Azure DevOps Pipeline Creation Stuck After Authentication

Hi @Chirag S H

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

This issue occurs due to a limitation in the Azure DevOps pipeline creation UI when using built-in deployment templates such as “Node.js Express Web App to Linux on Azure.” Although the interactive Azure sign-in completes successfully, Azure DevOps internally relies on an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) service connection to fetch and list Azure Web Apps. If this service connection is not already created, properly authorized, or permitted for pipeline use, the pipeline wizard fails to move forward. Instead of showing an error, the UI silently refreshes or loops back to the same page, resulting in a “stuck” behavior where no Web App list is displayed and pipeline configuration cannot continue.

Refer below points to resolve this issue or this is the workaround

1. Manually create an Azure Resource Manager service connection The pipeline template expects a pre-authorized service connection to access Azure resources. Create it manually before creating the pipeline.

• Go to Azure DevOps Project → Project settings → Pipelines → Service connections
• Click New service connection
• Select Azure Resource Manager
• Choose Service principal (automatic)
• Select the required Azure subscription
• Provide a service connection name (for example, Azure-AppService-Connection)
• Enable Grant access permission to all pipelines
• Save the service connection

2. Verify required permissions Ensure you have the necessary permissions to create and use service connections.

• You should be Owner or Contributor on the Azure subscription
• You should have Endpoint Creator / Service Connection Administrator permissions in Azure DevOps
• If permissions are missing, the wizard can authenticate but cannot list Web Apps

3. Recreate the pipeline using the pre-created service connection After the service connection is created and authorized:

• Go to Pipelines → New pipeline
• Select your repository
• Choose Node.js Express Web App to Linux on Azure template
• When prompted, select the existing Azure service connection
• Azure DevOps should now successfully load available Web Apps or allow creation of a new one

4. (Workaround) Bypass the UI and use YAML manually If the UI continues to fail, you can directly author the pipeline using YAML and reference the service connection:Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

This issue occurs due to a limitation in the Azure DevOps pipeline creation UI when using built-in deployment templates such as “Node.js Express Web App to Linux on Azure.” Although the interactive Azure sign-in completes successfully, Azure DevOps internally relies on an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) service connection to fetch and list Azure Web Apps. If this service connection is not already created, properly authorized, or permitted for pipeline use, the pipeline wizard fails to move forward. Instead of showing an error, the UI silently refreshes or loops back to the same page, resulting in a “stuck” behavior where no Web App list is displayed and pipeline configuration cannot continue.

Refer below points to resolve this issue or this is the workaround

1. Manually create an Azure Resource Manager service connection
The pipeline template expects a pre-authorized service connection to access Azure resources. Create it manually before creating the pipeline.

• Go to Azure DevOps Project → Project settings → Pipelines → Service connections
• Click New service connection
• Select Azure Resource Manager
• Choose Service principal (automatic)
• Select the required Azure subscription
• Provide a service connection name (for example, Azure-AppService-Connection)
• Enable Grant access permission to all pipelines
• Save the service connection

2. Verify required permissions
Ensure you have the necessary permissions to create and use service connections.

• You should be Owner or Contributor on the Azure subscription
• You should have Endpoint Creator / Service Connection Administrator permissions in Azure DevOps
• If permissions are missing, the wizard can authenticate but cannot list Web Apps

3. Recreate the pipeline using the pre-created service connection
After the service connection is created and authorized:

• Go to Pipelines → New pipeline
• Select your repository
• Choose Node.js Express Web App to Linux on Azure template
• When prompted, select the existing Azure service connection
• Azure DevOps should now successfully load available Web Apps or allow creation of a new one

4. (Workaround) Bypass the UI and use YAML manually
If the UI continues to fail, you can directly author the pipeline using YAML and reference the service connection:

- task: AzureWebApp@1
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: 'Azure-AppService-Connection'
    appName: '<your-web-app-name>'