.NET: User Secrets

To switch from storing sensitive configuration data in appsettings.json to User Secrets while still using Visual Studio to publish to Azure, follow these step-by-step instructions:

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✅ 1. Enable User Secrets in Your Project

In your .csproj file, ensure this line is included inside a <PropertyGroup>:

<UserSecretsId>your-project-guid-or-name</UserSecretsId>

If it’s not there, add it manually or via Visual Studio:

• Right-click the project in Solution Explorer → Manage User Secrets

This will automatically create a secrets.json file at:

%APPDATA%\Microsoft\UserSecrets\<UserSecretsId>\secrets.json

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✅ 2. Add Your Secrets

Add your secrets in the same structure as appsettings.json, for example:

{
  "ConnectionStrings": {
    "DefaultConnection": "supersecret-connection-string"
  },
  "Authentication": {
    "Google": {
      "ClientId": "1234",
      "ClientSecret": "xyz"
    }
  }
}

You can also edit it via Visual Studio: after opening “Manage User Secrets,” paste the above into the file.

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✅ 3. Update appsettings.json (Optional)

Remove the secrets from appsettings.json to ensure they are not checked into Git:

{
  "ConnectionStrings": {
    "DefaultConnection": ""
  },
  "Authentication": {
    "Google": {
      "ClientId": "",
      "ClientSecret": ""
    }
  }
}

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✅ 4. Ensure Configuration Is Loaded Properly

In Program.cs or Startup.cs, ensure this is present (should be by default):

builder.Configuration
    .SetBasePath(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory())
    .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: false)
    .AddUserSecrets<Program>()
    .AddEnvironmentVariables();

If you’re using CreateHostBuilder pattern:

.ConfigureAppConfiguration((context, config) =>
{
    var env = context.HostingEnvironment;
    config.AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: false)
          .AddUserSecrets<Program>()
          .AddEnvironmentVariables();
})

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✅ 5. Configure Azure App Service (Production Settings)

User Secrets are only available in development. To run in Azure, use App Service Configuration Settings:

1. In Azure Portal:

   • Go to your App Service → Configuration (under Settings)

   • Add the following under Application settings:

     • ConnectionStrings__DefaultConnection = supersecret-connection-string
     • Authentication__Google__ClientId = 1234
     • Authentication__Google__ClientSecret = xyz

Note: use double underscores __ to represent nested keys.

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✅ 6. Publish From Visual Studio

Continue publishing as you do:

• Right-click project → Publish
• Pick Azure App Service
• Publish as usual

Secrets from User Secrets will be used during local development, and Azure App Settings will take over in production.

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✅ 7. Verify No Secrets in Git

Make sure appsettings.json no longer contains real secrets, and secrets.json is never included in Git.

✅ Done. You’re now using User Secrets for local development and Azure App Settings for production—all compatible with Visual Studio publishing.