MySQL Workbench failed to connect

I can't figure this one out. I can't connect to a server using MySQL Workbench, I tried any kind of connection methods. The error message I get is

Failed to Connect to MySQL at AT 127.0.0.1:3306 with user root

Invalid for this platform protocol requested(MYSQL_PROTOCOL_SOCKET)

This is a very unusal error message which I haven't seen before, especially on Windows. It has probably to do with how the server is installed. As a newbie it would definitely be the best choice to use the Windows Installer for all required parts. This will install the server properly too.

By using xampp you are on your own to check whether a server is installed and running as a service, as well as the proper configuration. For troubleshooting watch my video on Youtube where I tried to explain most common pitfalls for beginners.

Note: you can open the connection without actually being connected. In that case MySQL Workbench allows to do all those things that don't require a valid server connection, e.g. log file viewing, config file editing, service start/stop etc. Use this to check your server's configuration. Make sure it accepts TCP/IP connections (there's also a short section in the video about this).

Update:

1. Downvoter, please add a comment why you think my answer is bad.
2. Re-reading the error message I got another idea: could it be that you used local socket/named pipe for the connection? If so try with normal TCP/IP.