Existing resources in Bicep

To reference an existing resource that isn't deployed in your current Bicep file, declare the resource with the existing keyword. Use the existing keyword when you're deploying a resource that needs to get a value from an existing resource. You access the existing resource's properties through its symbolic name.

The resource isn't redeployed when referenced with the existing keyword.

Same scope

The following example gets an existing storage account in the same resource group as the current deployment. Notice that you provide only the name of the existing resource. The properties are available through the symbolic name.

Bicep

resource stg 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2023-04-01' existing = {
  name: 'examplestorage'
}

output blobEndpoint string = stg.properties.primaryEndpoints.blob

Different scope

Set the scope property to access a resource in a different scope. The following example references an existing storage account in a different resource group.

Bicep

resource stg 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2023-04-01' existing = {
  name: 'examplestorage'
  scope: resourceGroup(exampleRG)
}

output blobEndpoint string = stg.properties.primaryEndpoints.blob

For more information about setting the scope, see Scope functions for Bicep.

Troubleshooting

If you attempt to reference a resource that doesn't exist, you get the NotFound error and your deployment fails. Check the name and scope of the resource you're trying to reference.

Next steps

For the syntax to deploy a resource, see Resource declaration in Bicep.