Azure CLI — Virtual Machines Cheat Sheet 2026

Azure CLI Virtual Machines Cheat Sheet is the complete quick-reference of Azure CLI Virtual Machines commands grouped by function. Copy any command with one click and find what you need with Ctrl+F in under 3 seconds.

Virtual Machines

Action	Command	Useful flags
Rest	`az rest --method get --uri /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/{vmName}?api-version=2019-03-01`	`--method --uri -version`
Desktopvirtualization	`az desktopvirtualization`
Desktopvirtualization applicationgroup	`az desktopvirtualization applicationgroup`
Desktopvirtualization hostpool	`az desktopvirtualization hostpool`
Desktopvirtualization workspace	`az desktopvirtualization workspace`
Network virtual-appliance	`az network virtual-appliance`	`-appliance`
Networkcloud virtualmachine	`az networkcloud virtualmachine`
Networkcloud virtualmachine	`az networkcloud virtualmachine console`
Postgres flexible-server	`az postgres flexible-server virtual-endpoint`	`-endpoint -server`
Sql virtual-cluster	`az sql virtual-cluster`	`-cluster`

⚠️ Dangerous / Destructive Commands

These commands are irreversible. Verify your environment (dev/staging vs prod) before running them.

Action	Command	Warning
⚠️ Destroy ⚠️	`terraform destroy -auto-approve`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete	`kubectl delete namespace production`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Prune ⚠️	`docker system prune -af --volumes`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete	`pvesh delete /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete	`az group delete --name MyResourceGroup --yes`	Irreversible — verify the target before running

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Virtual Machines and the other groups?

Each group in this Azure CLI cheat sheet covers a distinct area. Virtual Machines focuses on its specific scope, while the other groups and the remaining groups cover networking, storage, security and diagnostics respectively.

How do I check the installed Azure CLI version?

Run the version command (usually azure version or azure --version). The output shows the client and, when applicable, the server version.

Why does Azure CLI return ‘permission denied’?

A ‘permission denied’ error in Azure CLI usually means the current user lacks sufficient privileges or credentials are not configured. Check: (1) assigned IAM/RBAC roles, (2) an active authentication context via the corresponding login command.

How do I filter Azure CLI output by status or name?

Use flags such as --filter, --selector or --query depending on the tool. You can also pipe into grep or jq to process JSON:

azure list | grep RUNNING

What is the fastest way to debug a Azure CLI error?

Add the verbose flag (--verbose, -v or --debug) to the failing command. This reveals the underlying HTTP/API calls and the full error response body.

Official sources & references

Commands cross-checked against vendor documentation and high-authority repositories: