How to Check Access Level in Azure DevOps
How do you check access level in Azure DevOps? You check access level in Azure DevOps by navigating to the organization settings, selecting the Users tab, and reviewing the assigned access level, such as Basic, Stakeholder, or Visual Studio Subscriber, for each user, helping ensure the right permissions and license allocations are in place.
For enterprise executives, maintaining the correct access levels in Azure DevOps is crucial for cost management, regulatory compliance, and securing development environments across teams and projects.
Step 1: Sign In to Azure DevOps
Go to the Azure DevOps portal: https://dev.azure.com/
Log in with an account that has Organization Owner or Project Collection Administrator permissions.
Tip: Only users with administrative access at the organization level can view or manage other users’ access levels.
Step 2: Navigate to Organization Settings
- In the top-right corner, click on your organization name
- From the left-hand menu, select Organization settings
This area contains controls for users, billing, security, and policy management at the organization level.
Step 3: View Users and Their Access Levels
- In the left menu, click Users
- You’ll see a list of all users with access to the organization
- Review the Access Level column for each user
Common Access Levels:
| Access Level | Description |
| Basic | Default for most contributors; includes access to code, pipelines, and boards |
| Stakeholder | Limited access for non-technical users (view-only boards, work items) |
| Visual Studio Subscriber | Enhanced features tied to a paid subscription (e.g., Test Plans, Extensions) |
You can also view:
- Assigned project(s)
- Group memberships
- License status (e.g., Free, Paid, Inherited)
Executive Insight: Reviewing access levels helps prevent over-provisioning and ensures alignment with licensing costs.
Step 4: Filter and Export User Access Data
Use the search bar or filters to:
- View users by project
- Sort by access level or last access date
- Export the list as a .csv for license audits or governance reporting
Compliance Tip: Regularly review and export user access reports as part of your quarterly security and cost audits.
Step 5: Modify Access Levels (If Needed)
To change a user’s access level:
- From the Users page, click the checkbox next to their name
- Click Change access level in the toolbar
- Select the appropriate access tier (Basic, Stakeholder, VS Subscriber)
- Click Save
Changes take effect immediately and may adjust what features the user can see or interact with.
Best Practice: Assign Stakeholder access to business users or read-only roles to reduce licensing costs.
Step 6: Use Azure DevOps CLI for Programmatic Access Checks
For automation or bulk access audits, use the Azure DevOps CLI:
az devops user list –org https://dev.azure.com/your-org
This returns a list of users, projects, and access levels, which can be filtered or piped into scripts.
Automation Insight: Integrate user access checks into IT governance scripts to detect unauthorized or inactive accounts.
Final Thoughts
Checking and managing access levels in Azure DevOps is essential to controlling platform costs, enforcing least-privilege security, and supporting scalable development operations. For enterprise teams, this visibility also supports license optimization and audit-readiness.
