---
title: "Can not change the data type of the field in SQL Server?"  
description: "Can not change the data type of the field in SQL Server?"  
author: "Sandra Emily"  
published: 2023-07-30  
updated: 2023-07-31  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/159362/can-not-change-the-data-type-of-the-field-in-sql-server  
category: "mssql server"  
tags: ["mssql server", "sql server", "sql"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Can not change the data type of the field in SQL Server?

Can not change the [data](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13050/salesforce-aiming-to-dominate-predictive-analytics-with-data-science) type of the [field](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/160867/does-mindstick-provide-training-for-field-marketing) in [SQL Server](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12999/what-is-table-valued-function-in-sql-server)?

## Replies

### Reply by Aryan Kumar

Yes, you cannot change the data type of the field in [SQL](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13115/types-of-keys-in-sql-or-oracle-database) [Server](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/43769/what-is-serverless-architecture-is-it-worth-switching-over). This is because the data type of a field is a property of the table, and the table's structure cannot be changed once it is created.

However, there are a few workarounds that you can use to change the data type of a field:

- **Create a new table with the desired data type.** Then, copy the data from the old table to the new table.
- **Use a stored procedure to convert the data in the old field to the new data type.** Then, you can delete the old field.
- **Use a trigger to convert the data in the old field to the new data type when a new row is inserted or updated.** Then, you can drop the old field.

Which workaround you use will depend on your specific needs.

Here are some additional details about the workarounds:

- **Creating a new table with the desired data type:** This is the most straightforward way to change the data type of a field. However, it can be time-consuming if you have a lot of data in the old table.
- **Using a stored procedure to convert the data in the old field to the new data type:** This is a good option if you only need to change the data type of a few fields. You can use a stored procedure to convert the data in the old field to the new data type and then delete the old field.
- **Using a trigger to convert the data in the old field to the new data type when a new row is inserted or updated:** This is a good option if you need to change the data type of a field in real time. You can use a trigger to convert the data in the old field to the new data type whenever a new row is inserted or updated.


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/159362/can-not-change-the-data-type-of-the-field-in-sql-server

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