If the SQL Server database is password-protected and the credentials are unavailable, the first step is to determine whether you can regain access through an existing administrator account or reset the appropriate SQL Server login.
If the credentials genuinely cannot be recovered, SysTools SQL Password Recovery can be a useful alternative. It is designed to recover/reset lost SQL Server login passwords, helping regain access without rebuilding the database or altering the underlying data. This makes it particularly helpful when dealing with legacy databases, unavailable administrators, or forgotten credentials where normal login recovery isn’t practical.
If you're trying to recover access to a SQL Server database when the login credentials are unavailable, I'd recommend using supported administrative recovery methods rather than relying on third-party password-recovery software.
Recommended recovery approach
If you can access the server using a Windows account that has SQL Server administrative privileges, you may be able to reset the affected SQL login's password.
sysadminaccountA DBA, service account, or another authorized administrator may already have sufficient privileges to restore access.
A legitimate server owner/administrator can use SQL Server's documented administrative recovery procedures to regain
sysadminaccess, provided they have appropriate operating-system access to the server.Avoid attempting to bypass authentication by editing MDF/LDF files or manipulating system tables. That can damage the database and may compromise its integrity.
If by “recover” you mean recovering the actual forgotten password rather than resetting the SQL Server login, that's a different problem: SQL Server does not provide a supported mechanism for displaying an existing login password in plaintext.