Are you new to Azure and feeling overwhelmed by its vast array of features and services? Don't worry, we've got you covered! In this blog, we'll guide you through the essentials of navigating your new Azure account.
Disclaimer: This is part 1 of our Azure Portal: A Beginner's Guide series. For part 2, follow the link here: Azure Portal: A Beginner's Guide Part 2 | Microsoft Community Hub.
Azure Sponsorship Subscription
Nonprofits can take advantage of Microsoft’s Azure Sponsorship Grant, awarding participating members with $2000 in Azure Credits. To learn more about this offer and how you can set up the sponsored Azure subscription, please see the following blog: Claiming Azure Credits | Microsoft Community Hub. For now, we will go into the navigation menu directory for a greater understanding.
Home screen of Microsoft Azure Portal.
Navigating Your New Azure Account
Congratulations! Give yourself a pat on the back. You are taking the first steps to getting familiar with your new Azure Account. Azure can be broad and depending on what your goals and objectives are, can mean different things to different people. Whether your goal is to host a website, manage databases, or develop applications, Azure offers a range of services tailored to meet your needs. Resource management in Azure involves organizing your resources into resource groups, setting up budgets to control costs, and using tags to categorize resources for easier tracking. Understanding the basics is essential to smooth operations for your organization.
Azure Portal Home menu navigation bar
Located below are the Azure Navigation menu items that can be found on the home directory page. You will see this view when your initially log into the Azure portal. Now let's breakdown each of these menu items to get more familiar with the directory.
Navigation
- Portal Menu: The Portal Menu (hamburger menu) is typically in the top-left corner of the Azure Portal. It can be expanded or collapsed to show or hide the main services and resources list.
- Search Bar: The search bar is a global search feature that allows you to quickly find services, resources, documentation, and even marketplace solutions. It’s one of the fastest ways to jump to a resource when you know its name or to find a specific service by keyword.
- Copilot (Feature is in Preview): Copilot is an AI-driven feature integrated into the Azure Portal experience to help guide you through tasks, answer queries, and suggest best practices.
- Cloud Shell: The Cloud Shell icon (usually represented by a “>_” symbol) opens an embedded command-line interface directly in your Azure Portal. This can run PowerShell or Bash, depending on your preference.
- Notifications: The notifications icon (typically a bell symbol) aggregates important alerts about your Azure resources—such as deployment statuses, service health updates, and other operational messages.
- Settings: The Settings menu (gear icon) allows you to personalize the Azure Portal to your liking.
- Support + Troubleshooting: This area provides access to Azure’s support documentation, community forums, and troubleshooting wizards for common issues.
- Feedback: The Feedback option (often found as a smiley face or “Give feedback” link) allows you to directly send comments, suggestions, or issues to the Azure team.
Disclaimer: Please note that preview features are not yet generally available in all regions and may undergo changes before their official release. Availability and functionality may vary based on geographical location.
Okay, now that we have a grasp on the home navigation. Let's explore how we can change our home directories look and views by learning about Azure Portal settings. Here, you can change the appearance, create dashboard views for easy access to importance resources you would like to monitor. Though we will not cover how you can do these things in this blog. We may cover this step at a later date.
Portal Settings
Photo of startup menu views
Appearance + Startup views
The Azure Portal offers a range of settings to customize your experience, including Appearance and Startup views. In the Appearance settings, you can personalize the look and feel of the portal by choosing between light and dark themes, adjusting the color scheme, and setting your preferred language. The Startup views settings allow you to define what you see when you first log in to the portal. You can set your default dashboard, choose a specific resource group, or select a particular service to be displayed upon startup. These customization options help streamline your workflow and ensure that you have quick access to the tools and information you need most.
Azure Marketplace
Azure Marketplace is an online store that provides customers with a curated selection of software solutions and services designed to run on or integrate with Microsoft Azure. It enables businesses and developers to discover, try, and purchase preconfigured solutions from leading technology providers, saving time and effort compared to building from scratch. With integrated billing, streamlined deployment, and flexible licensing options, Azure Marketplace helps organizations quickly implement trusted applications, tools, and services to drive innovation and efficiency in their cloud environments.
Understand the Offerings
Azure Marketplace provides a wide range of solutions across various categories, including but not limited to:
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Before diving in, take some time to explore the available categories and familiarize yourself with the range of solutions offered. Understanding the breadth of available services can help you better identify the ones that will meet your needs.
Azure Marketplace Tips
- Utilize Filters and Search
- Read Reviews and Ratings
- Check for Compatibility
- Leverage Free Trials
- Understand Licensing and Pricing
- Utilize Integrate Billing
- Take Advantage of Documentation and Support
- Stay Up to Date with Updates and New Releases
Conclusion
The Azure Platform provides flexibility with a host of services and options for customers offering deep customization and rapid development. Create dashboard views to manage and monitor your workloads for convenience. While Azure Marketplace is a powerful resource for businesses and developers looking to enhance their cloud environments with preconfigured solutions. By following these tips, you can navigate Azure account more effectively, ensuring that you find and leverage the best solutions to meet your needs. Looking for part two in our Azure Portal Beginners Guide series? Navigate here to take a deeper dive into Azure Portal: Azure Portal: A Beginner's Guide Part 2 | Microsoft Community Hub.
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Updated Feb 28, 2025
Version 1.0
Margaret_Farmer
Microsoft
Microsoft
