DEV Community

Cover image for Creating a windows 11 virtual machine
Afeez Adeyemo
Afeez Adeyemo

Posted on

Creating a windows 11 virtual machine

A virtual machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer. It runs an operating system and applications just like a physical computer, but it operates within a window on your current operating system. Here are some key points about virtual machines:

  • Isolation: VMs are isolated from the host system, meaning the software inside a VM can’t interfere with the host’s primary operating system1.
  • Flexibility: You can run multiple VMs on a single physical machine, each with its own operating system. This allows you to run different OSes simultaneously2.
  • Use Cases: VMs are used for various purposes, such as testing new software, running applications that require different OSes, and creating development environments12.
  • Cost Efficiency: They help save costs by reducing the need for physical hardware and allowing better resource utilization2.

This is a step by step procedure on how to create a windows 11 virtual machine.

Step 1: Create a windows 11 virtual machine.

  1. Configure the virtual machine.
  • In the portal, search for virtual machines.

search for virtual machine

  • Select + create.

select + create.

  1. Go to the Basics tab.
  • On the project details
    • Create new resource group and give it a unique name.

Resource group.

  • On the Instance details
    • On the virtual machine name, give your virtual machine a unique name. Just like other computers, virtaul machines have names
    • Set the region as appropriate.
    • Set the Availabilty zone to Zone 1. This will back-up the virtual machine in 3 data centers. You can pick more Zones to create the VM in more data centers

Instance details 1.

  • on drop down menu for image select Windows 11 Pro, version 22H2 - x64 Gen2.

    • On the Administrator account.
    • Set the Username to your name.
    • Set password and confirm password.

instance details 2.

  • Set the inbound port rules.
    • Select the Allow selected ports for the public inbound ports. This will ensure the VM can be accessed via public internet.
    • On the drop-down menu for Select inbound portst, select RDP 3389

inbound port rules

  1. Go to the Monitoring tab.
  • Check Disable for boot diagnostic. This will ensure azure does not have access to the activities of the virtual machine.

    • Select Review and create

Monitoring tab.

  • Wait for it to validate
  • select create

create.

  • Wait for it to complete deployment.

deployment in progress

  • When deployment is complete. Select go to resource.

deployment is complete.

  1. Configuring the Virtual machine.
  • Click the Public IP address

Public IP address

  • Drag the Idle timeout (minutes) to 30. This will ensure the VM doesnt time out to often while in use.
  • Save.

set idle timeout

Step 2: Starting up the Virtual machine.

  • Select Connect

Connect VM

  • Wait for the VM to get configured.
  • Click on Download RDP file.

Download RDP file

  • Open the downloaded file. Enter password that was previously set. Click OK.

Log into virtual machine

  • The VM is launched

VM home page

The VM can now be used as your regular computer.

I hope this is helpful, please drop questions/comments/observations in comment section.

Top comments (0)