| Microsoft Entra ID | |
| Developer: | Microsoft |
| Type: | Cloud-based identity management service |
| Platform: | Azure |
| Operating System: | Windows |
| Status: | Active |
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly known as Microsoft Azure Active Directory or Azure AD) is a cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) solution. It is a directory and identity management service that operates in the cloud and offers authentication and authorization services to various Microsoft services, such as Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Azure, and third-party services.[1] Entra ID provides users with a single sign-on experience, called "work or school accounts",[2] regardless of whether their applications are cloud-based or on-premises.
Entra ID offers various authentication methods, including password-based, multi-factor, smart card, and certificate-based authentication. It also includes several security features, such as conditional access policies, risk-based authentication, and identity protection.[3]
On July 11, 2023, Microsoft announced the renaming of Azure AD to Microsoft Entra ID to improve consistency with other Microsoft cloud products.[4] The name change took place on July 15, 2023.[5]
On July 14, 2025, a security vulnerability allowing a user to gain administrator privileges to every Entra ID directory was discovered. A fix was issued on July 17, 2025.[6]
Microsoft Entra ID supports registering and joining devices for cloud-based identity and access management; however, it does not provide native functionality for migrating existing endpoints, local user profiles, or device state from on-premises Active Directory or hybrid joined environments.
Organizations transitioning devices from on-premises Active Directory or hybrid Azure AD join to Entra ID join commonly encounter challenges such as preserving user profiles, maintaining application configurations, minimizing end-user disruption, and re-enrolling devices into modern management platforms like Microsoft Intune. As a result, organizations may use third-party migration solutions, such as Opsole Migrate or Quest, to assist with device reprovisioning and user profile transition during these migrations.
