Microsoft Azure Personalize Access: Customizing Your User Experience

Explore the personalization features available in Microsoft Azure's Preview Portal, designed to enhance user experience on mobile devices and tablets. This guide discusses the benefits of customizing the appearance and layout of the portal, making it easier to manage Azure services and navigate effectively compared to the classic Azure Management Portal.

Microsoft Azure - Personalize Access

Azure offers two portals to manage and access its services: the classic Azure Management Portal and the newer Azure Preview Portal. The Preview Portal was introduced to enhance the user experience, especially on tablets and mobile devices, addressing responsiveness issues found in the Management Portal.

If you're using the Azure portal to manage your services, you’ll appreciate the personalization options available in the Preview Portal. It allows you to customize the appearance and layout, making it easier to navigate and find what you need. Let’s walk through the personalization features available in the Azure Preview Portal.

You can access the Preview Portal directly by visiting https://portal.azure.com/ and logging in with your Azure account. Alternatively, you can switch from the Management Portal to the Preview Portal. While the Azure team frequently updates the portal with small changes, the core functionality and personalization features remain consistent.

Steps to Personalize Your Azure Preview Portal

  1. Log in to the Azure Management Portal with your credentials.
  2. To switch to the Azure Preview Portal, click on your profile picture and select ‘Switch to Azure Preview Portal’.
  3. Once in the Preview Portal, you’ll see your Azure dashboard, which includes tiles representing common tasks and services. To personalize these tiles, click on the ‘Settings Icon’ located on the dashboard.
  4. You’ll be taken to the settings screen where you can maximize the view by clicking the button highlighted on the screen. Here, you can also change the theme to alter the background color of the portal, choose to show or hide command labels (which display the names of commands), and enable or disable animations for a smoother or more dynamic interface.
  5. Scroll down in the settings to find the option to change the language of the portal to your preferred choice.
  6. To adjust the size of tiles on your dashboard, such as making a resource group tile larger:
    1. Right-click on the tile and select ‘Customize’.
    2. Alternatively, hover over the tile and click ‘Customize’ from the top strip that appears.
    3. Choose the desired tile size and click ‘Done’ at the top of the screen.
  7. To further customize your dashboard, you can rearrange tiles by simply dragging and dropping them to your preferred locations on the screen.
  8. Pinning resources to your dashboard makes them easily accessible:
    1. Navigate to the resource you want to pin.
    2. Right-click on it or click the three dots next to it.
    3. Select ‘Pin to Dashboard’.
    4. When you return to your dashboard by clicking on ‘Microsoft Azure’ at the top-left corner, you’ll see the pinned resource prominently displayed.

By personalizing your Azure Preview Portal, you can create a more intuitive and efficient workspace tailored to your needs, making it easier to manage your resources and perform tasks quickly. Explore these customization options to optimize your Azure experience!