Frequently asked questions – Platform logs exported through diagnostic settings

Q : What is changing with platform logs exported through diagnostic settings?

Billing applies to certain platform logs exported through Azure Diagnostic Settings when you stream them to destinations such as:

• Azure Storage
• Azure Event Hubs
• Partner solutions

This billing change applies only to platform log categories that are not eligible for free export.

Q : Are all platform logs billable?

No.

Some platform log categories remain eligible for free export. Billing for certain platform logs depends on both the selected log category and the destination to which you export logs by using diagnostic settings.

Only platform logs that are:

• Not eligible for free export
• Exported to Azure Storage, Event Hubs, or partner solutions

incur export charges.

Q : When does this change take effect?

Billing for streaming platform logs started on February 1, 2022 for select resource types. Starting in May 2026, billing is enabled for all remaining Azure resource types (excluding logs eligible for free export).

Q : How can I determine if a platform log category is billable?

Review the "Costs to export" column in the Azure Monitor resource logs documentation under:

Logs categories by resource type

• Yes → Billable log category
• No / Blank → Free log category

Q : What determines whether export charges apply? Will this change introduce new charges for logs I am already exporting today?

Starting in May 2026, export charges might apply to platform log categories that were previously exported at no charge for certain Azure resource types. Export charges depend on:

• The platform log category you select for the resource type
• The destination to which you export the logs

Q : Does this change affect platform logs sent to Log Analytics workspaces?

No.

Exporting platform logs to a Log Analytics workspace doesn't incur any separate export charge.
You continue to pay for platform logs sent to Log Analytics under existing Log Analytics ingestion pricing.

This update only affects exports sent to:

• Azure Storage
• Azure Event Hubs
• Partner solutions

Q : Are metrics affected by this change?

No.

This announcement applies only to platform logs exported through Diagnostic Settings.
Metrics aren't affected.

Q : Can I control which platform logs are exported?

Yes.

Diagnostic Settings enables you to selectively turn on or off individual platform log categories to help manage cost and data volume.

Q : How are export charges measured?

Charges are based on the size of exported platform logs, calculated as:

• The number of bytes in exported JSON-formatted log data
• 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes

Q : What actions should I take to manage potential costs?

Follow these recommendations:

• Review existing Diagnostic Settings configurations
• Identify which platform logs are currently exported
• Check whether those logs are eligible for free export
• Adjust log categories or export destinations as needed