Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS)

Product

A REST endpoint at the non-routable address 169.254.169.254 that is reachable only from inside Azure resources and, among other things, issues access tokens for managed identities.

Title graphic: Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) (Product)

Type	Product
Documentation	learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/instance-metadata-service

Glossary

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Sources

Documentation: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/instance-metadata-service

Maintained by Mirko Peters (Microsoft MVP) · Last updated: 2026-11-03