--- title: How to Create Windows and Linux Virtual Machines (VM) on Microsoft Azure description: You only need one virtual machine to test the main functionality of Acronis Backup 12.5. However, if you wish to test groups, user roles, and other advanced features, you’ll need more. canonical_url: https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/create-windows-linux-virtual-machines-on-microsoft-azure/ locale: en last_updated: 2026-10-27 --- [Acronis Blog](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/) # How to Create Windows and Linux Virtual Machines (VM) on Microsoft Azure You only need one virtual machine to test the main functionality of Acronis Backup 12.5. However, if you wish to test groups, user roles, and other advanced features, you’ll need more. [Learn More](https://www.acronis.com/en/products/cyber-protect/) [![Image 2: Acronis Editorial Team](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/d85707ae91461544212d39836dc32b42.png)](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/authors/acronis/ "Acronis Editorial Team") [Acronis Editorial Team](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/authors/acronis/) 4 min read Last updated 06 February 2019 Other languages available:[Deutsch](https://www.acronis.com/de/blog/posts/create-windows-linux-virtual-machines-on-microsoft-azure/) [日本語](https://www.acronis.com/ja/blog/posts/create-windows-linux-virtual-machines-on-microsoft-azure/) You only need one [virtual machine](https://www.acronis.com/en-us/business/backup/virtual-machine/) to test the main functionality of [Acronis Backup 12.5](https://www.acronis.com/en-us/business/backup/). However, if you wish to test groups, user roles, and other advanced features, you’ll need more. Assuming you’ve already created free trial Microsoft Azure account, you can now log in to **create and prepare** your Windows and Linux Virtual Machines for Acronis Backup 12.5. Go to the Microsoft Azure Portal: https://portal.azure.com/ You’ll see the following Azure dashboard. Click the “**+ New**” at the top left corner. ![Image 3: 40.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/3b877c0457afaf7029d84623973dddc9.png) 40.png Next, click “**Compute.**” ![Image 4: 41.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/26d49365c2f5dcbf78f40b0f106a46e5.png) 41.png Let’s go with the latest technology! Select “**Windows Server 2016 Datacenter.**” IMPORTANT! Make sure to select “**Classic**” from the “Select a deployment model” menu. ![Image 5: 42.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/b6eddd964bfa259e858dd0aea5eb7213.png) 42.png Enter the following details to identify your new VM: **Name:** a unique name for your VM **User name:** a VM administrator’s username that you’ll use to log in **Password:** a new password **Subscription:** Free Trial **Resource group:** Select “Create New” and enter a descriptive name. If you put your future VMs in the same Resource Group, they’ll share the same local network, which will make things a lot easier. **Location:** Choose an Azure Datacenter location closest to you. **IMPORTANT! Make sure that you remember the user name and password that you entered here! You’ll need them later to log in to your VMs.** Click “**Next**.” ![Image 6: 43.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/ea6c653df1bbdf762c6f6a4e145125fe.png) 43.png On the next page, you’ll need to choose your VM resources. It’s safe to use the first available option, but please note that Trial Subscriptions have credit limitation and if you overuse the resources, your VMs will be disabled before the end of the free 30-day period. Click “**Select”** to continue. ![Image 7: 44.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/e4017b1c22ad3ae0c17bf47ba9d632b2.png) 44.png On the next page, just leave everything as is and click “**OK**.” ![Image 8: 45.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/c968bc50a015be63d0c45f8d129c1ee2.png) 45.png The next page will display a summary of all the settings that you entered. Click “**OK**.” ![Image 9: 46.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/bacd40671b6e3ee999d422f3a5fd90f7.png) 46.png That’s it! You’ll be sent back to the main Azure Dashboard where you’ll see a blue square at the top right corner, showing the status of creating your VM. It will take a few minutes for the VM to be created. ![Image 10: 47.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/113a2ea02f4ec4576181caf1d598ff90.png) 47.png Once provisioned, your VM will appear in the “All resources” widget. You only need to worry about the “Virtual machine (classic)” item. Don’t worry about the cloud service, storage account, virtual network etc. It just shows the resources your new VM is using: ![Image 11: 48.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/252d2222c3ad3f71fb9c0838d0b4b1d6.png) 48.png Now, if you wish, repeat the steps to create additional VMs. For Windows, select “Windows 2016 Server.” For Linux, use “Ubuntu Server.” PLEASE NOTE: some Linux operating systems don’t like long usernames. So, to be on a safe side and to prevent the VM creation process from failing, choose a short username (8 characters) when creating your Linux VM. ![Image 12: 49.png](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/31213fc18e5d9f3eab29b82bc067456c.png) 49.png [Data protection](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/data-protection/) [Corporate cybersecurity](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/corporate-cybersecurity/) [Cyber protection for businesses](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/cyber-protection-for-business/) [Security software for business](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/security-software-for-business/) [Cloud backup](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/cloud-backup/) [Disaster recovery](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/disaster-recovery/) ## Written by ![Image 13: Acronis Editorial Team](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/d85707ae91461544212d39836dc32b42.png) Acronis Editorial Team Acronis is a global cyber protection company that provides natively integrated cybersecurity, data protection, and endpoint management for managed service providers (MSPs), small and medium businesses (SMBs), and enterprise IT departments. [Previous post](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/add-windows-server-to-acronis-backup-advanced-cluster/) [How to Add a Windows Server to an Existing Acronis Backup 12.5 Cluster](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/add-windows-server-to-acronis-backup-advanced-cluster/) [Next post](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/install-acronis-backup-advanced-on-linux-vm/) [How to Install Acronis Backup 12.5 on a Linux VM](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/install-acronis-backup-advanced-on-linux-vm/) About Acronis Acronis is a leader in AI-native cyber protection, unifying data protection, cybersecurity, IT operations and hybrid infrastructure to deliver business continuity, security and compliance with less cost and complexity. More than 21,000 service providers trust Acronis to protect over 750,000 businesses in 150 countries. Acronis is headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. 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