Are you looking to get started with Microsoft Azure Cloud? Setting up a Microsoft Azure Free Account is the best way to get hands-on experience with cloud computing, DevOps, virtual machines, containers, and AI services. Microsoft provides $200 in free credits for the first 30 days, along with 12 months of popular free services and 40+ services that are always free.

Prerequisites for Account Creation

Before you begin the registration process, ensure you have the following ready:

• A Microsoft Account (Outlook, Hotmail, or Live email ID).
• A valid Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express) with international payments enabled for identity verification.
• A valid Mobile Number to receive an SMS verification code.
• Active Internet connection.

Step-by-Step: How to Create Your Free Azure Account

1 Go to the  Azure Home Page

Open your browser and navigate to the official Microsoft Azure portal page or search for Microsoft Azure Free Account.

2 Click on "Get Started with Azure"

On the top-right corner of the Azure landing page, click the Get started with Azure button.

3 Click "Try Azure for Free"

Click on the Try Azure for Free (or "Start Free") button to initiate the subscription process.

4 Sign In or Create a Microsoft Account

Sign in using your existing Microsoft account (email and password). If you don't have one, click Create one! to register a new account.

5 Enter Country/Region & Date of Birth

Select your Country/Region, enter your Date of Birth, and click Next.

6 Email Verification Code

Check your email inbox for a verification code sent by Microsoft. Enter the code on the screen and click Next.

7 Complete Captcha Verification

Solve the captcha displayed on the screen to verify you are a real user, then click Next.

8 Fill in Your Contact Information

You will be redirected to the Azure Sign-up form. Provide your Profile Information:

• Country / Region
• First Name & Last Name
• Email Address (Use the same email address as your Microsoft account)
• Phone Number

9 Verify Phone Number

Click Text me or Call me to verify your phone number. Enter the verification code received via SMS or call.

10 Identity Verification by Card (Payment Details)

Enter your credit card details for identity verification. Ensure international transactions are enabled on your card.

• Supported Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express.
• Verification Fee: Microsoft temporarily holds a minimal amount (e.g., $1 or ₹2) to verify card validity, which is refunded automatically.
• No Automatic Charges: You will NOT be billed automatically after the trial ends unless you manually upgrade to Pay-As-You-Go.

11 Accept Agreement & Click Sign Up

Review the Customer Agreement and Privacy Statement, check the agreement box, and click Sign up.

12 Welcome to Azure & Claim $200 Credit

Congratulations! You have successfully created your Microsoft Azure free account. Your account will now be loaded with $200 USD free credits valid for 30 days.

13 Access the Azure Portal

Click on Go to Azure Portal in the top-right corner to access the central management dashboard (portal.azure.com).

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Azure Services Free for 12 Months

During your first 12 months, Microsoft Azure offers generous monthly allowances on popular cloud services:

• Linux Virtual Machines: 750 hours per month of B1s burstable VMs.
• Windows Virtual Machines: 750 hours per month of B1s burstable VMs.
• Azure Disk Storage: 64 GB x 2 Premium SSD storage (P6) plus 1 GB Blob storage.
• Azure SQL Database: 250 GB database instance with 10 DTUs.
• VPN Gateway: 750 hours of networking connectivity.
• Container Registry: Standard tier registry for Docker and OCI images.

Services That Are Always Free (40+ Services)

Even after 12 months, you can continue to use over 40+ Azure services for free, up to designated limits:

• Azure Blob Storage: 5 GB of LRS Hot Block storage with 20,000 read and 10,000 write operations per month.
• Azure Cosmos DB: 1,000 Request Units/sec (RU/s) with 25 GB storage.
• Azure App Service: 10 Web, Mobile, or API apps with 1 GB storage.
• Azure Functions: 1,000,000 serverless execution requests per month.
• Azure Event Grid: 100,000 operations per month.

What Happens When You Exceed Spending Limits?

By default, Microsoft Azure Free Trial accounts come with a Spending Limit set to $0 after credit exhaustion. This safeguards you from unexpected billing.

When your usage reaches the $200 credit limit or 30 days expire:

• Microsoft sends an email notification.
• Your subscription is temporarily disabled for the remainder of the billing cycle.
• Your deployed resources (like VMs) are suspended but not deleted immediately.

Transitioning to Pay-As-You-Go

If you want to continue using Azure services beyond the free limits, you can manually upgrade to a Pay-As-You-Go subscription. You will only pay for what you consume beyond the free quotas.

How to Cancel Your Azure Subscription

If you wish to cancel your subscription after exhausting your free credits:

1. Log in to the Azure Portal.
2. Search for Subscriptions in the top search bar and select your active subscription.
3. Click Cancel subscription on the overview blade.
4. Select a reason for cancellation and confirm.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How do I create an Azure free account for the second time?

Microsoft allows only one free trial account per individual credit card and phone number. To create a second account, another individual who has not previously registered must sign up using their own card and email details.

Q2. Why can't I get a free Azure account?

Common reasons include using a debit card that is not supported for international transactions, using credentials (card/phone/email) already registered with Azure, or fraud prevention flags. Ensure international usage is enabled on your credit card.

Q3. Is Azure free for Students?

Yes! Students can sign up for Azure for Students using a valid institution email ID without needing a credit or debit card, getting $100 annual credit and free services.

Q4. Can I create a free Azure account with a debit card?

Some debit cards (like specific Visa/MasterCard debit cards with international transactions enabled) work, but support varies by bank. Credit cards are recommended for smooth registration.

Q5. Is Azure free for lifetime?

Azure is not completely free for a lifetime, but it offers 40+ services that remain Always Free within monthly limits, alongside 12 months of popular free tier services.