DEV Community

Cover image for How to Create a Virtual Machine on Azure Using Windows (Beginner’s Guide)
Habeeb Hameed
Habeeb Hameed

Posted on

How to Create a Virtual Machine on Azure Using Windows (Beginner’s Guide)

#azure #virtualmachine #windows #cloud

☁️ How to Create a Virtual Machine on Azure Using Windows (Beginner’s Guide)

Are you interested in creating a virtual machine (VM) on Microsoft Azure? Whether you're learning cloud computing or need a Windows server for development or testing, Azure makes it easy to set up a VM in just a few steps.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through creating a Windows-based virtual machine on Azure—no advanced skills required!

📌 What You'll Need

  • A Microsoft Azure account 👉 Sign up here if you don't have one. You’ll get 12 months of free services and $200 credit for 30 days.

🚀 Step 1: Log in to Azure Portal

  1. Go to https://portal.azure.com.
  2. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
  3. You’ll land on the Azure Dashboard.

Azure cloud architecture overview diagram

🧱 Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine

  1. On the left menu, click "Virtual Machines" or search for it in the top search bar.
  2. Click “+ Create” > “Azure virtual machine”.

Azure cloud architecture overview diagram

📝 Step 3: Configure Basic Settings

Under the Basics tab:

  • Subscription: Choose your default subscription.
  • Resource Group: Click Create new and give it a name (e.g., virtualmrg).
  • Virtual Machine Name: Example: virtualm-vm.
  • Region: Choose the nearest data center (e.g., UK East).
  • Availability options: Leave as default.
  • Image: Choose Windows 11 Pro, Windows Server 2022, etc.
  • Size: Click "See all sizes" to select a size like Standard_B1s (free tier eligible).
  • Username: Create a username for remote login.
  • Password: Choose a strong password.
  • Inbound Port Rules: Allow RDP (port 3389).

Click Next or go straight to Review + create.

Azure cloud architecture overview diagram

Azure cloud architecture overview diagram

🌐 Step 4: Networking (Optional)

Azure will create:

  • A virtual network
  • A subnet
  • A public IP address

You can leave these settings as default unless you have custom requirements.

✅ Step 5: Review and Create

  1. Click Review + create.
  2. Azure validates your configuration.
  3. Click Create to deploy the VM.

The deployment may take a few minutes.

Azure cloud architecture overview diagram

🔗 Step 6: Connect to Your Virtual Machine

  1. Go to your Virtual Machine resource.
  2. Click Connect > RDP.
  3. Download the .rdp file.
  4. Open it and enter your username/password.

Azure cloud architecture overview diagram
Azure cloud architecture overview diagram

🎉 You’re now connected to your Windows VM running in the Azure cloud!

Azure cloud architecture overview diagram

🔒 Security Tip

After your VM is live:

  • Consider changing the RDP port.
  • Restrict RDP access using Network Security Groups (NSG).
  • Enable Just-In-Time VM Access for added protection.

💡 Why Use Azure Virtual Machines?

  • ✅ Scalable resources
  • ✅ Global availability
  • ✅ Fast deployment
  • ✅ Perfect for dev/test environments

📣 Final Thoughts

Creating a Windows virtual machine on Azure is a powerful way to explore the cloud. You can test apps, learn server management, or run remote environments—all from your browser.

Have you tried deploying a VM yet? Let me know your experience or ask questions in the comments! 👇

Top comments (0)