Microsoft Dev Box

What Microsoft Dev Box is

Microsoft Dev Box provides developers with self-service access to ready-to-code cloud workstations. Organizations can define environments with YAML image definitions, custom Azure Compute Gallery images or Azure Marketplace images. Developers can create and manage multiple dev boxes through a portal for separate projects, workloads or tasks. Autostop schedules and hibernation give platform engineers and project administrators cost controls. Every provisioned box enrolls automatically in Microsoft Intune for configuration, app deployment, updates and management. Identity uses Microsoft Entra ID, with optional on-premises Active Directory Domain Services for domain join and RDP authentication. Disks are encrypted by default with a platform-managed key. Network choices include Microsoft-hosted connections and customer-managed Azure connections. Users connect through Windows App on listed desktop and mobile platforms or through a browser, and Windows Subsystem for Linux supports Linux development scenarios. Dev Box is in maintenance mode with no additional features planned; Microsoft recommends Windows 365 for virtualized developer environments. It fully retires at 17:00 UTC on September 18, 2028.

Who it suits

It is intended for organizations provisioning managed cloud development environments for developers and separate workloads. It requires work or school accounts and specified Windows Enterprise, Intune and Microsoft Entra ID P1 licensing.

Limits

The Microsoft Dev Box instance SKU-dependent plan is billed monthly or hourly per instance, with 8–32 vCPUs, 32–128 GB RAM, and 256 GB–2,048 GB storage. Each user needs Windows 10 or Windows 11 Enterprise, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Entra ID P1 licenses; personal accounts and guest access through Microsoft Entra B2B collaboration are unsupported. The service enters its closing-down period at 16:00 UTC on September 14, 2026 and fully retires at 17:00 UTC on September 18, 2028.

Getting started

1. Open https://devbox.microsoft.com/
2. Use a supported work or school account
3. Provide the required Windows 10 or Windows 11 Enterprise, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Entra ID P1 licenses
4. Configure a dev box with YAML, Azure Compute Gallery, or Azure Marketplace images
5. Create and manage dev boxes through the self-service developer portal
6. Connect with Windows App or a web browser
7. Set autostop schedules or hibernation for cost control

Verdict

Dev Box offers configurable, centrally managed cloud workstations with identity, networking, Intune and cost controls. Its maintenance status and scheduled retirement are central considerations for any new deployment.