Share via


How to: Delete Foreign Key Relationships

Delete a foreign key constraint when you want to remove the requirement to enforce referential integrity.

Note

A new version of Table Designer appears for databases in the SQL Server 2012 format. This topic describes the old version of Table Designer, which you use with databases in earlier formats of SQL Server.

In the new version, you can change a table definition through a graphical interface or directly in a script pane. If you use the graphical interface, the table’s definition is automatically updated in the script pane. To apply the SQL code in the script pane, choose the Update button. For more information about the new version, see How to: Create Database Objects Using Table Designer.

Note

Your computer might show different names or locations for some of the Visual Studio user interface elements in the following instructions. The Visual Studio edition that you have and the settings that you use determine these elements. For more information, see Customizing Development Settings in Visual Studio.

To delete a foreign key constraint

  1. In Server Explorer, select the table with the constraint, and from the Database menu click Open Table Definition.

    The table opens in Table Designer.

  2. From the Table Designer menu, click Relationships.

  3. In the Foreign Key Relationships dialog box, select the relationship in the Selected Relationship list.

  4. Click the Delete button.

See Also

Concepts

Foreign Keys (Visual Database Tools)

Other Resources

Working with Constraints

Working with Relationships