Testing a new policy, giving a demo or preparing for a certification? Don't do it in production; use a separate test tenant. This article covers your options for getting a Microsoft 365 environment for testing, and what to watch out for.
The options
| Option | For whom | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Trial subscription (for example Business Premium or E5) | Anyone | Usually 30 days, then paid |
| Microsoft 365 Developer Program | Developers who meet the criteria, such as a Visual Studio subscription | As long as you stay active |
| Partner demo environment | Microsoft partners | Temporary, with demo data |
| A small paid tenant | Organisations wanting a permanent test environment | Unlimited |
Start a trial
- Go to the Microsoft 365 for business website and choose a plan with Try free.
- Use a separate email address, not your work account.
- Pick a tenant name, such as contosotest. You then get contosotest.onmicrosoft.com.
- Fill in the details and a payment method. Turn off auto-renew straight away if you don't want to pay.
The Developer Program
The programme used to give everyone a free E5 sandbox. Microsoft has tightened the criteria: you now only get a sandbox if you qualify, for example through a Visual Studio Professional or Enterprise subscription. Check the current conditions on the programme website.
Tips
- Give the test tenant a clear name so you don't confuse it with production.
- Turn on MFA in the test tenant too. Test tenants get attacked as well.
- Don't connect a real domain you use in production.
- Export settings you want to reuse, for example with PowerShell or Microsoft365DSC. See also all Microsoft 365 admin portals.
Nederlandstalige versie: Een Microsoft 365-tenant maken om te testen
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