This page is a quick reference checkpoint for MAX OVER in SQL Server: behavior, syntax rules, edge cases, and a minimal example; plus the official vendor documentation.
MAX OVER returns the largest value in the window frame.
When used with OVER, MAX returns the maximum value over the specified window of rows.
If this behavior feels unintuitive, the tutorial below explains the underlying pattern step-by-step.
MAX supports the OVER clause including PARTITION BY and ORDER BY.
SELECT MAX(Salary) OVER (PARTITION BY Department ORDER BY HireDate) AS MaxSalarySoFar FROM Employees;
If you came here to confirm syntax, you’re done. If you came here to get better at window functions, choose your next step.
MAX OVER is part of a bigger window-function pattern. If you want the “why”, start here: Aggregate Window Functions
Reading docs is useful. Writing the query correctly under pressure is the skill.
For the authoritative spec, use the vendor docs. This page is the fast “sanity check”.
View SQL Server Documentation →Looking for more functions across all SQL dialects? Visit the full SQL Dialects & Window Functions Documentation.