#How to Create a Custom Virtual Machine
A custom virtual machine refers to a virtual machine you create using the From Gallery option because it gives you more configuration choices than the Quick Create option. These include:
- More choices for the image to use to create the virtual machine (VM)
- Connecting the VM to a virtual network
- Installing the VM Agent and extensions, such as for antimalware
- Adding the VM to an existing cloud service
- Adding the VM to an availability set
Important: If you want your virtual machine to use a virtual network so you can connect to it directly by hostname or set up cross-premises connections, make sure you specify the virtual network when you create the virtual machine. A virtual machine can be configured to join a virtual network only when you create the virtual machine. For details on virtual networks, see Azure Virtual Network Overview.
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