Customizing Display Columns in SQL Server Management Studio Table Designer

TLDR

• The SSMS table designer interface displays only "Column Name", "Data Type", and "Allow Nulls" by default, and this cannot be modified via the UI.
• You must customize the display columns by modifying the SSVPropViewColumnsSQL80 key in the Windows Registry.
• You must close SSMS before making changes; otherwise, the settings will not take effect and may be overwritten.
• The recommended value is 1,2,6,7,8,17, which covers name, type, null status, default value, identity property, and description.

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In SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), the table designer interface displays only "Column Name", "Data Type", and "Allow Nulls" by default. If you need to view advanced information such as Description, Identity, or Default Value, you must customize it by modifying the Windows Registry.

Modifying the Registry to Customize Display Columns

When you might encounter this: When a user wants to quickly view or edit advanced column properties (such as description, identity, or default value) in the SSMS table design window without frequently switching to the properties window at the bottom.

Steps

1. Close all open SSMS windows.
2. Run regedit.exe to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path (20.0_IsoShell corresponds to SSMS version 20; for older versions, use the corresponding version number): HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQL Server Management Studio\20.0_IsoShell\DataProject
4. Locate the SSVPropViewColumnsSQL80 key and change its value to the desired combination of column codes (separated by commas).

Column Code Reference Table

Value	Display Column
1	Column Name
2	Data Type
3	Length
4	Precision
5	Scale
6	Allow Nulls
7	Default Value
8	Identity
9	Identity Seed
10	Identity Increment
11	Row GUID
12	Nullable
13	Condensed Type
14	Not for Replication
15	Formula
16	Collation
17	Description

Recommended Configuration and Verification

The recommended value is 1,2,6,7,8,17 for the following reasons:

• Column 2 (Data Type) automatically includes length, precision, and scale information.
• Column 8 (Identity) is usually sufficient to identify the property without needing to display Seed and Increment separately.

After making the changes, reopen SSMS and enter table design mode to see the customized column display:

WARNING

When setting the registry key, ensure that SSMS is closed. If you modify it while SSMS is open, the settings will not take effect; if you click to edit while it is open, the system may revert the key to its default value.

References

• SQL Server Management Studio Table Designer Display Column Description

Changelog

1. 2024-07-15

   • Initial document creation.