CREATE USER (Transact-SQL)

Article
11/21/2024

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW) SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Adds a user to the current database. The 13 types of users are listed with a sample of the most basic syntax:

Note

While Microsoft Entra ID is the new name for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), to prevent disrupting existing environments, Azure AD still remains in some hardcoded elements such as UI fields, connection providers, error codes, and cmdlets. In this article, the two names are interchangeable.

Users based on logins in master

User based on a login based on a Windows Active Directory account. CREATE USER [Contoso\Fritz];
User based on a login based on a Windows group. CREATE USER [Contoso\Sales];
User based on a login using SQL Server authentication. CREATE USER Mary;
User based on a Microsoft Entra login. CREATE USER [bob@contoso.com] FROM LOGIN [bob@contoso.com]

Note

Microsoft Entra server principals (logins) are currently in public preview for Azure SQL Database.

Note

Logins, and therefore users based on logins, are not supported in SQL database in Microsoft Fabric.

Users that authenticate at the database - Recommended to help make your database more portable.
Always allowed in SQL Database. Only allowed in a contained database in SQL Server.

User based on a Windows user that has no login. CREATE USER [Contoso\Fritz];
User based on a Windows group that has no login. CREATE USER [Contoso\Sales];
User in SQL Database or Azure Synapse Analytics based on a Microsoft Entra user. CREATE USER [Fritz@contoso.com] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER;
Contained database user with password. (Not available in Azure Synapse Analytics.) CREATE USER Mary WITH PASSWORD = '********';

Users based on Windows principals that connect through Windows group logins

User based on a Windows user that has no login, but can connect to the Database Engine through membership in a Windows group. CREATE USER [Contoso\Fritz];
User based on a Windows group that has no login, but can connect to the Database Engine through membership in a different Windows group. CREATE USER [Contoso\Fritz];

Users that cannot authenticate - These users can't log into SQL Server or SQL Database.

User without a login. Cannot log in but can be granted permissions. CREATE USER CustomApp WITHOUT LOGIN;
User based on a certificate. Can't log in but can be granted permissions and can sign modules. CREATE USER TestProcess FOR CERTIFICATE CarnationProduction50;
User based on an asymmetric key. Can't log in but can be granted permissions and can sign modules. CREATE User TestProcess FROM ASYMMETRIC KEY PacificSales09;

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

Syntax for SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance

-- Syntax Users based on logins in master  
CREATE USER user_name   
    [   
        { FOR | FROM } LOGIN login_name   
    ]  
    [ WITH <limited_options_list> [ ,... ] ]   
[ ; ]  
  
-- Users that authenticate at the database  
CREATE USER   
    {  
      windows_principal [ WITH <options_list> [ ,... ] ]  
  
    | user_name WITH PASSWORD = 'password' [ , <options_list> [ ,... ]   
    | Microsoft_Entra_principal FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER [WITH OBJECT_ID = 'objectid'] 
    }  
  
 [ ; ]  
  
-- Users based on Windows principals that connect through Windows group logins  
CREATE USER   
    {   
          windows_principal [ { FOR | FROM } LOGIN windows_principal ]  
        | user_name { FOR | FROM } LOGIN windows_principal  
}  
    [ WITH <limited_options_list> [ ,... ] ]   
[ ; ]  
  
-- Users that cannot authenticate   
CREATE USER user_name   
    {  
         WITHOUT LOGIN [ WITH <limited_options_list> [ ,... ] ]  
       | { FOR | FROM } CERTIFICATE cert_name   
       | { FOR | FROM } ASYMMETRIC KEY asym_key_name   
    }  
 [ ; ]  
  
<options_list> ::=  
      DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name  
    | DEFAULT_LANGUAGE = { NONE | lcid | language name | language alias }  
    | SID = sid   
    | ALLOW_ENCRYPTED_VALUE_MODIFICATIONS = [ ON | OFF ] ]  
  
<limited_options_list> ::=  
      DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name ]   
    | ALLOW_ENCRYPTED_VALUE_MODIFICATIONS = [ ON | OFF ] ]  
  
