A Windows 11 virtual machine provides flexibility and convenience, enabling you to test and explore the latest Windows features without altering your main system or hardware. It allows for a personalized setup to match your requirements. Follow this guide to create your Windows 11 virtual machine step by step.
Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Sign in to the Azure Portal
As a prerequisite, if you don't have an Azure subscription, sign up here to create a free account before we get started. Otherwise, sign in here to access your account.
Step 2: Create Your Virtual Machine
Use the search bar to type "Virtual Machine" and select it from the results.
Click the "Create" button.
Select the virtual machine highlighted
You will be directed to the "Basics" page.
On the "Basics" page, configure the following:
Project Details
Subscription:
An Azure subscription grants access to Azure’s services based on the chosen plan. Free and trial options are available to explore Azure at no initial cost.Resource Group:
Think of a resource group as a folder for organizing resources (like virtual machines and databases). It simplifies management and keeps things neat and accessible.
Instance Details
Assign a name to your virtual machine.
Select a Region, which determines the data centre location.
Choose an Availability Zone (Zone 1, Zone 2, or Zone 3) to enhance redundancy and reliability. These zones consist of data centres linked via fibre optics for fast, secure data transfer.
Select your security type from the drop-down.
- Select the operating system image (Windows 10 Pro) or a preferred edition of the Windows operating system. Or explore additional image options by clicking "See all images."
Specify the virtual machine size or explore additional size options by clicking "See all sizes."
Leave the other information in its default state.
Administrator Account
Set a username and password for your administrator account. Reconfirm your password for security
Set Inbound Port Rules
Allow selected ports and enable RDP (3389) to establish a remote connection to your virtual machine. Once done, click "Next: Disks >" to proceed.
Configure Disk Settings
Under the "OS disk type" dropdown, choose Standard SSD or another preferred option
Keep the default settings for networking, management, and monitoring and skip to Tag.
Add Tags and Finalize
Assign tags to label and organize your resources effectively. Tags provide metadata for easier tracking within your cloud infrastructure
Review the virtual machine configuration summary and click "Create" to initiate the deployment
Upon a successful validation, review pricing and select the create button.
Step 3: Connect to Your Virtual Machine
Once the deployment is complete, click “Go to resource”:
On the virtual machine overview page, click "Connect.”.
Select RDP and download the RDP file
Open the downloaded RDP file and click "connect."
A straight forward process for a Windows machine since Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a Windows proprietary protocol.
Using a Mac requires a third-party app. From the app store, download “Windows App” (previously Remote Desktop).
From the Windows App, on the connection tab, select '“Import from RDP file’
Double-click on the virtual machine and input your password to continue.
On the prompt, select “Continue”
Congratulations! You’re now connected to your Windows 10 Pro virtual machine
Optional: Disassociate the IP Address to Reduce Costs
If you want to save costs, you can disassociate your virtual machine’s IP address:
Navigate to the overview page of your virtual machine and click on the IP address
Click on the overview page of the IP address and select "Dissociate" at the top.
Confirm the action by clicking "Yes”.
This tutorial walks you through the entire process of setting up a Windows 10 virtual machine. Thank you for reading, and happy virtual computing!