Across all of Microsoft, we are focusing on empowering developers to build better apps, faster. One way we are accomplishing that is by providing a range of products and services covering all stages of the software development lifecycle. This includes IDEs and DevOps tools, application and data platforms on the cloud, operating systems, Artificial Intelligence and IoT solutions, and more. All of these are centered around developers, both as individuals working in teams and organizations, and as members of developer communities.

GitHub is one of the largest developer communities, and for millions of developers around the world their GitHub identity has become a critical aspect of their digital life. Recognizing that, we’re excited to announce improvements that will help GitHub users get started more easily with our developer services, including Azure DevOps and Azure.

Your GitHub credentials can now log you in to Microsoft services

Today, we are enabling developers to sign in with their existing GitHub account to Microsoft online services, on any Microsoft log in page. Using your GitHub credentials, you can now sign in via OAuth anywhere a personal Microsoft account does, including Azure DevOps and Azure.

You will see the option to sign in with your GitHub account by clicking on “Sign in with GitHub”.

After signing into GitHub and authorizing the Microsoft application, you will get a new Microsoft account that is linked to your GitHub identity. During this process, you also have the opportunity to link it to an existing Microsoft account if you already have one.

Sign-in to Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps offers a suite of services for developers to help them plan, build, and ship, any app. With support for GitHub authentication, we are making it easier to get started with services such Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (Azure Pipelines); agile planning (Azure Boards); and storage for private packages such as modules for NuGet, npm, PyPi, etc (Azure Artifacts). The Azure DevOps suite is free for individuals and small teams of up to five.

To get started with Azure DevOps using your GitHub account, click on “Start free using GitHub” in the Azure DevOps page.

Once you complete the sign-in process, you will be taken directly to the last Azure DevOps organization you visited. If you’re brand new to Azure DevOps, you’ll land to a new organization created for you.

Access all of Microsoft online services

In addition to accessing developer services such as Azure DevOps and Azure, your GitHub account can be used to access all Microsoft online services, from Excel Online to Xbox.

When authenticating with those services, you can find your GitHub account after clicking on “Sign-in options”.

Our commitment to your privacy

When you first use your GitHub account to sign in with Microsoft, GitHub will ask for permission to release your profile information.

If you consent, GitHub will share the email addresses on your GitHub account (both public and private) as well as profile information, like your name. We’ll use this data to check if you already have an account with us or to create a new account if you don’t. Connecting your GitHub identity to a Microsoft one does not give Microsoft access to your repositories in GitHub. Apps like Azure DevOps or Visual Studio will request access to your repositories separately if they need to work with your code, which you’ll need to consent to separately.

While your GitHub account is used to log into your Microsoft account, they’re still separate entities – one just uses the other as a login method. Changes you make to your GitHub account (like changing the password or enabling two-factor authentication) won’t change your Microsoft account, and vice versa. You can manage the connection between your GitHub and Microsoft identities in your account management page, under the Security tab.

Start exploring Azure DevOps now

Go to the Azure DevOps page and click “Start Free with GitHub” to get started.

If you have questions, check out this support page. Let us know what you think in the comments below. As always, we’d love to hear any feedback or suggestions you have.

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