-- SQL Database syntax when connected to a federation member  
CREATE USER user_name  
[;]

-- Syntax for users based on Microsoft Entra logins for Azure SQL Managed Instance
CREATE USER user_name   
    [   { FOR | FROM } LOGIN login_name  ]  
    | FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER
    [ WITH <limited_options_list> [ ,... ] ]   
[ ; ]  


<limited_options_list> ::=  
      DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name 
    | DEFAULT_LANGUAGE = { NONE | lcid | language name | language alias }   
    | ALLOW_ENCRYPTED_VALUE_MODIFICATIONS = [ ON | OFF ] ]

Syntax for Azure Synapse Analytics

CREATE USER user_name   
    [ { { FOR | FROM } { LOGIN login_name }   
      | WITHOUT LOGIN  
    ]   
    [ WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name ]  
[;]

CREATE USER Microsoft_Entra_principal FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER  
    [ WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name ]  
[;]

Syntax for SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

CREATE USER   
    {  
    Microsoft_Entra_principal FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER [ WITH <limited_options_list> [ ,... ] ]    
    | Microsoft_Entra_principal WITH <options_list> [ ,... ] 
    }  
 [ ; ]  
  
-- Users that cannot authenticate   
CREATE USER user_name   
    {    WITHOUT LOGIN [ WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name ]  
       | { FOR | FROM } CERTIFICATE cert_name   
       | { FOR | FROM } ASYMMETRIC KEY asym_key_name   
    }  
 [ ; ]  
  
<limited_options_list> ::=  
      DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name  
    | OBJECT_ID = 'objectid'

<options_list> ::=  
      DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name  
    | SID = sid  
    | TYPE = { X | E }

Syntax for Parallel Data Warehouse

CREATE USER user_name   
    [ { { FOR | FROM }  
      {   
        LOGIN login_name   
      }   
      | WITHOUT LOGIN  
    ]   
    [ WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name ]  
[;]

Arguments

user_name

Specifies the name by which the user is identified inside this database. user_name is a sysname. It can be up to 128 characters long. When creating a user based on a Windows principal, the Windows principal name becomes the user name unless another user name is specified.

Specifies the login for which the database user is being created. login_name must be a valid login in the server. Can be a login based on a Windows principal (user or group), a login using SQL Server authentication, or a login using a Microsoft Entra principal (user, group, or application). When this SQL Server login enters the database, it acquires the name and ID of the database user that is being created. When creating a login mapped from a Windows principal, use the format [<domainName>\<loginName>]. For examples, see Syntax Summary.

If the CREATE USER statement is the only statement in a SQL batch, Azure SQL Database supports the WITH LOGIN clause. If the CREATE USER statement is not the only statement in a SQL batch or is executed in dynamic SQL, the WITH LOGIN clause isn't supported.

WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name

Specifies the first schema that will be searched by the server when it resolves the names of objects for this database user.

'windows_principal'

Specifies the Windows principal for which the database user is being created. The windows_principal can be a Windows user, or a Windows group. The user will be created even if the windows_principal doesn't have a login. When connecting to SQL Server, if the windows_principal doesn't have a login, the Windows principal must authenticate at the Database Engine through membership in a Windows group that has a login, or the connection string must specify the contained database as the initial catalog. When creating a user from a Windows principal, use the format [<domainName>\<loginName>]. For examples, see Syntax Summary. Users based on Active Directory users, are limited to names of fewer than 21 characters.

'Microsoft_Entra_principal'

Applies to: SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance, Azure Synapse Analytics, SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Specifies the Microsoft Entra principal for which the database user is being created. The Microsoft_Entra_principal can be a Microsoft Entra user, a Microsoft Entra group, or a Microsoft Entra application. (Microsoft Entra users can't have Windows Authentication logins in SQL Database; only database users.) The connection string must specify the contained database as the initial catalog.

