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SQL UPDATE Statement

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The SQL UPDATE Statement

The UPDATE statement is used to modify the existing records in a table.

UPDATE Syntax

UPDATE table_name
SET column1 = value1, column2 = value2, ...
WHERE condition;

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Note: Be careful when updating records in a table! Notice the WHERE clause in the UPDATE statement. The WHERE
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clause specifies which record(s) that should be updated. If you omit the WHERE clause, all records in the table will be
updated!
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Demo Database
Below is a selection from the Customers table used in the examples:

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City PostalCode Country

1 Alfreds Futterkiste Maria Anders Obere Str. 57 Berlin 12209 Germany

2 Ana Trujillo Ana Trujillo Avda. de la México 05021 Mexico

Emparedados y helados Constitución 2222 D.F.

3 Antonio Moreno Antonio Moreno Mataderos 2312 México 05023 Mexico

Taquería D.F.

4 Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London WA1 1DP UK

5 Berglunds snabbköp Christina Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S-958 22 Sweden

Berglund

UPDATE Table
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The following SQL statement updates the first customer (CustomerID = 1) with a new contact person and a new city.
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Example Get your own SQL Server

UPDATE Customers
SET ContactName = 'Alfred Schmidt', City= 'Frankfurt'
WHERE CustomerID = 1;

The selection from the "Customers" table will now look like this:

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City PostalCode Country

1 Alfreds Futterkiste Alfred Schmidt Obere Str. 57 Frankfurt 12209 Germany

2 Ana Trujillo Ana Trujillo Avda. de la México 05021 Mexico

Emparedados y helados Constitución 2222 D.F.

3 Antonio Moreno Antonio Moreno Mataderos 2312 México 05023 Mexico

Taquería D.F.

4 Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London WA1 1DP UK

5 Berglunds snabbköp Christina Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S-958 22 Sweden

Berglund

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1/22/25, 5:55 PM SQL UPDATE Statement

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UPDATE Multiple Records
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It is the WHERE clause that determines how many records will be updated.

The following SQL statement will update the ContactName to "Juan" for all records where country is "Mexico":

Example
UPDATE Customers
SET ContactName='Juan'
WHERE Country='Mexico';

The selection from the "Customers" table will now look like this:

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City PostalCode Country

1 Alfreds Futterkiste Alfred Schmidt Obere Str. 57 Frankfurt 12209 Germany

2 Ana Trujillo Juan Avda. de la México 05021 Mexico

Emparedados y helados Constitución 2222 D.F.

3 Antonio Moreno Juan Mataderos 2312 México 05023 Mexico

Taquería D.F.

4 Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London WA1 1DP UK

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Exercisessnabbköp

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Update Warning!

Be careful when updating records. If you omit the WHERE clause, ALL records will be updated!

Example
UPDATE Customers
SET ContactName='Juan';

The selection from the "Customers" table will now look like this:

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City PostalCode Country

1 Alfreds Futterkiste Juan Obere Str. 57 Frankfurt 12209 Germany

2 Ana Trujillo Juan Avda. de la México 05021 Mexico

Emparedados y helados Constitución 2222 D.F.

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3 Tutorials  Antonio Moreno

Exercises
Taquería
 CertificatesJuan
 Services  Mataderos 2312 México
D.F.
 05023
Sign UpMexico
Log in

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4 Around the Horn Juan 120 Hanover Sq. London WA1 1DP UK

5 Berglunds snabbköp Juan Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S-958 22 Sweden

?
Exercise
What is the purpose of the SQL UPDATE statement?

To add new records to a table

To delete records from a table

To modify existing records in a table

To retrieve records from a table

Submit Answer »

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