SSPR not available for free account and pay as you go account?

Hi Abdel,

Thank you for your question! Let’s clarify how Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) works with the Azure Free Account.

First, first an important note about SSPR on free tier : With the Azure Free Account, SSPR is available only for administrators as the tenant uses the Microsoft Entra Free license. Regular users cannot use SSPR without upgrading to a Premium P1 or P2 license..

As you're the owner of the account, I imagine you have the global administrator role. I believe you can use the SSPR feature to reset your password if you forget it. If you also make another user an admin in your directory (tenant), they can use the SSPR.

However, for any regular user in your account (tenant), they cannot use SSPR unless your directory is upgraded to an Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 license.

So, if your goal is to enable SSPR for regular users, you’ll need to upgrade to Entra ID Premium P1 or P2. Let’s go step by step to enable and test SSPR for administrators under your current setup.

Step 1: Confirm You Are an Administrator

1. Log in to the Azure Portal.
2. Go to Microsoft Entra ID > Roles and Administrators.
3. Look for your account and verify it’s assigned an administrative role (e.g., Global Administrator).

See screenshots below:

Step 2: Enable SSPR for Administrators

1. In the Azure portal, navigate to Microsoft Entra ID> Password reset.
2. Click Properties.
3. Set Self-service password reset enabled to Selected.
4. Under Selected groups, click to select a group. (Ensure your administrator account is added to the group. Other administrative roles, such as User Administrator, can also use SSPR as long as they are added to the selected group).
5. Save your changes.

Step 3: Configure Authentication Methods

1. While still in the Password reset menu, click Authentication methods.
2. Select at least one authentication method (e.g., Mobile phone, Email, or Security questions).
3. Save your changes.

Things to note:

1. For administrators, Microsoft enforces strong, two-method authentication policies as a best practice for securing privileged accounts.

b. The security-question method isn't available to accounts associated with an administrator role.

Step 4: Test SSPR for Your Administrator Account

1. Sign out of the Azure portal.
2. On the login screen, click Forgot my password.
3. Follow the steps to verify your identity using the configured authentication method.
4. Reset your password and confirm the process works.

Want to test SSPR for All Users?

To enable SSPR for regular users:

1. You’ll need to upgrade to Microsoft Entra ID Premium P1 or P2.
2. To start a trial or purchase a license:
   • Navigate to Microsoft Entra ID > Licenses > + Try/Buy.
   • Search for Microsoft Entra ID Premium P1 or P2, then activate the trial or purchase.

After upgrading to Microsoft Entra ID Premium P1 or P2, ensure that licenses are assigned to regular users who need SSPR.

I hope this helps.

For more details, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/training/modules/allow-users-reset-their-password/