For Microsoft Entra principals, the CREATE USER syntax requires:

UserPrincipalName of the Microsoft Entra object for Microsoft Entra users.
- CREATE USER [bob@contoso.com] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER;
- CREATE USER [alice@fabrikam.onmicrosoft.com] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER;
Microsoft Entra server principals (logins) introduces creating users that are mapped to Microsoft Entra logins in the virtual master database. For example, CREATE USER [bob@contoso.com] FROM LOGIN [bob@contoso.com];
Microsoft Entra users and service principals (applications) that are members of more than 2048 Microsoft Entra security groups aren't supported to log into databases in Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, or Azure Synapse.
DisplayName of Microsoft Entra object for Microsoft Entra groups and Microsoft Entra Applications. If you had the Nurses security group, you would use:
- CREATE USER [Nurses] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER;

For more information, see Connecting to SQL Database By Using Microsoft Entra authentication.

WITH PASSWORD = 'password'

Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later, SQL Database.

Can only be used in a contained database. Specifies the password for the user that is being created. Beginning with SQL Server 2012 (11.x), stored password information is calculated using SHA-512 of the salted password.

Specifies that the user shouldn't be mapped to an existing login.

CERTIFICATE cert_name

Applies to: SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) and later, SQL Database, SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Specifies the certificate for which the database user is being created.

ASYMMETRIC KEY asym_key_name

Applies to: SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) and later, SQL Database, SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Specifies the asymmetric key for which the database user is being created.

DEFAULT_LANGUAGE = { NONE | <lcid> | <language name> | <language salias> }

Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later, SQL Database

Specifies the default language for the new user. If a default language is specified for the user and the default language of the database is later changed, the users default language remains as specified. If no default language is specified, the default language for the user will be the default language of the database. If the default language for the user isn't specified and the default language of the database is later changed, the default language of the user will change to the new default language for the database.

Important

DEFAULT_LANGUAGE is used only for a contained database user.

SID = sid

Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later, and to SQL database in Microsoft Fabric.

In SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later, applies only to users with passwords (SQL Server authentication) in a contained database. Specifies the SID of the new database user. If this option isn't selected, SQL Server automatically assigns a SID. Use the SID parameter to create users in multiple databases that have the same identity (SID). This is useful when creating users in multiple databases to prepare for Always On failover. To determine the SID of a user, query sys.database_principals.

In SQL database in Microsoft Fabric, sid should be a valid ID of the specified Microsoft Entra principal. If the principal is a user or a group, the ID should be a Microsoft Entra object ID of the user/group. If the Microsoft Entra principal is a service principal (an application or a managed identity), the ID should be an application ID (or a client ID). The specified ID must be a binary(16) value. The Database Engine doesn't validate the specified ID in Microsoft Entra. The SID argument must be used together with TYPE.

TYPE = [ E | X ]

Applies to: SQL database in Microsoft Fabric.

Specifies the type of a Microsoft Entra principal. E indicates the principal is a user or a service principal (an application or a managed identity). X indicates the principal is a group.

ALLOW_ENCRYPTED_VALUE_MODIFICATIONS = [ ON | OFF ]

Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later, SQL Database.

Suppresses cryptographic metadata checks on the server in bulk copy operations. This enables the user to bulk copy encrypted data between tables or databases, without decrypting the data. The default is OFF.

Warning

Improper use of this option can lead to data corruption. For more information, see Migrate Sensitive Data Protected by Always Encrypted.

FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER

Applies to: SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Specifies that the principal is for Microsoft Entra authentication. SQL Server automatically validates the provided principal name in Microsoft Entra.

If the principal issuing the CREATE USER statement is a Microsoft Entra user principal, the principal (or principal's group) must be in the Directory Readers role in Microsoft Entra.

In SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance, if the principal issuing the CREATE USER statement is a service principal, the identity of the database server or the managed instance must be in the Directory Readers role in Microsoft Entra.

In SQL database in Microsoft Fabric, FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER is not allowed if a principal issuing CREATE USER is a service principal in Microsoft Entra. Service principals must use TYPE and SID arguments to create users for Microsoft Entra principals.

WITH OBJECT_ID = 'objectid'

Applies to: SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Specifies the Microsoft Entra Object ID. If the OBJECT_ID is specified, the user_name can be a user defined alias formed from the original principal display name with a suffix appended. The user_name must be a unique name in the sys.database_principals view and adhere to all other sysname limitations. For more information on using the WITH OBJECT_ID option, see Microsoft Entra logins and users with nonunique display names.

