Fixing the "You Don't Appear to Have an Active Azure Subscription" Error in Azure DevOps

If you’re trying to create a service connection in Azure DevOps and run into the dreaded error:

“You don't appear to have an active Azure subscription.”

Don't worry, you're not alone. I recently ran into this while logged into both the Azure Portal and Azure DevOps with the same account. After some digging, I found several reasons why this happens and how to fix it. Here’s a simple guide to help you troubleshoot and resolve it.

1. Make Sure Your Azure Account Has an Active Subscription

Just because you're logged in doesn't guarantee the account has a subscription. Here's how to check:

1. Log into Azure Portal.

2. Click your profile icon (top-right) → Switch directory.

3. Check all directories for an active subscription.

4. Switch to the one that does.

If your account is in a tenant without a subscription, Azure DevOps won’t be able to detect it.

2. Check Your Azure Role: You Need Access

Your account must have Owner or Contributor access to the subscription you're trying to connect to.

To check:

1. In the Azure Portal, go to Subscriptions.

2. Select your subscription → Access Control (IAM).

3. Look under Role assignments.

4. Ensure your account has at least Contributor access.

If you don’t have the right access, ask your admin to grant it.

3. Confirm Your Azure DevOps Org is Linked to the Right Directory

Azure DevOps can only detect Azure subscriptions that are in the same Entra ID tenant.

Here’s how to confirm:

1. In Azure DevOps, go to Organization Settings.

2. Click on Microsoft Entra.

3. Confirm it’s connected to the same directory as your Azure subscription.

If not, you’ll need to link the DevOps org to the correct Entra ID tenant. Microsoft has a guide here to help with that.

4. (Optional) Create the Service Connection Manually

If you still can’t get it working, you can bypass the automatic flow by creating a service connection manually using a Service Principal:

Steps:

1. Go to Microsoft Entra ID → Manage → App registrations → New registration.

2. Register an app and note the Application (client) ID and Directory (tenant) ID.

3. Go to Subscriptions → your subscription → Access Control (IAM).

4. Assign Contributor role to the newly registered app.

5. In Azure DevOps:

   • Go to Project Settings → Service Connections → New service connection.

   • Choose Azure Resource Manager → Manual.

   • Enter the Tenant ID, Subscription ID, App ID, and Client Secret.

That’s it! You’re all set.

Final Thoughts

This issue can be a bit confusing at first, but it's usually related to tenant mismatches or missing permissions. Hopefully, this guide saves you some time and frustration. If you’re managing multiple tenants or working with different accounts, it’s a good idea to double check which account is active and which directory you’re in.