Supports server names using Unicode characters, allowing for better global language support.

The updated 13.1 release adds support for Always Encrypted , which allows data to be encrypted on the client side so it remains ciphered even in the database instance.

Version 13.1 introduced centralized identity management for connecting to Azure SQL. Download and Prerequisites The driver is available as a free standalone installer. Download ODBC Driver for SQL Server - Microsoft Learn

The is a high-performance native data access API that enables applications written in C, C++, and other languages to connect seamlessly to Microsoft SQL Server . This driver was released alongside SQL Server 2016 and provides critical connectivity features for both on-premises and cloud-based Azure SQL Database environments. Key Features of ODBC Driver 13

Provides transparent failover and discovery of active server topologies.

Compared to older legacy drivers like the SQL Server Native Client, the ODBC Driver 13 introduced several modern enhancements:

Ensures secure, encrypted communication between client applications and the database.