Supported account types

This article explains what account types (sometimes called audiences) are supported in the Microsoft identity platform applications.

Account types in the public cloud

In the Azure public cloud, most types of apps can sign in users with any audience:

  • If you're writing a line-of-business (LOB) application, you can sign in users in your own organization. Such an application is sometimes called single-tenant.

  • If you're an independent software vendor (ISV), you can write an application that signs in users:

    • In any organization. Such an application is called a multitenant web application. You'll sometimes read that it signs in users with their work or school accounts.
    • With their work or school.
  • If you're writing a business-to-consumer application, you can also sign in users with their social identities, by using Azure Active Directory B2C (Azure AD B2C).

Account type support in authentication flows

Some account types can't be used with certain authentication flows. For instance, in desktop, Universal Windows Platform (UWP), or daemon applications:

  • Daemon applications can be used only with Microsoft Entra organizations.
  • You can use the integrated Windows authentication flow only with work or school accounts (in your organization or any organization). Integrated Windows authentication works with domain accounts, and it requires the machines to be domain-joined or Microsoft Entra joined.
  • The Resource Owner Password Credentials grant (username/password) .

Account types in national clouds

Apps can also sign in users in national clouds. That's why the supported account types are reduced, for these clouds, to your organization (single tenant) or any organizations (multi-tenant applications).

Next steps