Manage Azure Hulk Storage resources with Storage Explorer

Overview

Azure Blob Storage is a service for storing big amounts of unstructured information, such as text or binary data, that tin can be accessed from anywhere in the globe via HTTP or HTTPS. Yous can use Blob storage to expose information publicly to the world, or to store application data privately. In this commodity, y'all'll learn how to employ Storage Explorer to work with blob containers and blobs.

Prerequisites

To complete the steps in this article, you'll demand the following:

  • Download and install Storage Explorer
  • Connect to an Azure storage account or service

Create a blob container

All blobs must reside in a blob container, which is simply a logical group of blobs. An business relationship can contain an unlimited number of containers, and each container can shop an unlimited number of blobs.

The following steps illustrate how to create a blob container within Storage Explorer.

  1. Open Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the storage account inside which you lot wish to create the blob container.

  3. Right-click Blob Containers, and - from the context carte - select Create Blob Container.

    Create blob containers context menu

  4. A text box will announced below the Hulk Containers binder. Enter the proper name for your blob container. Run across Create a container for information on rules and restrictions on naming hulk containers.

    Create Blob Containers text box

  5. Press Enter when washed to create the hulk container, or Esc to abolish. Once the blob container has been successfully created, information technology will be displayed under the Blob Containers folder for the selected storage account.

    Blob Container created

View a blob container's contents

Blob containers contain blobs and folders (that can as well contain blobs).

The following steps illustrate how to view the contents of a blob container within Storage Explorer:

  1. Open Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the storage account containing the blob container you wish to view.

  3. Expand the storage account'due south Blob Containers.

  4. Right-click the blob container you wish to view, and - from the context menu - select Open Blob Container Editor. You can also double-click the hulk container y'all wish to view.

    Open blob container editor context menu

  5. The main pane volition brandish the hulk container's contents.

    Blob container editor

Delete a blob container

Blob containers tin be easily created and deleted as needed. (To see how to delete individual blobs, refer to the department, Managing blobs in a hulk container.)

The following steps illustrate how to delete a blob container within Storage Explorer:

  1. Open up Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the storage business relationship containing the hulk container you wish to view.

  3. Expand the storage account's Hulk Containers.

  4. Right-click the blob container you wish to delete, and - from the context bill of fare - select Delete. Yous can also press Delete to delete the currently selected blob container.

    Delete blob container context menu

  5. Select Yeah to the confirmation dialog.

    Delete blob Container confirmation

Copy a hulk container

Storage Explorer enables yous to copy a hulk container to the clipboard, and and then paste that blob container into another storage account. (To see how to copy private blobs, refer to the section, Managing blobs in a hulk container.)

The following steps illustrate how to copy a hulk container from one storage account to another.

  1. Open Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the storage business relationship containing the blob container yous wish to copy.

  3. Expand the storage business relationship's Blob Containers.

  4. Right-click the hulk container you lot wish to re-create, and - from the context menu - select Re-create Blob Container.

    Copy blob container context menu

  5. Right-click the desired "target" storage account into which y'all want to paste the hulk container, and - from the context menu - select Paste Blob Container.

    Paste blob container context menu

Get the SAS for a blob container

A shared access signature (SAS) provides delegated access to resources in your storage business relationship. This means that y'all tin grant a customer limited permissions to objects in your storage account for a specified period of time and with a specified fix of permissions, without having to share your account admission keys.

The following steps illustrate how to create a SAS for a blob container:

  1. Open Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the storage account containing the blob container for which you wish to go a SAS.

  3. Expand the storage account'due south Blob Containers.

  4. Right-click the desired blob container, and - from the context menu - select Get Shared Admission Signature.

    Get SAS context menu

  5. In the Shared Access Signature dialog, specify the policy, start and expiration dates, time zone, and access levels you want for the resource.

    Get SAS options

  6. When you're finished specifying the SAS options, select Create.

  7. A second Shared Access Signature dialog volition then display that lists the blob container along with the URL and QueryStrings you lot can utilize to access the storage resource. Select Copy next to the URL yous wish to copy to the clipboard.

