How to Install SQL Developer on Windows

How do I install SQL Developer? Simply download, extract, and run. This guide covers installation on Windows 10 and Windows 11, plus connecting to your first database in under 10 minutes.

Step 1: Download SQL Developer

Download SQL Developer from our website. Unlike Oracle's official site, you don't need to create an account or log in.

1. Go to usesqldeveloper.com/download
2. Click Download Free for Windows
3. Save the .zip file to your Downloads folder

The download is approximately 450 MB and includes a bundled JDK, so you don't need Java installed separately.

Step 2: Extract the ZIP File

SQL Developer is a portable application. After you download SQL Developer, simply extract and run — no installation wizard required.

1. Locate the downloaded sqldeveloper-24.3.1.xxx-x64.zip file
2. Right-click and select Extract All...
3. Choose a destination folder (e.g., C:\sqldeveloper)
4. Click Extract

Tip: Avoid extracting to Program Files to prevent permission issues. A simple path like C:\sqldeveloper works best.

Step 3: Launch SQL Developer

After extraction, you can run SQL Developer immediately. No additional setup is needed.

1. Open the extracted folder (e.g., C:\sqldeveloper)
2. Navigate to the sqldeveloper subfolder
3. Double-click sqldeveloper.exe

First launch: SQL Developer may take 30–60 seconds to start the first time as it initializes settings. Subsequent launches will be faster.

Windows SmartScreen: If you see a "Windows protected your PC" message, click More info then Run anyway. This is normal for downloaded applications.

Step 4: Create Your First Connection

Now that you've downloaded SQL Developer and launched it, connect to a database. SQL Developer supports Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and SQLite.

1. Click the green + icon in the Connections panel (left side)
2. Enter a Connection Name (e.g., "My MySQL Database")
3. Select the Database Type tab (MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.)
4. Enter your connection details:
   • Hostname: your database server address
   • Port: MySQL: 3306, PostgreSQL: 5432, Oracle: 1521, SQL Server: 1433
   • Username: your database username
   • Password: your database password

Step 5: Test and Connect

Before saving your connection, always test it to verify your credentials are correct.

1. Click the Test button at the bottom of the connection dialog
2. If successful, you'll see "Status: Success" in green
3. Click Save to save the connection for future use
4. Click Connect to open the connection

Connection failed? Three most common issues:

• ⚠
  Connection refused

  Check that your database server is running and the port is correct.
  →
• !
  Access denied

  Verify your username and password — passwords are case-sensitive.
  →
• ⚠
  Timeout

  Check your firewall settings or try connecting via SSH tunnel.
  FW

What's Next?

Now that you've downloaded SQL Developer and connected to your database, explore these guides: