Crucial Bits
Entra ID app registration establishes a unique application object and service principal, forming the backbone of secure app authentication and access.
Elevated directory roles like Global Administrator, Application Administrator, or Cloud Application Administrator are mandatory to initiate and manage app registrations.
Redirect URIs and account types must be configured accurately to ensure secure token flows and avoid authentication errors.
Microsoft Entra ID lacks native backup for app configurations. Third-party solutions provide automated, granular backups to protect against deletion, misconfiguration, or malicious changes.
Registering an app in Entra ID is essential for integrating internal or third-party solutions, but the process can be complex without regular practice. Accurate setup of access permissions, redirect URIs, and authentication flows is critical for security and functionality. For European organizations, a clear, compliant approach is especially important due to internal policies and GDPR requirements.
This article walks through the exact steps to register an app in Microsoft Entra ID from start to finish.
A Quick Look at App Registration In Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft Entra ID is a cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) service that authenticates and authorizes users and apps across Microsoft platforms and thousands of integrated services. It helps enforce access policies, manage identities, and secure resources in Microsoft 365, Azure, and third-party systems.
Key Entra ID features include centralized user identity management, multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access, role-based access control, single sign-on (SSO), and hybrid integration with on-premises Active Directory. As the successor to Azure Active Directory, it introduces deeper identity governance and lifecycle management. For cloud-first or hybrid environments, Entra ID is vital for enforcing access control, especially under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other data protection regulations.
Integrating an application securely with Entra ID requires app registration. This process creates a unique identity for the app within your tenant, enabling it to authenticate and obtain tokens to access services like Microsoft Graph or custom APIs. App registration is necessary when developing internal apps, integrating third-party SaaS solutions, or exposing APIs securely.
Registered apps can support user-delegated access or app-only access for background services. Managing these apps through defined roles, scopes, and conditional access ensures they follow organizational security policies. Misconfigured or unregistered apps pose security risks, making registration the first step toward securing app access and maintaining compliance.
The Pre-Config Checklist for Entra ID App Registration
Before registering an application in Microsoft Entra ID, it’s essential to understand core concepts and gather the right prerequisites. These ensure technical accuracy and alignment with your organization’s governance and security policies. Skipping this step can lead to misconfigurations or compliance issues.
Every registration is tied to a specific Entra ID tenant, which houses your users, groups, apps, and other identity resources. In multi-regional organizations, it’s common to operate multiple tenants—often one per subsidiary—so ensure you’re working in the correct one before proceeding.
To register applications, you must hold one of the following roles: Global Administrator, Application Administrator, or Cloud Application Administrator. Without one of these, the registration option won’t appear. Assigning roles selectively minimizes unauthorized app registrations, reducing security risks.
When you register an app, Entra ID creates two objects: the Application Object and the Service Principal. The Application Object defines the app globally—holding settings like redirect URIs, branding, and API permissions. A unique Service Principal is created in each tenant that uses the app, representing its local identity and enabling resource access.
If your app spans multiple tenants, each tenant uses its own Service Principal, while the Application Object serves as the centralized configuration. Use the Application Object for global updates and the Service Principal for managing tenant-specific permissions and access controls.
You must also choose the type of application you’re registering for. Options include single-tenant (internal use), multi-tenant (cross-organization), or apps that support Microsoft personal accounts. This choice affects your app’s authentication flow and must be set during registration.
Prepare these app details beforehand: name, redirect URIs, account type, targeted APIs (like Microsoft Graph), and required permissions (delegated or application). Having this information ready streamlines the registration and allows for early security and compliance review.
A Beginner-Friendly Entra ID App Registration Walkthrough
Step 1: Accessing the Microsoft Entra Admin Center
To register an application in Microsoft Entra ID, start by accessing the Microsoft Entra Admin Center at https://entra.microsoft.com. This portal is your central hub for managing identities, applications, and access policies across your organization. Signing in with your organizational account is required to proceed.
