AZ-104 training and courses: what Microsoft offers and how to choose
Microsoft requires no course before the AZ-104 exam. It does offer two official ways to prepare — free self-paced learning on Microsoft Learn and a four-day instructor-led course — and every other Azure administrator course is best judged against what those two cover.
See the AZ-104 practice questions →
Is AZ-104 training required?
No. Microsoft names no required certification and no mandatory course for Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate. What it does describe is the experience it expects: subject matter expertise in implementing, managing and monitoring an Azure environment, familiarity with operating systems, networking, servers and virtualization, and experience with PowerShell, the Azure CLI, the Azure portal, ARM templates or Bicep files, and Microsoft Entra ID.
That list is the real purpose of AZ-104 training: closing whichever of those gaps you have. Someone who already runs Azure workloads may need little more than the study guide and practice; someone coming from on-premises administration needs structured learning and hands-on time in Azure.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Azure Administrator Associate certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
The official Microsoft Azure Administrator course (AZ-104T00)
Microsoft’s instructor-led option is Course AZ-104T00-A: Microsoft Azure Administrator. Microsoft lists it as a four-day, intermediate-level course for the administrator role. The course page describes the Azure Administrator as someone who implements, manages and monitors identity, governance, storage, compute and virtual networks in a cloud environment — the same five areas the exam measures.
Microsoft recommends arriving with an understanding of on-premises virtualization, network configuration including TCP/IP, DNS, VPNs and firewalls, Active Directory concepts such as users, groups and role-based access control, and backup and restore. Instructor-led delivery is arranged through training providers, which Microsoft lets you search from the course page.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Course AZ-104T00-A: Microsoft Azure Administrator. Checked 9 October 2026.
Free self-paced Azure administrator training on Microsoft Learn
The same course page states that you can prepare through instructor-led training or self-paced study. The self-paced route is a set of learning paths and modules on Microsoft Learn, free of charge, and the certification page links to it from its “Prepare for the exam” section.
For most people this is the natural starting point for Microsoft Azure Administrator training: it costs nothing, follows Microsoft’s own terminology, and lets you go faster through the areas you already know. An instructor-led class adds structure, a fixed schedule and someone to ask, which some learners need and others do not.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Azure Administrator Associate certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
How to choose the best AZ-104 course
There is no single best AZ-104 course, but there are clear tests for any Microsoft Azure Administrator certification training you are considering, whether it is an online video course, a classroom programme or a short intensive format:
- It follows the current skills outline. Microsoft’s study guide lists skills measured as of April 17, 2026; a course should cover the same objectives, including newer items such as Azure Container Apps and Bicep files.
- It includes hands-on labs. The exam expects you to configure and troubleshoot resources, not just recognise their names, so a course without practical exercises leaves the hardest part to you.
- It covers all five skill areas in proportion. Identities and governance and compute each carry 20–25% of the exam; a course that spends most of its time on virtual machines is unbalanced.
- It is honest about what it does not include. No course comes with the exam itself unless the provider states that a voucher is included, and no course can promise a pass.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AZ-104. Checked 9 October 2026.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate training and practice
Training teaches the material; practice questions show whether it has stuck. Microsoft offers a free AZ-104 practice assessment on Microsoft Learn, which can be attempted as many times as you like. Microsoft states that its questions are not the same as those on the exam, so it is a check of style and wording rather than a preview.
Certsqill adds expert-developed AZ-104 practice questions with an explanation for every answer option and a readiness score per domain. Used after an Azure administrator course, it shows which skill areas still need work before you book the exam. Access comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Practice assessments for Microsoft Certifications. Checked 9 October 2026.
AZ-104 training & courses: questions people ask
What is the official AZ-104 course?
Course AZ-104T00-A: Microsoft Azure Administrator, a four-day, intermediate-level instructor-led course listed on Microsoft Learn. Microsoft also offers free self-paced learning paths for the same certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
Do I need AZ-104 training to take the exam?
No. Microsoft requires no course and no prior certification. It expects hands-on experience with Azure administration, which training is one way to build.
Is Microsoft Azure Administrator training free?
The self-paced learning paths and the practice assessment on Microsoft Learn are free. The instructor-led AZ-104T00 course is delivered through training providers, which Microsoft lets you search from the course page.
What is the best AZ104 course?
The one that matches the current skills outline, includes hands-on labs and covers all five skill areas in proportion to their exam weight. Compare any course against Microsoft’s study guide before you pay for it.