Note

If the service principal display name is not a duplicate, the default CREATE LOGIN or CREATE USER statement should be used. The WITH OBJECT_ID extension is a troubleshooting repair item implemented for use with nonunique service principals. Using it with a unique service principal is not recommended. Using the WITH OBJECT_ID extension for a service principal without adding a suffix will run successfully, but it will not be obvious which service principal the login or user was created for. It's recommended to create an alias using a suffix to uniquely identify the service principal. The WITH OBJECT_ID extension is not supported for SQL Server.

Remarks

If FOR LOGIN is omitted, the new database user will be mapped to the SQL Server login with the same name.

The default schema will be the first schema that will be searched by the server when it resolves the names of objects for this database user. Unless otherwise specified, the default schema will be the owner of objects created by this database user.

If the user has a default schema, that default schema will be used. If the user doesn't have a default schema, but the user is a member of a group that has a default schema, the default schema of the group will be used. If the user doesn't have a default schema, and is a member of more than one group, the default schema for the user will be that of the Windows group with the lowest principal_id and an explicitly set default schema. (It isn't possible to explicitly select one of the available default schemas as the preferred schema.) If no default schema can be determined for a user, the dbo schema will be used.

DEFAULT_SCHEMA can be set before the schema that it points to is created.

DEFAULT_SCHEMA can't be specified when you're creating a user mapped to a certificate, or an asymmetric key.

The value of DEFAULT_SCHEMA is ignored if the user is a member of the sysadmin fixed server role. All members of the sysadmin fixed server role have a default schema of dbo.

The WITHOUT LOGIN clause creates a user that isn't mapped to a SQL Server login. It can connect to other databases as guest. Permissions can be assigned to this user without a login and when the security context is changed to a user without a login, the original users receives the permissions of the user without a login. See example D. Creating and using a user without a login.

Only users that are mapped to Windows principals can contain the backslash character (\).

CREATE USER can't be used to create a guest user because the guest user already exists inside every database. You can enable the guest user by granting it CONNECT permission, as shown:

GRANT CONNECT TO guest; 
GO

Information about database users is visible in the sys.database_principals catalog view.

Use the syntax extension FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER to create server-level Microsoft Entra logins in Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance. Microsoft Entra logins allow database-level Microsoft Entra principals to be mapped to server-level Microsoft Entra logins. To create a Microsoft Entra user from a Microsoft Entra login use the following syntax:

CREATE USER [Microsoft_Entra_principal] FROM LOGIN [Microsoft Entra login];

When creating the user in the Azure SQL database, the login_name must correspond to an existing Microsoft Entra login, or else using the FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER clause will only create a Microsoft Entra user without a login in the master database. For example, this command will create a contained user:

CREATE USER [bob@contoso.com] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER;

Syntax Summary

Users based on logins in master

The following list shows possible syntax for users based on logins. The default schema options aren't listed.

CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsUserBarry]
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsUserBarry] FOR LOGIN Domain1\WindowsUserBarry
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsUserBarry] FROM LOGIN Domain1\WindowsUserBarry
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers]
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers] FOR LOGIN [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers]
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers] FROM LOGIN [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers]
CREATE USER SQLAUTHLOGIN
CREATE USER SQLAUTHLOGIN FOR LOGIN SQLAUTHLOGIN
CREATE USER SQLAUTHLOGIN FROM LOGIN SQLAUTHLOGIN

Users that authenticate at the database

The following list shows possible syntax for users that can only be used in a contained database. The users created won't be related to any logins in the master database. The default schema and language options aren't listed.

Important

This syntax grants users access to the database and also grants new access to the Database Engine.

CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsUserBarry]
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers]
CREATE USER Barry WITH PASSWORD = 'sdjklalie8rew8337!$d'

Users based on Windows principals without logins in the master system database

The following list shows possible syntax for users that have access to the Database Engine through a Windows group but don't have a login in the master system database. This syntax can be used in all types of databases. The default schema and language options aren't listed.

