On October 1, 2023, Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) becomes Microsoft Entra ID. This is a name change only and requires no action on your part. The licensing plans and pricing for Azure AD and Microsoft 365 plans, which include Azure AD, will remain unchanged.
Name changes
Service plans:
| Former name | New name |
| Azure AD Free | Microsoft Entra ID Free |
| Azure AD Premium Plan 1 (included in Microsoft 365 E3) | Microsoft Entra ID Plan 1 (included in Microsoft 365 E3) |
| Azure AD Premium Plan 2 (included in Microsoft 365 E5) | Microsoft Entra ID Plan 2 (included in Microsoft 365 E5) |
| Azure AD for education | Microsoft Entra ID for education |
With these service plans, the corresponding product names also change, e.g., from Azure Active Directory Premium P1 for government to Microsoft Entra ID P1 for government.
Product:
| Former name | New name |
| Azure AD External Identities | Microsoft Entra External ID |
Features:
All Azure AD features will also move under the new name, following the same name structure. Find below a few examples:
| Former name | New name |
| Azure AD Conditional Access | Microsoft Entra Conditional Access |
| Azure AD MFA | Microsoft Entra MFA |
| Azure AD single sign-on | Microsoft Entra single sign-on |
NOT affected from the name changes:
Please note that there will remain some instances of the wording “Active Directory”:
- Windows Server Active Directory
- Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
- Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
- “Active Directory” (product name)
- Azure Active Directory B2C
- Any deprecated or retired functionality, feature, or service of Azure AD
What is Microsoft Entra?
Microsoft Entra helps you to protect all identities and secure network access everywhere. The expanded product family includes:
| Identity and access management | New identity categories | Network access |
| Microsoft Entra ID (currently known as Azure AD) | Microsoft Entra Verified ID | Microsoft Entra Internet Access |
| Microsoft Entra ID Governance | Microsoft Entra Permissions Management | Microsoft Entra Private Access |
| Microsoft Entra External ID | Microsoft Entra Workload ID |
More information
For the announcement of Microsoft Azure AD becoming Microsoft Entra ID, please visit: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-entra-azure-ad-blog/azure-ad-is-becoming-microsoft-entra-id/ba-p/2520436.
For additional info on the Microsoft Entra ID portfolio, please visit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/07/11/microsoft-entra-expands-into-security-service-edge-and-azure-ad-becomes-microsoft-entra-id/.
For detailed renaming guidance, please visit: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/new-name.
For useful software licensing information on Microsoft licensing programs, please visit: https://www.schneider.im/software/microsoft/.
Please contact us for expert services on your specific Microsoft agreements and to request a quote.