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Can you give me the exact Azure Portal steps to link RTUO-App to rtuo-backend-linux, and what should I do if the portal only shows a managed backend

Robert VAN DYKE 0 Reputation points
2026-04-29T17:31:36.5266667+00:00

Good afternoon

I am attempting to link my RTUO-app to the rXXX-backXXX-liXXX. I have the perceived AI steps to complete this but I want verification... it appears the backend is in managed backend mode... as I am not able to select the " Linux Web App" rtuo-backend-linux

the Exact clicks to try in Azure Portal (From Cursor)

  1. Open Azure Portal.
  2. Open the RTUO-XXX Static Web App.
  3. In the left menu, click APIs.
  4. In the Production row, click Configure linked backend.
  5. In the linking screen, choose the existing backend resource:
  • Subscription: your RTXX XXX subscription
  • Resource group: RTUOXXX
  • Backend resource name: rtXX-backXXX-liXXX
  • Backend type: usually Web XXX
  1. Click Link or Save.
  2. Return to APIs and confirm the backend now shows as linked.
  3. Then go to Configuration on RXXX-XXX and verify NEXT_PUBLIC_API_BASE_URL points to https://rtuo-backend-linux.azurewebsites.net if your frontend reads that setting.
  4. On rXXX-backXXX-liXXX, verify CORS / allowed origins include:

If Azure Portal does not let you pick rXXX-backXXX-liXXX

That likely means the current SWA setup is using a managed backend mode, and Azure support will need to confirm whether your SWA can attach an existing App Service backend in that blade.

Azure Static Web Apps
Azure Static Web Apps

An Azure service that provides streamlined full-stack web app development.

3 answers

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  1. Golla Venkata Pavani 5,745 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-29T18:46:35.17+00:00

    Hi @Robert VAN DYKE ,

    Thanks for the detailed question and for sharing the steps you tried.

    You're running into a very common situation with Azure Static Web Apps. When a SWA is created with a managed Functions backend (the default experience), the portal disables the option to link an external backend like your rtuo-backend-linux App Service. That's why you can't select the Linux Web App in the linking blade.

    Recommended Solution:

    To switch from the managed backend to your existing App Service backend, follow these steps:

    1. In your GitHub Actions workflow file (usually .github/workflows/azure-static-web-apps-....yml), set the api_location value to an empty string: 
         api_location: ""
    2. Remove (or temporarily move) the api/ folder from your repository if it still exists.
    3. Commit and push the change so the Static Web App redeploys without managed Functions.
    4. Once the redeployment completes, go back to your RTUO-App in the Azure Portal:
      • Navigate to APIs in the left menu.
      • In the Production environment, click Link.
      • Set Backend resource type to Web App.
      • Select your subscription, resource group (RTUOLLC), and Resource name: rtuo-backend-linux.
      • Click Link.

    After linking, all requests to /api/* on your Static Web App will be automatically proxied to rtuo-backend-linux.azurewebsites.net.
    Reference:
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/static-web-apps/apis-app-service
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/static-web-apps/apis-overview
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/static-web-apps/functions-bring-your-own
    This approach works on the Standard plan (bring-your-own backends are not supported on Free).

    Kindly let us know if the above helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

    Please "accept" if the information helped you. This will help us and others in the community as well.

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  2. TP 156.8K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-04-29T18:34:49.46+00:00

    Hi Robert,

    Is it not showing your rtuo-linux-backend in the resource name dropdown after you select Web App and your subscription, or is something else happening? Below are basic steps:

    Navigate to your static web app in portal, on left, click on Settings -- Hosting Plan. Select Standard and click Save.

    User's image

    Click on Settings -- APIs. Click on Link next to Production.

    User's image

    Select Web App, select your Subscription, select rtuo-backend-linux, select slot, click Link, similar to below screenshot:

    User's image

    Please click Accept Answer if the above was useful.

    Thanks.

    -TP

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  3. AI answer

    2026-04-29T17:31:56.02+00:00

    To link RTUO-App (a Static Web App) to rtuo-backend-linux (an App Service Web App) and handle the managed backend situation, follow these supported behaviors.

    1. In Azure Portal, open the RTUO-App Static Web App.
    2. In the left menu, select APIs.
    3. In the Production environment row, select Link (or Configure linked backend if available).
    4. In Backend resource type, select Web App.
    5. In Subscription, choose the subscription that contains rtuo-backend-linux.
    6. In Resource name, select the rtuo-backend-linux App Service.
    7. Select Link.

    After linking, any request from RTUO-App to paths beginning with /api is proxied to rtuo-backend-linux. The backend App Service must expose its API under the /api path (for example, https://rtuo-backend-linux.azurewebsites.net/api/...).

    When the link is created, Azure configures an identity provider named Azure Static Web Apps (Linked) on rtuo-backend-linux so that only traffic proxied through RTUO-App is allowed, unless the authentication configuration is changed.

    If the portal only shows a managed backend and does not offer the option to select a Web App:

    • Linked backends are only available for Static Web Apps on the Standard plan or above. If RTUO-App is on a lower plan, the UI will not allow selecting an external Web App backend.
    • To use rtuo-backend-linux as a custom backend, RTUO-App must be on a supported plan where Configure linked backend is available and allows choosing an App Service Plan–based Web App.
    • If RTUO-App is already on a Standard (or higher) plan and the Backend resource type picker still does not show Web App, this indicates a portal/feature limitation for that resource and requires Azure support to adjust or confirm the backend configuration.

    Once a linked backend is configured and working, RTUO-App can call rtuo-backend-linux via /api/... paths on the Static Web App domain, and the platform handles the proxying and authentication between the two resources.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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