This syntax is similar to users based on logins in master, but this category of user doesn't have a login in master. The user must have access to the Database Engine through a Windows group login.

This syntax is similar to contained database users based on Windows principals, but this category of user doesn't get new access to the Database Engine.

CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsUserBarry]
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsUserBarry] FOR LOGIN Domain1\WindowsUserBarry
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsUserBarry] FROM LOGIN Domain1\WindowsUserBarry
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers]
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers] FOR LOGIN [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers]
CREATE USER [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers] FROM LOGIN [Domain1\WindowsGroupManagers]

Users that cannot authenticate

The following list shows possible syntax for users that can't log in to SQL Server.

CREATE USER RIGHTSHOLDER WITHOUT LOGIN
CREATE USER CERTUSER FOR CERTIFICATE SpecialCert
CREATE USER CERTUSER FROM CERTIFICATE SpecialCert
CREATE USER KEYUSER FOR ASYMMETRIC KEY SecureKey
CREATE USER KEYUSER FROM ASYMMETRIC KEY SecureKey

Security

Creating a user grants access to a database but doesn't automatically grant any access to the objects in a database. After creating a user, common actions are to add users to database roles that have permission to access database objects, or grant object permissions to the user. For information about designing a permissions system, see Getting Started with Database Engine Permissions.

Special Considerations for Contained Databases

When connecting to a contained database, if the user doesn't have a login in the master database, the connection string must include the contained database name as the initial catalog. The initial catalog parameter is always required for a contained database user with password.

In a contained database, creating users helps separate the database from the instance of the Database Engine so that the database can easily be moved to another instance of SQL Server. For more information, see Contained Databases and Contained Database Users - Making Your Database Portable. To change a database user from a user based on a SQL Server authentication login to a contained database user with password, see sp_migrate_user_to_contained (Transact-SQL).

In a contained database, users don't have to have logins in the master database. Database Engine administrators should understand that access to a contained database can be granted at the database level, instead of the Database Engine level. For more information, see Security Best Practices with Contained Databases.

When using contained database users on Azure SQL Database, configure access using a database-level firewall rule, instead of a server-level firewall rule. For more information, see sp_set_database_firewall_rule (Azure SQL Database).

For SQL Server 2022 (16.x), SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and Azure Synapse Analytics contained database users, SSMS supports multifactor authentication. For more information, see Using Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication.

Permissions

Requires ALTER ANY USER permission on the database.

Permissions for SQL Server 2022 and later

Requires CREATE USER permission on the database.

Examples

The following example first creates a SQL Server login named AbolrousHazem, and then creates a corresponding database user AbolrousHazem in AdventureWorks2022.

CREATE LOGIN AbolrousHazem   
    WITH PASSWORD = '340$Uuxwp7Mcxo7Khy';

Change to a user database. For example, in SQL Server use the USE AdventureWorks2022 statement. In Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW), you must make a new connection to the user database.

CREATE USER AbolrousHazem FOR LOGIN AbolrousHazem;  
GO

B. Creating a database user with a default schema

The following example first creates a server login named WanidaBenshoof with a password, and then creates a corresponding database user Wanida, with the default schema Marketing.

CREATE LOGIN WanidaBenshoof   
    WITH PASSWORD = '8fdKJl3$nlNv3049jsKK';  
USE AdventureWorks2022;  
CREATE USER Wanida FOR LOGIN WanidaBenshoof   
    WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = Marketing;  
GO

C. Creating a database user from a certificate

The following example creates a database user JinghaoLiu from certificate CarnationProduction50.

Applies to: SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) and later.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
CREATE CERTIFICATE CarnationProduction50  
    WITH SUBJECT = 'Carnation Production Facility Supervisors',  
    EXPIRY_DATE = '11/11/2011';  
GO  
CREATE USER JinghaoLiu FOR CERTIFICATE CarnationProduction50;  
GO

D. Creating and using a user without a login

The following example creates a database user CustomApp that doesn't map to a SQL Server login. The example then grants a user adventure-works\tengiz0 permission to impersonate the CustomApp user.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
CREATE USER CustomApp WITHOUT LOGIN ;  
GRANT IMPERSONATE ON USER::CustomApp TO [adventure-works\tengiz0] ;  
GO

To use the CustomApp credentials, the user adventure-works\tengiz0 executes the following statement.

