How to see all databases and tables in MySQL

By Anil Gautam · September 20, 2026

Use SHOW DATABASES to see the MySQL databases your account can access. Pick one with USE, then run SHOW TABLES. If you want the rows inside a table, check its columns and run a SELECT.

List databases and select one

SHOW DATABASES;
SELECT DATABASE();

The first statement lists names visible to your account. The second shows the current default database, which may be NULL. Your permissions decide which names appear. A viewer’s “all databases” list can still leave out databases your account cannot see.

MySQL documents these rules in SHOW DATABASES. Ask an administrator to confirm the intended account and grants when a database is missing, rather than immediately requesting global privileges.

See tables and views

Replace shop with a real database name from your result:

USE shop;
SHOW FULL TABLES;
SHOW COLUMNS FROM orders;

SHOW FULL TABLES includes object type so you can distinguish a base table from a view. SHOW COLUMNS expects a real table or view name. A GUI’s refresh action may be needed after another session creates an object.

View a table’s rows

After confirming the schema, use a bounded query. These column names are illustrative:

SELECT id, status
FROM shop.orders
ORDER BY id
LIMIT 25;

ORDER BY makes the intended order explicit. A primary-key tie-breaker matters if you sort by a column that contains duplicate values. A result limit controls returned rows; it is not a universal guarantee about query cost.

Diagnose a missing table

• Check the selected server and database, including any development/production distinction.
• Check spelling and case against the stored name.
• Confirm that the account has the required visibility and SELECT privileges.
• Distinguish an empty table from a table that is absent.

A permission error, no rows and an unknown-table error describe different problems. Save the exact message without credentials so a teammate can reproduce it.

Run the same inspection in a desktop client

plainDB’s MySQL connection lets you browse tables and run SQL on both supported desktop platforms. Its interface is a convenience over the database’s rules, not a replacement for them. See the connection walkthrough and MySQL’s database and table inspection tutorial.