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You can connect to your SQL Server database using either Windows Authentication or SQL Server Authentication, depending on your environment and configuration.

Windows Authentication Mode

When you sign in using a Windows account, SQL Server relies on the Windows operating system to verify your identity through the Windows principal token. Authentication is handled entirely by Windows, so SQL Server does not request or check the password. This mode is enabled by default and uses your existing Windows security context.

SQL Server Authentication Mode

In this mode, SQL Server maintains its own set of logins that operate independently of Windows user accounts. The username and password are created and stored within SQL Server. Each time you connect using SQL Server Authentication, you must manually enter these credentials. Ensure that SQL Server logins use strong passwords to maintain account integrity.

Blank Password (not recommended)

If a blank login name is supplied while connecting, SQL Server automatically falls back to Windows Authentication. Similarly, when the SQL Server instance is configured to allow only Windows Authentication, any explicit SQL login credentials provided during connection are ignored, and Windows-based authentication is used instead.