How To Create Multiple Power Platform Developer Environments for Free

Do you want to try out the premium capabilities of the Power Platform without having to worry about the licensing? Maybe you're new to the Power Platform and want to kick the tires and see what it's capable of. Maybe you have the Power Platform in your organization, but you don't have access to a premium license, and you want to see what this Dataverse thing is all about and try out model driven Power Apps or maybe even create custom connectors and test out ALM capabilities.
In this video you'll learn about the Power Apps Dev Plan and the new Dataverse Developer environments. The dev plan and Dataverse environments give anyone the ability to test out premium capabilities like custom connectors, premium connectors and the ability to backup, restore and move solutions across environments without needing a premium license. You'll see just how powerful these new Developer plan environments are and how to administer and govern them.
I'll walk you through the steps needed to get a developer environment setup regardless if you already have M365 access or you need an M365 tenant to get started.
✅ Sign up for the Power Apps Dev Plan: aka.ms/powerappsdevplan
📖 Read about developer environments: aka.ms/DataverseDevEnv
00:00 - Intro
00:26 - Where do I start?
00:50 - Developer Plan Requirements
01:27 - Getting the Developer Plan if you don't have access to M365
03:49 - Creating additional developer environments
05:24 - Locking down developer environment creation
06:29 - Capacity
07:01 - What do you get with the environments?
09:07 - Can I build cloud flows with the dev plan?
09:23 - What doesn't the developer environment include?

[@jray1429]

Thank you April…This really helps me out! You thought of multiple scenarios where someone was trying to get an account and one fit me. Thanks for your work

[@AprilDunnam]

I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@dougydoe]

Finally!!!! This is great and thanks for highlighting it. Appreciated.

[@AprilDunnam]

It's about time 🙂

[@markjacobson9532]

Thanks April, I never knew about the M365 developer program that allowes you to then subsequently set up a PowerApp develope plan on that developer tenant. In order to get others to help me with testing my developments, do I need to add them as users to the M365 tenant and then give them access to the test powerapp environment and then also share the specific app with them? or is it more complicated than that? Thanks again for this amazing insight

[@akshaynm]

Thanks a lot April for sharing the info.!!

[@AprilDunnam]

My pleasure!

[@13ruedelpercebe]

Thanks a lot April, it's very useful! is there any way to create a "Production" environment with this Dev Plan? (I'd like to test PP Pipelines and that requires a Production environment)

[@alibux]

Thanks very much April!

[@AprilDunnam]

You are so welcome!

[@nandangm5015]

Thank you for this video. Helpful.

[@AprilDunnam]

Glad it was helpful!

[@badiualex23]

provisioned with Dataverse so that we can test all the functionalities ? being premium environments that means we can also test the new deployment pipelines feature for ALM?

[@daxteoh27]

hi april, if my company has Power Platform license already, do i really need this for my DEV environment? Or simply i can use sandbox/production type as my dedicated DEV environment. I'm worry if using sandbox/production as dev environment may not have some features that is in Developer Environment Type.

[@DanielWeikert]

can you elaborate on the 3 environments? Is there a feature to move test to prod and so on. How do they interact. Thanks and br

[@AprilDunnam]

I show that about midway in the video. You can create 3 distinct developer environments and use them however you want. Typically this is used or wanted to a dev, test, prod type scenario to test moving solutions. You can use the existing solution capability to package up your Power Platform assets, export and move across environments and do things like test out Pipelines, etc

[@andriescorneliusnienaber]

Watched this video again and today I set everything up. Great video, can I use PowerBI with this account? Do you have a course/s?

[@AprilDunnam]

Glad you got it all setup! No, this doesn't include any Power BI licensing. You can sign up for trials to test it out. I do have a couple courses on LinkedIn Learning: www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/april-dunnam?u=0

[@ericasierra1322]

I was able to follow all the steps, then when it asked me for my Country of Origin on the Community Sign up page, the drop down box is greyed out and no options will appear. I tried typing and..nothing. Therefore, I'm stuck. Any advice?

[@Learnpowerplatform]

Getting error while phone verification saying that it did not pass security checks although it is new mobile number

[@ianalexandertorres6189]

Hi April!it means that i can use premium connectors on the environments for free? includeding the AI builder?

[@AprilDunnam]

Premium connectors yes, however, it doesn't include AI Builder credits which are separate. You can get a free trial for that though in product

[@ianalexandertorres6189]

@@AprilDunnam your the best!

[@ianalexandertorres6189]

@@AprilDunnam can i use Azure SQL for free too?sorry for asking :)

[@techknowledgetutorial]

Nice video

[@AprilDunnam]

Thanks!

[@sphesibiya1999]

She really just gave us the tech and then immediately showed the opps how to counter us

[@AprilDunnam]

Not sure I understand your comment

[@andriescorneliusnienaber]

Hi, does this include PVA

[@AprilDunnam]

Good question, no this doesn't include any additional PVA capacity outside of what you get with Dataverse for Teams.

[@andriescorneliusnienaber]

@@AprilDunnam Awesome thankyou, Do I select Private for company as I have no company, when creating the tenant for M365? Can I share the solution for somebody else to view? Demo, not selling! Thanks, love your videos

[@sereyatiampati]

Registration for the M365 DEV Subscription is currently closed

[@AprilDunnam]

Yes, this video could use a refresh given the current limitations. I am hoping that it opens back up soon .

[@MrDashingAshish]

Is free developer environment still free

[@AprilDunnam]

Unfortunately not. I need to update this video. There was a change as of January where they made it so you can only get one if you have a Visual Studio Enterprise license. I am unsure at the moment what the long term plans are

[@MrDashingAshish]

@@AprilDunnam yes I created it for my self learning purpose 2 years back it is still active . But for one of my friend when I was trying it suggested me documentation. There it was mentioned some visual studio license are listed to your account then you are eligible. Thanks for confirmation 👍 They could have kept it open with some limited features otherwise how would it reach the masses.

[@bgrebe26]

Please help, I want to further my certifications in the power platform but don't have a way of using it currently. Trying to take a course to get functional consultant, then power platform developer but can't practice or build projects to show off to my new potential employers