Microsoft Entra ID Free
Microsoft Entra ID Free is a free cloud-based identity management product from Microsoft that you use to manage your subscriptions. You get it as part of your Azure billing account as a customer on the Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA). It's also free for Microsoft 365. For more information about sign-up, see Microsoft Entra ID Free.
Microsoft Entra ID Free purpose
As part of Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative, we're making improvements to Microsoft Entra ID tenant management and security. Microsoft couples subscription ownership to a billing account to provide clear ownership and visibility for the Microsoft Entra tenants you own. The subscription tracks new tenants created with the same billing account, allowing you to maintain an inventory of all new tenants. The subscription also helps proves tenant ownership and help regain administrative access if you ever lose administrative access.
No required action and no cost
When you create a free account, there's no other action required from you. Microsoft Entra ID Free is automatically added to your billing account. You aren't charged for the product and it's a free product. It remains active as long as your billing account is active.
Services included
Microsoft Entra ID Free provides you with the following services at no cost:
- User and group management
- On-premises directory synchronization
- Basic reports
- Self-service password change for cloud users
- Single sign-on across Azure, Microsoft 365, and many popular SaaS apps
Billing and account management
The following sections describe how Microsoft Entra ID Free works with your billing account and subscriptions.
Where to find the Microsoft Entra ID Free subscription
The Microsoft Entra ID Free subscription appears in your list of billing subscriptions under All Billing Subscriptions in the Microsoft Entra admin center and the Azure portal. It appears on the Subscriptions page in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
A credit card is required for Microsoft Entra ID Free
Although the Microsoft Entra ID Free subscription is free, we require a credit card to verify your identity and to protect Microsoft Entra ID Free. Your credit card isn't charged for Microsoft Entra ID Free.
Note
A free Azure account has limits to the number of free services you can use. For more information, see Azure free account FAQ. If you use Azure services beyond the free limits, you're charged for the services at pay-as-you-go rates.
Cancellation not available
You can't cancel Microsoft Entra ID Free. You must have it to access your billing account and manage it. You can, however, cancel and then delete Azure subscriptions. For more information, see Cancel your Azure subscription.
Upgrade from Free to paid services not available
You can't upgrade Microsoft Entra ID to other Microsoft Entra products such as Microsoft Entra ID P1, Microsoft Entra ID P2, and Microsoft Entra Suite. However, you can buy a license for those products separately.
You can't change the license quantity
You can't change the license quantity of the free subscription. Microsoft Entra Free is licensed to you as part of your billing account, so you can't increase the license quantity.
Free subscription transfers not allowed
You can't transfer Microsoft Entra ID Free. Your free subscription is tied to your billing account, so you can't transfer it to anyone else.
Close billing account with an active free subscription
If you're an Azure user and you want to close your billing account, create a support request in the Azure portal.