    Copy SAS URLs

  8. When washed, select Close.

Manage Access Policies for a blob container

The following steps illustrate how to manage (add and remove) admission policies for a blob container:

  1. Open Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the storage account containing the blob container whose access policies you wish to manage.

  3. Expand the storage account's Blob Containers.

  4. Select the desired blob container, and - from the context carte du jour - select Manage Access Policies.

    Manage access policies context menu

  5. The Admission Policies dialog will list whatsoever access policies already created for the selected hulk container.

    Access Policy options

  6. Follow these steps depending on the access policy management task:

    • Add together a new admission policy - Select Add. Once generated, the Access Policies dialog will display the newly added access policy (with default settings).
    • Edit an admission policy - Make any desired edits, and select Salve.
    • Remove an admission policy - Select Remove adjacent to the access policy you wish to remove.

Note

Modifying immutability policies is not supported from Storage Explorer.

Set the Public Admission Level for a blob container

By default, every blob container is gear up to "No public access".

The post-obit steps illustrate how to specify a public admission level for a blob container.

  1. Open Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the storage account containing the blob container whose access policies you wish to manage.

  3. Aggrandize the storage account's Hulk Containers.

  4. Select the desired hulk container, and - from the context card - select Fix Public Access Level.

    Set public access level context menu

  5. In the Set Container Public Access Level dialog, specify the desired access level.

    Set public access level options

  6. Select Apply.

Managing blobs in a blob container

Once you've created a blob container, you lot can upload a hulk to that blob container, download a hulk to your local figurer, open a blob on your local estimator, and much more.

The post-obit steps illustrate how to manage the blobs (and folders) within a blob container.

  1. Open Storage Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, aggrandize the storage account containing the blob container you wish to manage.

  3. Expand the storage account's Blob Containers.

  4. Double-click the blob container you wish to view.

  5. The main pane will brandish the blob container's contents.

    View blob container

  6. The main pane volition brandish the blob container's contents.

  7. Follow these steps depending on the task you wish to perform:

    • Upload files to a blob container

      1. On the main pane'southward toolbar, select Upload, and so Upload Files from the drop-downwards menu.

        Upload files menu

      2. In the Upload files dialog, select the ellipsis () push on the right side of the Files text box to select the file(southward) you wish to upload.

        Upload files options

      3. Specify the type of Blob type. See Create a container for more than data.

      4. Optionally, specify a target folder into which the selected file(s) volition be uploaded. If the target binder doesn't exist, it volition be created.

      5. Select Upload.

    • Upload a folder to a hulk container

      1. On the main pane's toolbar, select Upload, and then Upload Folder from the drop-down menu.

        Upload folder menu

      2. In the Upload folder dialog, select the ellipsis () push on the right side of the Folder text box to select the folder whose contents you lot wish to upload.

        Upload folder options

      3. Specify the type of Blob type. Run into Create a container for more information.

      4. Optionally, specify a target folder into which the selected binder's contents will be uploaded. If the target folder doesn't exist, it will be created.

      5. Select Upload.

    • Download a blob to your local computer

      1. Select the blob you wish to download.
      2. On the main pane'due south toolbar, select Download.
      3. In the Specify where to save the downloaded blob dialog, specify the location where y'all want the blob downloaded, and the name you wish to give it.
      4. Select Save.
    • Open a blob on your local computer

      1. Select the blob you wish to open.
      2. On the main pane's toolbar, select Open.
      3. The blob will be downloaded and opened using the application associated with the blob'south underlying file type.
    • Copy a blob to the clipboard

      1. Select the hulk you wish to copy.
      2. On the main pane's toolbar, select Copy.
      3. In the left pane, navigate to another hulk container, and double-click it to view it in the principal pane.
      4. On the main pane's toolbar, select Paste to create a copy of the hulk.
    • Delete a blob

      1. Select the blob you lot wish to delete.
      2. On the main pane's toolbar, select Delete.
      3. Select Aye to the confirmation dialog.

Next steps

  • View the latest Storage Explorer release notes and videos.
  • Learn how to create applications using Azure blobs, tables, queues, and files.