Access preview features
Microsoft offers previews of Azure features for evaluation purposes. With Azure Preview Features, you can try out prerelease features and services before they're rolled out to everyone.
Some common types of previews that you might see include:
- New storage types
- New Azure services, such as Machine Learning enhancements
- New or enhanced integration with other platforms
- New APIs for services
Azure feature previews are available under certain terms and conditions that are specific to each particular Azure preview. Some previews aren't covered by customer support.
Once a feature has been evaluated and tested successfully, it might be released to customers as part of Azure's default product set. This release is referred to as General Availability (GA).
Find preview features
You can discover preview features through the preview features page. This page lists the preview features that are available for evaluation. To access a preview feature, select its entry on this page and learn more about how to evaluate it. You can also use the RSS Feed button on this page to subscribe to notifications and stay informed.
You can also find Azure preview features in the portal by searching for Preview, then selecting Preview features.
Azure portal preview
You can also try out upcoming functionality for the portal as a whole. To do so, use the URL https://preview.portal.azure.com (notice the preview prefix).
Portal preview features typically offer performance, navigation, and accessibility improvements to the Azure portal interface. When using the preview URL, the portal is branded with Microsoft Azure (Preview) in the top bar, so you can tell you're using the preview portal.
Provide feedback on preview features
If you use the preview portal or a preview feature, Microsoft wants to hear about your experience. You can provide feedback by using the Feedback icon that you learned about earlier in this module.
View General Availability feature releases
The Azure Updates page lists recent updates in Azure. On this page, you can:
- Filter selections for which updates are in general availability, preview, or development
- Browse updates by product category or update type, using the provided dropdown lists
- Search for updates by keyword by entering search terms into a text-entry field
- Subscribe to get Azure update notifications by RSS