How to create a free tier EntraID tenant to use for SecureRDP

Overview


TruGrid SecureRDP requires a Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) tenant for identity and access management. If your organization does not already have an Entra ID tenant through a Microsoft 365 or Azure subscription, you can create one at no cost using a free Azure account.


The free tier includes core identity features such as user and group management, single sign-on, and self-service password change for cloud users - everything needed to get started with SecureRDP.


Prerequisites

  • A valid Microsoft account (Outlook, Hotmail, or Live) or a GitHub account. If you do not have one, you can create a Microsoft account at https://account.microsoft.com.
  • A valid credit or debit card for identity verification. A temporary $1 USD authorization hold is placed during signup and reversed after verification. You will not be charged.
  • A phone number for SMS or call verification.


Steps


1. Start the Azure Free Account Signup

Navigate to https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free and select Start free.


2. Sign In

Sign in with your existing Microsoft account or GitHub account. If you are creating a new Microsoft account for this purpose, complete the account creation flow first, then return to the signup page.


3. Complete Identity Verification

Provide your phone number and credit/debit card details when prompted. This is for verification only - no charges are applied. The $1 temporary hold is reversed automatically.


4. Accept the Agreement and Create the Account

Review the subscription agreement, offer details, and privacy statement. Select Sign up to complete the process.

Once signup completes, you are redirected to the Azure portal. Your new Azure account automatically includes a default Entra ID tenant associated with your billing account.


5. Access Your Entra ID Tenant

You can manage your new tenant in either location:

Your tenant's default domain follows the format youraccount.onmicrosoft.com. You can find this under Microsoft Entra ID > Overview.

6. Create Users


Before configuring SecureRDP, create user accounts in your new tenant:

  1. In the Entra admin center, navigate to Users > All users
  2. Select New user > Create new user
  3. Provide a username, display name, and initial password
  4. Select Create


Repeat for each user who will access SecureRDP.


What's Included in the Free Tier


Feature

Included

User and group management

Yes

Single sign-on (SSO)

Yes

Self-service password change (cloud users)

Yes

Basic security reports

Yes

Object limit

50,000

Conditional Access

No (requires P1)

Self-service password reset

No (requires P1)

MFA (Security Defaults)

Yes


For a full feature comparison, see Microsoft Entra ID plans and pricing.

Important Notes

  • The Azure free account includes $200 USD in credit for the first 30 days and 12 months of select free services. The Entra ID Free tier itself has no expiration and remains available even after the trial credit is consumed.
  • Only paid customers can create additional tenants from the Entra admin center. If you need a second tenant, you must sign up with a separate Azure free account.
  • As part of Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative, a Microsoft Entra ID Free subscription object is automatically attached to your billing account. This provides tenant ownership tracking and administrative recovery. It appears in your billing inventory at no cost and cannot be cancelled.


Next Steps

Once your Entra ID tenant is ready, proceed to the following articles to configure SecureRDP:

Updated on: 28/05/2026

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