Your account must have one of the following roles: Application Administrator, Cloud Application Administrator, or Global Administrator. These roles grant the necessary permissions to create and manage app registrations. Without them, the app registration options will not be visible or usable.
After signing in, confirm you’re operating within the correct Entra ID tenant. If your organization uses multiple tenants, use the directory switcher in the top-right corner to select the appropriate one—registrations are tenant-specific.
To begin registration, use the left-hand menu: click Identity, then Applications, and choose App registrations. This section allows you to create and manage application identities securely and in compliance with your organization’s policies.
Step 2: Starting a New App Registration
Once you’re logged into the Microsoft Entra Admin Center, navigate to Identity > Applications > App registrations to manage or create app identities. To start a new registration, click New registration—this is your entry point for integrating your application with Entra ID. It launches the App Registration Wizard, which guides you through the essential configuration steps.
The wizard streamlines the setup process, promoting consistency and reducing manual errors across your registrations. Before proceeding, ensure the following conditions are met to avoid interruptions:
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Your Microsoft Entra ID tenant is active, and you have sufficient permissions.
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Your organization’s compliance policies allow app integration at the tenant level.
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No Conditional Access policies block app registrations from your device or location.
Once these are confirmed, you can define key details like the app name, supported account types, and redirect URIs. This focused process helps you transition quickly from planning to secure implementation.
Step 3: Configuring Registration Settings
This next step defines how your application will behave in your tenant and interact with users. Start by assigning a clear, descriptive application name that aligns with your organization’s naming standards, as this becomes the app’s primary identifier across your tenant. These configurations impact both security and usability, so tailor them to how the app will be used internally or offered to external users.
Next, choose the appropriate account type. This determines who can sign in to the application:
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Accounts in this organisational directory only (Single Tenant): Use this if the app is for internal use within your company or group of companies using the same Azure AD tenant.
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Accounts in any organisational directory (Multi-Tenant): Select this when the app needs to be accessible to users from other companies or institutions using Azure AD.
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Accounts in any organisational directory and personal Microsoft accounts: Choose this if the app should also support users with Microsoft personal accounts (e.g., Outlook.com, Xbox Live). This is common for apps offered to both business and consumer users.
These choices directly affect the app’s authentication scope. Single Tenant is sufficient for internal enterprise tools. Multi-tenant or consumer access is usually required for SaaS platforms or public-facing apps.
You must define at least one redirect URI, which is the endpoint where a user’s browser is directed after authentication. This URI must match what’s configured in your app’s code; any mismatch will cause the authentication flow to fail. If your app runs on multiple platforms, provide a separate redirect URI for each to ensure tokens are delivered correctly. During registration, you can add multiple URIs and later update them in the app’s authentication settings if needed.
It’s also critical to select the appropriate platform configuration—web, mobile, single-page application (SPA), etc.—as this determines how Entra ID handles the authentication response. Each platform has specific requirements for redirect URIs and token processing, so choose settings that align with your app’s architecture.
Step 4: Completing the Registration
After configuring your app’s registration settings in Microsoft Entra ID, the final step is to complete the process by clicking the Register button at the bottom of the form. This action finalizes the registration and redirects you to the app’s Overview page, where a confirmation message appears.
On the Overview page, you’ll find two key identifiers: the Application (client) ID, which uniquely identifies your app, and the Directory (tenant) ID, which specifies the tenant the app belongs to. These values are essential when integrating with Microsoft Graph, internal systems, or third-party APIs, as they enable proper authentication and authorization.
Although the app is now registered, you may still need to configure API permissions, authentication methods, and optional settings like branding or certificates. Before making these changes, review the app’s name, redirect URIs, and account type settings to ensure accuracy and alignment with your organization’s architecture and compliance standards.
