Having trouble connecting to the SQL Server Management Studio database - ssms

Question

I've newly installed SQL Server Management Studio ("SSMS") and tried to connect to the database which is the first login screen that opens upon opening the application. I've watched videos online regarding how to connect to the database and I've understood the steps however, when I logged in with the appropriate windows credentials, it gave me the below mentioned error:
Error Message
I'm new to SSMS (probably the issue) and watching tutorials online where the instructor uses SSMS.
Operating System: Windows 10
SSMS Details -
Release number: 18.3
Build number: 15.0.18178.0
Release date: September 23, 2019
This is personal computer and not a company system. The server I'm trying to connect to is the local machine itself using my windows credentials to the Database engine.
Copied error message:
TITLE: Connect to Server
Cannot connect to local.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 53)
For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=53&LinkId=20476
The network path was not found
BUTTONS:
OK

Answer 1

Managed to find out the issue. This is if you are a new user trying to use SQL Server Management Studio for the first time on your local machine.
To start SQL Server Management Studio
On current versions of Windows, on the Start page, type SSMS, and then click Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
When using older versions of Windows, on the Start menu, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2017, and then click SQL Server Management Studio.
To determine the name of the instance of the Database Engine
Log into Windows as a member of the Administrators group, and open Management Studio.
In the Connect to Server dialog box, click Cancel.
If Registered Servers is not displayed, on the View menu, click Registered Servers.
With Database Engine selected on the Registered Servers toolbar, expand Database Engine, right-click Local Server Groups, point to Tasks, and then click Register Local Servers. All instances of the Database Engine installed on the computer are displayed. The default instance is unnamed and is shown as the computer name. A named instance displays as the computer name followed by a backward slash (\) and then the name of the instance. For SQL Server Express, the instance is named <computer_name>\sqlexpress unless the name was changed during setup.
To verify that the Database Engine is running
In Registered Servers, if the name of your instance of SQL Server has a green dot with a white arrow next to the name, the Database Engine is running and no further action is necessary.
If the name of your instance of SQL Server has a red dot with a white square next to the name, the Database Engine is stopped. Right-click the name of the Database Engine, click Service Control, and then click Start. After a confirmation dialog box, the Database Engine should start and the circle should turn green with a white arrow.
To connect to the Database Engine
At least one administrator account was selected when SQL Server was being installed. Perform the following step while logged into Windows as an administrator.
In Management Studio, on the File menu, click Connect Object Explorer.
The Connect to Server dialog box opens. The Server type box displays the type of component that was last used.
Select Database Engine.
In the Server name box, type the name of the instance of the Database Engine. For the default instance of SQL Server, the server name is the computer name. For a named instance of SQL Server, the server name is the <computer_name>\<instance_name>, such as ACCTG_SRVR\SQLEXPRESS.
It should work.