I want to get hands-on experience with the Microsoft 365 admin center in a safe test environment. Is there still a practical way to create a trial or developer tenant in 2026, and can I use it to experiment with services such as Entra ID, Intune, and device enrollment without affecting a production organization?
4 Answers
You can also create an Azure tenant and check the admin portals for separate trials of services such as Entra ID and Intune. The old unrestricted developer environments are no longer reliably available to everyone, so access may depend on current Microsoft eligibility requirements, subscriptions, or qualifying licenses.
If you need structured practice rather than a long-running tenant, paid training platforms with guided Microsoft 365 labs can be worthwhile. Buying one inexpensive license and experimenting is another option, but review exactly which features are included and cancel anything you do not intend to keep.
For learning device management, combine the trial tenant with a few Windows virtual machines running in Hyper-V, VMware, or Proxmox. Enroll those VMs into the tenant and use them to practice Intune policies, compliance settings, and Autopilot concepts. Keep the tenant isolated and set billing alerts so an expired trial does not create unexpected charges.
The simplest option is usually a Microsoft 365 Business Premium or E5 trial. Trials are commonly limited to about 30 days, though some can be extended once. A tenant automatically receives an onmicrosoft.com domain, so you do not necessarily need to own a custom domain. Check the current eligibility and trial terms carefully, since Microsoft changes them and may require payment details.
The developer program still exists, but getting a fully populated Microsoft 365 sandbox is much less automatic than it used to be. I would not plan on it being available unless Microsoft confirms that your account qualifies.