](img/17.png)

3. In the **Select backup devices** dialog, click **Add**.

![Add Backup Device](img/18.png)

4. Navigate to your `.bak` file, select it, and click **OK**. Then click **OK** again to close the dialog.

![Select BAK File](img/19.png)

5. The backup details will populate in the **Backup sets to restore** grid. Verify that the correct backup is checked.
6. Under **Destination**, confirm the database name in the **Database** field. You can type a new name here to restore as a different database.

![Verify Restore Sets](img/20.png)

7. Go to the **Options** page (left-hand panel). Check **Close existing connections to the destination database** to avoid connection conflicts during restore.
8. Click **OK** to begin.

![Restore Options](img/21.png)

9. A confirmation message will appear on success.

![Restore Success](img/22.png)

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## Restore from a Full + Differential Backup

1. Follow steps 1–4 above, but when adding backup devices, add **both** the full backup file and the differential backup file.

![Add Multiple Backup Devices](img/23.png)

2. SSMS will automatically detect the backup types and display them in the correct order in the **Backup sets to restore** grid.
3. Make sure **both** the full and differential entries are checked.

![Multiple Restore Sets](img/24.png)

4. Go to **Options**, check **Close existing connections to the destination database**.
5. Click **OK** to restore.

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## Point-in-Time Recovery (Transaction Logs)

1. Follow steps 1–4 above, adding the full backup file **and all transaction log** (`.trn`) files in the **Select backup devices** dialog.

![Add Log Files](img/25.png)

2. SSMS will list all backup sets in the correct sequence in the grid. Verify all needed entries are checked.
3. To restore to a specific point in time, click the **Timeline…** button at the top of the **General** page. In the **Backup Timeline** dialog, drag the slider or type a specific date and time, then click **OK**.

![Restore Timeline](img/26.png)

4. Go to **Options**, check **Close existing connections to the destination database**.
5. Click **OK** to run the restore.

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## Restoring to a Different Server or Name

To restore a backup onto a different server, or under a different database name:
1. Connect SSMS to the **target server** (not the original one).
2. Follow the restore steps in the section above.
3. At step 6, change the **Database** name field to your desired new name.

![Rename Database](img/27.png)

4. Go to the **Files** page (left-hand panel). You will see the original file paths listed. Check **Relocate all files to folder** and specify the data and log folders on the target server.

![Relocate Files](img/28.png)

5. Click **OK** to restore.