File share in Azure for Azure AD (ONLY!) joined PCs

Michał Gębala 31

Is there any solution available in Azure (Storage account, VM, dedicated resource, 3rd party appliance) that will allow me to map a share on ONLY! Azure AD joined PC and will let me configure file/folder level permissions based on Azure AD accounts/groups?

7 answers

Sumarigo-MSFT 47,501 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2023-02-14T06:53:20.7333333+00:00

Updating the thread: General Availability: Azure Active Directory Kerberos with Azure Files for hybrid identities

General Availability of Azure Files integration with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Kerberos for hybrid identities. With this release, identities in Azure AD can mount and access Azure file shares without the need for line-of-sight to an Active Directory domain controller.

This article focuses on enabling and configuring Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for authenticating hybrid user identities, which are on-premises AD DS identities that are synced to Azure AD. Cloud-only identities aren't currently supported.
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Mike 25 Reputation points

2023-02-24T20:31:10.1433333+00:00

Will Cloud-only identities be supported in a future update? Thanks in advance!

joshadmin 11 Reputation points

2023-05-02T18:14:10.47+00:00

Also looking for an update on this. We want to use cloud-only identities to mount an Azure File Share, from a storage account that is setup for Azure AD DS auth.

TR 10 Reputation points

2023-05-30T03:11:54.92+00:00

Also wondering if/when Azure AD (DS) - only is going to happen.
Kind of mind-blowing that this is not available at the moment.

"You can use our cloud resources, but only if you also still have an on-premise environment!"

Aaron Berson 16 Reputation points

2023-06-12T19:15:16.5966667+00:00

CAn we get an update @Sumarigo-MSFT of if Azure AD cloud only identities will be supported? Really need this since the Onedrive Sync screws up Quickbooks Desktop files. Need a mounted drive that everyone accesses in real time and all users are cloud only and computers Azure AD joined..... any help here!

Christian Laboy 1 Reputation point

2024-01-17T22:19:52.1566667+00:00

@Sumarigo-MSFT There is an issue with your update. You state that share permissions no longer require line-of-sight to an on-prem active directory. What about folder/file level permissions? The guide you link to says that line-of-sight IS required.

EPNAdam 115 Reputation points

2025-05-20T14:25:52.8966667+00:00

Hi,

As many others here, are there any plans to rework Azure Files to support cloud only setups. In other words no AD, no AD DS but only Entra ID accounts and Intune enrolled devices.

I guess the SMB protocol is the limitation here but what everyone else is asking is an easy solution to get a "files-share" solution without the hassle of AD DS.

Looking at the Azure Updates no indications of it so another questions that pops up is if there are 3rd party options out there?
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Michał Gębala 31 Reputation points

2025-11-24T15:02:01.5933333+00:00

Hi everyone interested, looks like finally it's available:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/storage-files-identity-auth-hybrid-identities-enable?tabs=azure-portal%2Cintune

and as I got info from MS there are chances to have the GA on December update- I keep my fingers crossed for that:)
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TR 10 Reputation points

2025-11-24T16:15:08.5366667+00:00

True, but only default share-level permissions are seemingly available for cloud-only identities for Kerberos.
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File share in Azure for Azure AD (ONLY!) joined PCs

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