How to turn off IntelliSense in SQL Server Management Studio

IntelliSense in SQL Server Management Studio is beneficial to some, but irritating to others. For me, when I type out a line of simple code, IntelliSense will spam me with suggestions and actually cause my script to become gibberish if I ignore the suggestions. The suggestions will automatically be selected if I type too fast and don’t hit the escape key every time a seemingly meaningless IntelliSense option is selected. I will note that in SQL 2014 IntelliSense has become better, and I do use it now; however, while working in 2008R2 it was a major PIA and I always disabled it. Here is the way to turn it off, for good, without having to hit the IntelliSense Button in the SQL Editor Toolbar every time you load SQL.

IntelliSense Button in the SQL Editor Toolbar

Turn off IntelliSense

·         From SSMS go to the Tools Menu, select Options

·         Under Text Editor, Transact-SQL, select IntelliSense

·         If Enable IntelliSense is selected, clear the checkbox and hit OK.