EXECUTE AS USER = 'CustomApp' ;  
GO

To revert back to the adventure-works\tengiz0 credentials, the user executes the following statement.

REVERT ;  
GO

E. Creating a contained database user with password

The following example creates a contained database user with password. This example can only be executed in a contained database.

Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later. This example works in SQL Database if DEFAULT_LANGUAGE is removed.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
GO  
CREATE USER Carlo  
WITH PASSWORD='RN92piTCh%$!~3K9844 Bl*'  
    , DEFAULT_LANGUAGE=[Brazilian]  
    , DEFAULT_SCHEMA=[dbo]  
GO

The following example creates a contained database user for a login named Fritz in a domain named Contoso. This example can only be executed in a contained database.

Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
GO  
CREATE USER [Contoso\Fritz] ;  
GO

G. Creating a contained database user with a specific SID

The following example creates a SQL Server authenticated contained database user named CarmenW. This example can only be executed in a contained database.

Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
GO  
CREATE USER CarmenW WITH PASSWORD = 'a8ea v*(Rd##+'  
, SID = 0x01050000000000090300000063FF0451A9E7664BA705B10E37DDC4B7;

H. Creating a user to copy encrypted data

The following example creates a user that can copy data that is protected by the Always Encrypted feature from one set of tables, containing encrypted columns, to another set of tables with encrypted columns (in the same or a different database). For more information, see Migrate Sensitive Data Protected by Always Encrypted.

Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later, SQL Database.

CREATE USER [Chin]   
WITH   
      DEFAULT_SCHEMA = dbo  
    , ALLOW_ENCRYPTED_VALUE_MODIFICATIONS = ON ;

To create a Microsoft Entra user from a Microsoft Entra login, use the following syntax.

Sign in to your logical server in Azure or SQL Managed Instance using a Microsoft Entra login granted the sysadmin role in SQL Managed Instance, or loginmanager role in SQL Database. The following T-SQL script creates a Microsoft Entra user bob@contoso.com, from the login bob@contoso.com. This login was created in the CREATE LOGIN example.

CREATE USER [bob@contoso.com] FROM LOGIN [bob@contoso.com];
GO

Important

When creating a USER from a Microsoft Entra login, specify the user_name as the same login_name from LOGIN.

Creating a Microsoft Entra user as a group from a Microsoft Entra login that is a group is supported.

CREATE USER [MS Entra group] FROM LOGIN [MS Entra group];

GO

You can also create a Microsoft Entra user from a Microsoft Entra login that is a group.

CREATE USER [bob@contoso.com] FROM LOGIN [MS Entra group];

GO

J. Create a contained database user from a Microsoft Entra principal

The following syntax creates a Microsoft Entra user bob@contoso.com, in a database without an associated login in master. The Database Engine validates the specified user exists in Microsoft Entra.

CREATE USER [bob@contoso.com] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER;
GO

K. Create a contained database user from a Microsoft Entra principal without validation

Applies to: SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

The examples in this section create database users for Microsoft Entra principals, without validating principal names in Microsoft Entra.

The following T-SQL example creates a database user for the Microsoft Entra user, named bob@contoso.com. Replace <unique identifier sid> with the SID of the new user to the object ID of the Microsoft Entra user.

DECLARE @principal_name SYSNAME = 'bob@contoso.com';
DECLARE @objectId UNIQUEIDENTIFIER = '<unique identifier sid>'; -- user's object ID in Microsoft Entra

-- Convert the guid to the right type
DECLARE @castObjectId NVARCHAR(MAX) = CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), CONVERT (VARBINARY(16), @objectId), 1);

-- Construct command: CREATE USER [@principal_name] WITH SID = @castObjectId, TYPE = E;
DECLARE @cmd NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'CREATE USER [' + @principal_name + '] WITH SID = ' + @castObjectId + ', TYPE = E;'
EXEC (@cmd);

The following example creates a database user for the Microsoft Entra service principal, named HRApp. Replace <unique identifier sid> with the SID of the new user to the client ID of the service principal in Microsoft Entra.

