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Missing Authentication Options for Registry Endpoints in Azure IoT Operations

Abby Greentree 271 Reputation points
2026-02-18T20:10:38.0833333+00:00

Following this tutorial I am trying to add a Registry Endpoint using the Authentication Method "Artifact Pull Secrets". In my AIO instances, I can only see options for "Anonymous", "System Assigned Managed Identity" and "User assigned managed identity" but not "Artifact Pull Secrets", which should be available based on the tutorial. Why am I unable to see this option?

Azure IoT Operations
Azure IoT Operations

Azure IoT Operations is a set of modular services enabled by Azure Arc.

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  1. SRILAKSHMI C 18,035 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-03-24T12:06:13.4366667+00:00

    Hello Abby Greentree,

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A and Thank you for reaching out,

    What’s actually happening

    The “Artifact Pull Secrets” authentication option referenced in the tutorial is outdated and no longer available in the latest version of Azure IoT Operations.

    In current AIO environments, the supported authentication methods for Registry Endpoints are:

    • System Assigned Managed Identity
    • User Assigned Managed Identity
    • Anonymous

    This is why you’re only seeing these three options “Artifact Pull Secrets” has been removed/deprecated and is not exposed in the UI anymore.

    Why you’re seeing this mismatch

    1. Documentation is outdated
    • The tutorial reflects an older or transitional version of the product
    • Azure IoT Operations has since evolved, but the documentation hasn’t fully caught up
    1. Shift to Managed Identity–based authentication
    • Azure has standardized on:
      • System/User Assigned Managed Identity
    • Secret-based approaches like Artifact Pull Secrets are no longer the recommended or supported pattern in most scenarios
    1. Previous prerequisites no longer apply

    Earlier, “Artifact Pull Secrets” depended on:

    • Kubernetes secrets configuration
    • Registry setups without managed identity support

    These are no longer required in the current model, as Managed Identity replaces this flow

    1. Registry compatibility
    • “Artifact Pull Secrets” was mainly used when registries didn’t support managed identity
    • With services like Azure Container Registry (ACR), Managed Identity + AcrPull role is now the standard approach

    What you should do now

    Use Managed Identity

    Choose System Assigned Managed Identity or User Assigned Managed Identity

    Assign the required role on your registry AcrPull

    This is the supported, secure, and future-proof method

    About other options

    Anonymous → only for public registries

    When to take further action

    • If your scenario strictly requires secret-based authentication (rare now), or
    • If you believe your environment should still support it

    You can raise a support request but in most cases, this behavior is by design in the latest AIO version

    Artifact Pull Secrets is no longer supported / removed

    The tutorial is outdated

    Managed Identity is now the standard and recommended approach

    Your current UI (showing only MI + Anonymous) is expected behavior

    The “Artifact Pull Secrets” option mentioned in the tutorial is no longer available in the current version of Azure IoT Operations. The service has moved to Managed Identity–based authentication, and the supported options today are System Assigned Managed Identity, User Assigned Managed Identity, and Anonymous.

    Because of this change, you won’t see “Artifact Pull Secrets” in the UI. We recommend using Managed Identity and assigning the appropriate permissions (such as AcrPull on your container registry) for secure access.

    The discrepancy you’re seeing is due to the tutorial being outdated and not yet aligned with the latest service updates.

    Please refer this

    I Hope this helps. Do let me know if you have any further queries.

    If this answers your query, please do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful.

    Thank you!

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  1. Abby Greentree 271 Reputation points
    2026-02-24T13:57:44+00:00

    Artifact Pull Secrets is an out of date option presently listed in the tutorial -- the only options on the latest version of Azure IoT Operations is system assigned managed identity, user assigned managed identity, and anonymous.

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  2. Abby Greentree 271 Reputation points
    2026-02-24T13:56:16.0133333+00:00

    Artifact Pull Secrets is an out of date option presently listed in the tutorial -- the only options on the latest version of Azure IoT Operations is system assigned managed identity, user assigned managed identity, and anonymous.

    0 comments
  3. Q&A Assist
    2026-02-18T20:11:19.4266667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    The absence of the "Artifact Pull Secrets" authentication option in your Azure IoT Operations instance could be due to several reasons. Here are some possibilities to consider:

    1. Configuration Context: Ensure that you are in the correct context or configuration mode where the "Artifact Pull Secrets" option is applicable. Sometimes, certain options may only be visible under specific configurations or settings.
    2. Permissions: Verify that your Azure IoT Operations managed identity has the necessary permissions to use the "Artifact Pull Secrets" method. If permissions are not correctly configured, some options may not be available.
    3. Updates or Changes: It's possible that there have been updates or changes in the Azure IoT Operations platform that might affect the visibility of certain authentication methods. Check the latest documentation or release notes for any such changes.
    4. Container Registry Compatibility: Ensure that the container registry you are trying to integrate supports the "Artifact Pull Secrets" method. Some registries may have limitations on the authentication methods they support.

    If you continue to experience issues, consider reaching out to Azure support for further assistance.

    References:

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