Azure PowerShell supports several authentication methods. This article describes the authentication
methods for signing into Azure from Azure PowerShell. The method you choose depends on your use
case.
For example, if you're using Azure PowerShell for ad hoc management of Azure resources, you can sign
in using an interactive login. If you're writing a script for automation, you can sign in with a
service principal. If you're running Azure PowerShell in an Azure resource, you can sign in with a
managed identity.
Authentication methods
Azure PowerShell supports signing in to Azure interactively for a more intuitive and flexible user
experience or noninteractively for automation scenarios. For more information, see the linked
articles.
In addition to these authentication methods, you can also use Azure PowerShell in
Azure Cloud Shell, which logs you in automatically. It's the easiest way to get
started with Azure PowerShell.
To keep your Azure resources secure, restrict permissions of the identity for the authentication
method you've chosen using the principle of least privilege. Limiting sign-in permissions as much as
possible for your use case helps keep your Azure resources secure. For more information, see
Enhance security with the principle of least privilege.
Select your Azure subscription
Once you sign in, Azure PowerShell commands run against your default Azure subscription. If you have
multiple subscriptions, use the Set-AzContext cmdlet to select the appropriate subscription. For
more information, see Use multiple Azure subscriptions.
Refresh tokens
When you sign in with a user account, Azure PowerShell generates and stores an authentication
refresh token. Because access tokens are valid for only a short period of time, a refresh token is
issued at the same time the access token is issued. The client application can exchange this refresh
token for a new access token when needed.
Note
Depending on your authentication method, your tenant may have Conditional Access policies
restricting your access to certain resources.
The source for this content can be found on GitHub, where you can also create and review issues and pull requests. For more information, see our contributor guide.
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