DECLARE @principal_name SYSNAME = 'HRApp';
DECLARE @clientId UNIQUEIDENTIFIER = '<unique identifier sid>'; -- principal's client ID in Microsoft Entra

-- Convert the guid to the right type
DECLARE @castClientId NVARCHAR(MAX) = CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), CONVERT (VARBINARY(16), @clientId), 1);

-- Construct command: CREATE USER [@principal_name] WITH SID = @castClientId, TYPE = E;
DECLARE @cmd NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'CREATE USER [' + @principal_name + '] WITH SID = ' + @castClientId + ', TYPE = E;'
EXEC (@cmd);

The following example creates a database user for the Microsoft Entra group, named HR. Replace <unique identifier sid> with the SID of the new user to the object ID of the group.

DECLARE @group_name SYSNAME = 'HR';
DECLARE @objectId UNIQUEIDENTIFIER = '<unique identifier sid>'; -- principal's object ID in Microsoft Entra

-- Convert the guid to the right type
DECLARE @castObjectId NVARCHAR(MAX) = CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), CONVERT (VARBINARY(16), @objectId), 1);

-- Construct command: CREATE USER [@groupName] WITH SID = @castObjectId, TYPE = X;
DECLARE @cmd NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'CREATE USER [' + @principal_name + '] WITH SID = ' + @castObjectId + ', TYPE = X;'
EXEC (@cmd);

Next steps

Once the user is created, consider adding the user to a database role using the ALTER ROLE statement.
You might also want to GRANT Object Permissions to the role so they can access tables. For general information about the SQL Server security model, see Permissions.

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CREATE USER (Transact-SQL)

Syntax

Arguments

user_name

WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name

'windows_principal'

'Microsoft_Entra_principal'

WITH PASSWORD = 'password'

CERTIFICATE cert_name

ASYMMETRIC KEY asym_key_name

DEFAULT_LANGUAGE = { NONE | <lcid> | <language name> | <language salias> }

SID = sid

TYPE = [ E | X ]

ALLOW_ENCRYPTED_VALUE_MODIFICATIONS = [ ON | OFF ]

FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER

WITH OBJECT_ID = 'objectid'

Remarks

Syntax Summary

Security

Special Considerations for Contained Databases

Permissions

Permissions for SQL Server 2022 and later

Examples

B. Creating a database user with a default schema

C. Creating a database user from a certificate

D. Creating and using a user without a login

E. Creating a contained database user with password

G. Creating a contained database user with a specific SID

H. Creating a user to copy encrypted data

J. Create a contained database user from a Microsoft Entra principal

K. Create a contained database user from a Microsoft Entra principal without validation

Next steps

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CREATE USER (Transact-SQL)

Syntax

Arguments

user_name

LOGIN login_name

WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA = schema_name

'windows_principal'

'Microsoft_Entra_principal'

WITH PASSWORD = 'password'

WITHOUT LOGIN

CERTIFICATE cert_name

ASYMMETRIC KEY asym_key_name

DEFAULT_LANGUAGE = { NONE | <lcid> | <language name> | <language salias> }

SID = sid

TYPE = [ E | X ]

ALLOW_ENCRYPTED_VALUE_MODIFICATIONS = [ ON | OFF ]

FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER

WITH OBJECT_ID = 'objectid'

Remarks

Syntax Summary

Security

Special Considerations for Contained Databases

Permissions

Permissions for SQL Server 2022 and later

Examples

A. Creating a database user based on a SQL Server login

B. Creating a database user with a default schema

C. Creating a database user from a certificate

D. Creating and using a user without a login

E. Creating a contained database user with password

F. Creating a contained database user for a domain login

G. Creating a contained database user with a specific SID

H. Creating a user to copy encrypted data

I. Create a Microsoft Entra user from a Microsoft Entra login in Azure SQL

J. Create a contained database user from a Microsoft Entra principal

K. Create a contained database user from a Microsoft Entra principal without validation

Next steps

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Additional resources