What is Azure Storage Explorer?
Azure Storage Explorer is a free desktop GUI tool built by Microsoft for managing Azure Storage. Think of it as a File Explorer / Finder for your Azure Storage accounts. Key capabilities:
- Browse, upload, download, and delete blobs visually
- Manage file shares — browse the directory structure like a local file system
- View, add, and delete queue messages
- Query and edit Table Storage entities
- Generate SAS tokens with a UI
- Connect to Azure Data Lake Storage, Cosmos DB, and emulators
- Works with multiple subscriptions and accounts simultaneously
Installing Storage Explorer
Download from: azure.microsoft.com/features/storage-explorer
Available for:
- Windows (x64, x86, ARM)
- macOS (Intel, Apple Silicon)
- Linux (AppImage, Snap, .deb)
No Azure subscription required to install. Free to use.
Connecting to Storage Accounts
Storage Explorer supports multiple connection methods:
| Method | How | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Azure Account (Sign In) | Sign in with your Azure AD credentials | Access all accounts in your subscriptions |
| Connection String | Paste the storage account connection string | Quick access without full sign-in |
| Account Name + Key | Enter account name and one of the keys | Direct access with known credentials |
| SAS URL | Paste a SAS token URL | Limited/scoped access |
| Local Emulator | Connect to Azurite (local storage emulator) | Local development without Azure |
Recommended: Sign In with Azure Account
- Open Storage Explorer
- Click Connect to Azure resources or the plug icon
- Select Azure subscription
- Sign in with your Microsoft account
- All your storage accounts appear in the left panel organised by subscription
Managing Blobs
In the left panel, expand: Storage Accounts → [your account] → Blob Containers → [container name]
You can then:
- Upload — Drag and drop files from your desktop, or click Upload
- Download — Select blobs and click Download
- Delete — Select and press Delete
- Copy URL — Right-click → Copy URL to get the blob's direct URL
- Set access tier — Right-click → Set Access Tier (Hot/Cool/Archive)
- View properties — Size, content type, ETag, last modified
- Set metadata — Add custom key-value metadata to blobs
Managing File Shares
Expand: Storage Accounts → [account] → File Shares → [share name]
Storage Explorer shows file shares with a familiar folder tree — browse directories, upload files to specific folders, download folders, and manage file permissions. It's the closest experience to managing a traditional file server.
Managing Queues
Expand: Storage Accounts → [account] → Queues → [queue name]
You can:
- View messages in the queue (shows content, insertion time, expiry time, dequeue count)
- Add new messages manually — useful for testing
- Clear the entire queue
- View the approximate message count
Managing Tables
Expand: Storage Accounts → [account] → Tables → [table name]
Storage Explorer shows table entities in a spreadsheet-like view. You can:
- Query entities using OData filters
- Add new entities with custom properties
- Edit entity values directly in the grid
- Delete entities
- Export table data to CSV
Generating SAS Tokens
Right-click any container, blob, file share, queue, or table → Get Shared Access Signature
A dialog appears where you configure:
- Permissions (read, write, delete, list, create, add)
- Start time and expiry time
- Allowed protocols (HTTPS only recommended)
Storage Explorer generates the SAS token and full URL — ready to copy and share.
Storage Explorer vs Azure Portal vs CLI
| Task | Best Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Browse and manage files visually | Storage Explorer | Familiar GUI, drag-and-drop |
| Upload/download large batches of files | CLI or Storage Explorer | Both support batch operations |
| Create storage accounts | Portal or CLI | Explorer doesn't create accounts |
| Configure redundancy, firewall | Portal or CLI | Explorer is data management only |
| Automate/script operations | CLI or SDKs | Explorer is GUI only |
| Quick one-off file management | Storage Explorer | Fastest for ad-hoc tasks |
| Local development testing | Storage Explorer + Azurite | Connect to local emulator |