PRO TIP: Registering apps is just the start, but backing up their identity configurations is equally important. Nexetic Backup for Entra ID helps ensure critical access settings and app permissions stay safe from mistakes or malicious changes. Find the right fit for your tenant setup by starting a free trial today.
After Registration: Keeping Your Entra ID Apps Secure and Organized
Securing and managing your registered applications in Microsoft Entra ID is essential for protecting organizational data, enforcing access controls, and maintaining compliance. After registration, configure app permissions, secure authentication methods, and monitor app behavior to prevent vulnerabilities. Ongoing security management reduces risk and strengthens your identity perimeter.
Post-registration, one of the first tasks is assigning API permissions. Delegated permissions apply when the app acts on behalf of a signed-in user, inheriting that user’s access scope. These are ideal for user-focused apps like calendar assistants, and typically require user or admin consent based on the scope.
Application permissions are for apps that run without a user context, such as services scanning mailboxes for compliance. These permissions apply tenant-wide and must be approved by an admin. Due to their broad access, grant them only when absolutely necessary and apply the principle of least privilege.
Your choice of authentication method depends on how the app interacts with users or services. Use Authorization Code Flow for interactive web apps, Client Credentials Flow for background services, and Device Code Flow for devices with limited input. Each flow secures tokens differently and supports various app scenarios.
To enhance security, use unique client secrets with expiration and rotate them regularly. Prefer certificate-based authentication for sensitive or persistent apps. Apply Conditional Access policies to enforce multi-factor authentication, location controls, or device compliance, and enable logging to monitor sign-ins, permission changes, and admin activity.
However, while Microsoft Entra ID provides robust identity and access management, it does not offer native backup and recovery for directory data, app registrations, or role assignments. Relying solely on built-in redundancy is risky, especially in accidental deletion, misconfiguration, or malicious activity scenarios. To ensure business continuity and rapid recovery, organizations should adopt third-party backup solutions tailored for Entra ID environments.
These backup tools offer automated snapshots of critical identity data, fixed backup schedules, granular restore options, unlimited version history, and change tracking across tenants. They help safeguard against human error, provide compliance-ready audit trails, and support faster remediation during outages or security incidents. Integrating a dedicated backup solution strengthens business resilience and helps maintain full control over organizational identity infrastructure.
Next Steps: Lock In Your App Registration Success!
Once your application is registered in Microsoft Entra ID, you’ve laid the foundation for secure integration and access management. From choosing the correct tenant and roles to setting authentication flows and redirect URIs, every step plays a crucial role in protecting your identity infrastructure. Understanding app objects, scopes, and permission strategies ensures your applications run reliably and stay compliant with internal policies.
But app registration is only the first step. Protecting that setup from accidental misconfigurations or malicious changes requires an extra layer of resilience. With Nexetic Backup for Entra ID, you get automated, twice-daily backups for your app registrations, policies, and identity components—plus unlimited version history, rapid recovery of identity data across multiple tenants, and secure storage in encrypted EU-based Azure data centers.
If you’re ready to see what that level of backup coverage looks like in action, start a free trial right away or chat with the Nexetic team to explore how it fits your specific needs.
FAQs
What is the purpose of Entra ID app registration?
It creates a unique identity for your application, allowing it to authenticate, request tokens, and access APIs and resources securely within the directory environment.
What roles are required to register an app in Entra ID?
You need Global Administrator, Application Administrator, or Cloud Application Administrator roles. Without these roles, you can’t create or manage app registrations in the directory.
What is the difference between an application object and a service principal in Entra ID?
The application object defines the app’s global configuration. The service principal represents the app’s identity in a specific tenant, enabling local access and permission control.
When should I use single-tenant vs. multi-tenant in app registration?
Use a single-tenant for apps used only within your organization. Use multi-tenant if users from other tenants need to access the application.
Why is a redirect URI important in Entra ID app registration?
The redirect URI ensures that authentication responses are securely sent to the correct location. It must match exactly what’s configured to avoid login failures or security issues.
