☁️ 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!

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📌 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.

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🚀 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.

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🧱 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”.

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📝 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.

🌐 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.

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✅ 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.

🔗 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.

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

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🔒 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.

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💡 Why Use Azure Virtual Machines?

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

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📣 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! 👇

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