How to Create a User Flow in Azure AD B2C: Step-by-Step Guide

Image Credit: Microsoft

 

Azure AD B2C (Business to Consumer) is a powerful identity management service that allows you to control how customers sign up, sign in, and manage their profiles in your applications. One of the key building blocks of Azure AD B2C is the user flow — a predefined, configurable journey that users go through when interacting with your app. 

In this blog, you’ll learn what user flows are, how to create one from scratch, and how to integrate it into your application. Let’s dive in! 

 

What is a User Flow in Azure AD B2C? 

A user flow is a guided experience that defines how users interact with your application during key identity operations such as: 

• Sign up 

• Sign in 

• Password reset 

• Profile editing 

Think of it as a “no-code” or “low-code” way to handle authentication and user management without writing custom policies. 

 

Prerequisites 

Before creating a user flow, make sure you have: 

• An Azure AD B2C tenant 

• Admin access to the Azure portal 

• A registered application in the B2C directory 

 

Step-by-Step: Create a User Flow in Azure AD B2C 

Step 1: Go to Your Azure AD B2C Tenant 

1. Log in to the Azure Portal 

1. In the search bar, type Azure AD B2C and select your B2C tenant 

💡 Make sure you're in the B2C tenant directory, not your default Azure AD directory. 

 

 

 

Step 2: Navigate to User Flows 

1. Under the Policies section in the left menu, click User flows 

1. Click + New user flow 

 

 

 

Step 3: Choose the User Flow Type 

You’ll see several flow types available: 

• Sign up and sign in (Recommended for most applications) 

• Sign in only 

• Sign up only 

• Profile editing 

• Password reset 

For this tutorial, choose Sign up and sign in, and click Create. 

 

 

 

 

Step 4: Configure the User Flow 

1. Name your user flow (e.g., B2C_1_SignUpSignIn) 

1. Select identity providers (e.g., Email, Facebook, Google) 

1. Choose user attributes and claims to collect and return (e.g., Display Name, Email, Given Name) 

 

 

Click Create once your settings are finalized. 

 

Step 5: Test the User Flow 

After the flow is created: 

1. Click on the flow name from the list 

1. Click Run user flow 

1. Choose your registered application and redirect URI 

1. Hit Run user flow to test it in a browser 

 

 

 

You’ll see the sign-up/sign-in page in action! 

 

Integrate the User Flow into Your Application 

To hook your app into this flow, use the generated OpenID Connect or OAuth 2.0 endpoints provided in the flow details. You can integrate this with: 

• .NET / ASP.NET Core 

• JavaScript / React / Angular 

• Mobile apps (iOS/Android) 

• Single-page apps using MSAL.js or MSAL libraries 

Your app will redirect to the user flow URL, and upon successful sign-in, receive a token to use for API access or session management. 

 

Customizing the Look and Feel 

Azure AD B2C allows you to customize the UI using: 

• Your company logo 

• Custom backgrounds and colors 

• Language support 

• HTML/CSS templates for branding consistency 

For advanced scenarios, use custom policies (Identity Experience Framework) for more control over the user journey. 

 

Pro Tips 

• Use application claims wisely — only request what you need to minimize token size. 

• Use multiple user flows for different actions (e.g., separate password reset flow). 

• Combine social logins and local accounts for better flexibility. 

 

Creating a user flow in Azure AD B2C is the first step toward building a seamless and secure authentication experience for your customers. Whether you're developing a web app, mobile app, or API-driven solution, user flows offer a simple, configurable way to handle identity — no custom code required.