Fill Factor Value is the Same as Default

In SQL Server, the fill factor determines how much space is left on index pages when they are created or rebuilt. This warning is raised when an index has an explicitly set fill factor that is the same as the current database default. While this isn’t an immediate issue, it could lead to confusion and unintended behavior if the database default fill factor is later changed.

If the database default fill factor changes and the index is rebuilt, there may be an expectation that this index will automatically adopt the new default. However, because the fill factor has been explicitly set, it will remain unchanged unless manually altered. In this case, it’s worth considering whether the index truly needs a custom fill factor and if it should be set explicitly to the same value as the default.

For more information on managing custom fill factors and default fill factor settings, refer to our Index Fill Factor Set and Default Fill Factor articles.

Suggested Action

To avoid potential confusion, it’s recommended to remove the explicit fill factor setting and allow the index to use the database default fill factor.

How to Remove an Explicitly Set Index Fill Factor in SQL Server

If the index doesn’t require a custom fill factor and should follow the database default, you can drop and recreate the index without specifying a fill factor:

-- Drop and recreate the index without specifying the fill factor.
DROP INDEX [IX_IndexName] ON [TableName];
GO
CREATE INDEX [IX_IndexName] ON [TableName] (ColumnID);
GO

How to Specify an Index Fill Factor in SQL Server

If you decide that the index needs a custom fill factor, here’s how to specify it:

ALTER INDEX IX_IndexName ON TableName REBUILD WITH (FILLFACTOR = 100);