Once you’ve created your Microsoft Azure account, the first place you’ll land is the Azure Portal — the web-based interface where you can manage all your cloud services. For many beginners, the Azure Portal can seem overwhelming at first, but once you understand its layout and capabilities, it becomes a powerful tool in your cloud journey.
In this post, we’ll walk through the Azure Portal and highlight the key areas you need to know.
???? What is the Azure Portal?
The Azure Portal is a web-based interface that allows users to:
Create and manage Azure resources
Monitor performance
Set up automation and alerts
Access billing and subscription settings
Connect with Azure support
It’s your central control panel for everything on Azure.
You can access it at: https://portal.azure.com
????️ Dashboard Overview
When you log in, you land on the Dashboard, a customizable space where you can pin the resources and tools you use most.
Key features of the Dashboard:
Drag-and-drop layout
Add tiles like virtual machines, storage accounts, or service health
Create multiple dashboards for different projects or teams
???? Navigation Menu (Left Sidebar)
This is your quick access to frequently used services. Some essential options include:
Home – Takes you back to the dashboard
All services – View the complete list of Azure products
Resource groups – Organize your resources for easy management
Virtual machines, Storage accounts, Databases – Direct access to specific service types
Marketplace – Explore third-party services and templates
???? Creating Resources
Click the “Create a resource” button (top-left corner) to deploy services like:
Virtual Machines
Web Apps
Databases
AI and Machine Learning services
Networking tools
Each resource comes with a guided setup wizard to help you configure it properly.
???? Monitoring and Alerts
Azure Portal includes powerful monitoring tools:
Azure Monitor – Tracks performance and availability
Activity Log – View recent operations and changes
Alerts – Set conditions to notify you of potential issues
Diagnostics – Collect data on system behavior for analysis
These tools help you stay in control and optimize performance.
???? Access and Security
Azure provides role-based access control (RBAC) right from the Portal. You can:
Assign roles (Owner, Contributor, Reader, etc.)
Manage users and groups via Azure Active Directory
Configure policies and access reviews for governance
This is crucial for enterprise teams and secure cloud environments.
???? Billing and Cost Management
Track your usage and spending directly through the Cost Management + Billing section:
View current charges
Set budgets and alerts
Forecast future usage
Analyze spending by resource or service
Great for keeping projects within budget.
???? Integration and Automation
The Azure Portal also supports:
Azure CLI and Cloud Shell – Run commands directly from your browser
ARM Templates – Deploy repeatable infrastructure as code
Logic Apps and Automation – Set up workflows without writing full code
???? Help and Learning Resources
Need help? The Portal offers built-in access to:
Microsoft Learn tutorials
Quickstart templates
Documentation and troubleshooting guides
Support tickets if you're on a support plan
Final Thoughts
The Azure Portal is your command center for everything Azure. With a clean interface, powerful tools, and deep customization options, it gives you full control over your cloud resources — whether you're managing one virtual machine or an enterprise-scale infrastructure.
If you're just getting started, take time to explore and experiment. You’ll find that the Azure Portal makes cloud computing more accessible and manageable, even for beginners.
If you want to know more about Azure visit azuretrainings