diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8363e9b8..c282d5af 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -116,3 +116,8 @@ ENV/
 
 # IDE settings
 .vscode/
+# pixi environments
+.pixi/*
+!.pixi/config.toml
+pixi.toml
+pixi.lock
diff --git a/cloudpathlib/azure/azblobclient.py b/cloudpathlib/azure/azblobclient.py
index 60bd01d3..ab61fe75 100644
--- a/cloudpathlib/azure/azblobclient.py
+++ b/cloudpathlib/azure/azblobclient.py
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
         SharedKeyCredentialPolicy as DataLakeSharedKeyCredentialPolicy,
     )
 
+    from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
+
 except ModuleNotFoundError:
     implementation_registry["azure"].dependencies_loaded = False
 
@@ -66,20 +68,23 @@ def __init__(
         https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/python/api/azure-storage-blob/azure.storage.blob.blobserviceclient?view=azure-python).
         Supports the following authentication methods of `BlobServiceClient`.
 
-        - Environment variable `""AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING"` containing connecting string
+        - Environment variable `AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING` containing connecting string
         with account credentials. See [Azure Storage SDK documentation](
         https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-quickstart-blobs-python#copy-your-credentials-from-the-azure-portal).
+        - Environment variable `AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL` containing the account URL.
+        `DefaultAzureCredential` will be used automatically.
         - Connection string via `connection_string`, authenticated either with an embedded SAS
         token or with credentials passed to `credentials`.
         - Account URL via `account_url`, authenticated either with an embedded SAS token, or with
-        credentials passed to `credentials`.
+        credentials passed to `credentials`. If `credential` is not provided,
+        `DefaultAzureCredential` will be used automatically.
         - Instantiated and already authenticated [`BlobServiceClient`](
         https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/python/api/azure-storage-blob/azure.storage.blob.blobserviceclient?view=azure-python) or
         [`DataLakeServiceClient`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/python/api/azure-storage-file-datalake/azure.storage.filedatalake.datalakeserviceclient).
 
         If multiple methods are used, priority order is reverse of list above (later in list takes
         priority). If no methods are used, a [`MissingCredentialsError`][cloudpathlib.exceptions.MissingCredentialsError]
-        exception will be raised raised.
+        exception will be raised.
 
         Args:
             account_url (Optional[str]): The URL to the blob storage account, optionally
@@ -117,6 +122,8 @@ def __init__(
 
         if connection_string is None:
             connection_string = os.getenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", None)
+        if account_url is None:
+            account_url = os.getenv("AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", None)
 
         self.data_lake_client: Optional[DataLakeServiceClient] = (
             None  # only needs to end up being set if HNS is enabled
@@ -174,6 +181,8 @@ def __init__(
                 conn_str=connection_string, credential=credential
             )
         elif account_url is not None:
+            if credential is None:
+                credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
             if ".dfs." in account_url:
                 self.service_client = BlobServiceClient(
                     account_url=account_url.replace(".dfs.", ".blob."), credential=credential
diff --git a/cloudpathlib/local/implementations/azure.py b/cloudpathlib/local/implementations/azure.py
index 2b44814f..f7940153 100644
--- a/cloudpathlib/local/implementations/azure.py
+++ b/cloudpathlib/local/implementations/azure.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
             kwargs.get("connection_string", None),
             kwargs.get("account_url", None),
             os.getenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", None),
+            os.getenv("AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", None),
         ]
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 81f3d433..aa7248b7 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-azure = ["azure-storage-blob>=12", "azure-storage-file-datalake>=12"]
+azure = ["azure-storage-blob>=12", "azure-storage-file-datalake>=12", "azure-identity>=1"]
 gs = ["google-cloud-storage"]
 s3 = ["boto3>=1.34.0"]
 all = ["cloudpathlib[azure]", "cloudpathlib[gs]", "cloudpathlib[s3]"]
diff --git a/tests/mock_clients/mock_adls_gen2.py b/tests/mock_clients/mock_adls_gen2.py
index aaee7cd1..349c3ad0 100644
--- a/tests/mock_clients/mock_adls_gen2.py
+++ b/tests/mock_clients/mock_adls_gen2.py
@@ -8,7 +8,13 @@
 
 
 class MockedDataLakeServiceClient:
-    def __init__(self, test_dir, adls):
+    def __init__(self, test_dir=None, adls=None, account_url=None, credential=None):
+        if account_url is not None:
+            # account_url-based construction: store url and credential for verification
+            self._account_url = account_url
+            self._credential = credential
+            return
+
         # root is parent of the test specific directory
         self.root = test_dir.parent
         self.test_dir = test_dir
diff --git a/tests/mock_clients/mock_azureblob.py b/tests/mock_clients/mock_azureblob.py
index f99e0d4a..f0c56687 100644
--- a/tests/mock_clients/mock_azureblob.py
+++ b/tests/mock_clients/mock_azureblob.py
@@ -49,7 +49,13 @@ def get(self, key, default=None):
 
 
 class MockBlobServiceClient:
-    def __init__(self, test_dir, adls):
+    def __init__(self, test_dir=None, adls=None, account_url=None, credential=None):
+        if account_url is not None:
+            # account_url-based construction: store url and credential for verification
+            self._account_url = account_url
+            self._credential = credential
+            return
+
         # copy test assets for reference in tests without affecting assets
         shutil.copytree(TEST_ASSETS, test_dir, dirs_exist_ok=True)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_azure_specific.py b/tests/test_azure_specific.py
index 142730b4..c635e563 100644
--- a/tests/test_azure_specific.py
+++ b/tests/test_azure_specific.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 from azure.storage.filedatalake import DataLakeServiceClient
 import pytest
 
+import cloudpathlib.azure.azblobclient
 from urllib.parse import urlparse, parse_qs
 from cloudpathlib import AzureBlobClient, AzureBlobPath
 from cloudpathlib.exceptions import (
@@ -19,7 +20,8 @@
 )
 from cloudpathlib.local import LocalAzureBlobClient, LocalAzureBlobPath
 
-from .mock_clients.mock_azureblob import MockStorageStreamDownloader
+from .mock_clients.mock_azureblob import MockBlobServiceClient, MockStorageStreamDownloader
+from .mock_clients.mock_adls_gen2 import MockedDataLakeServiceClient
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("path_class", [AzureBlobPath, LocalAzureBlobPath])
@@ -39,10 +41,95 @@ def test_azureblobpath_properties(path_class, monkeypatch):
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("client_class", [AzureBlobClient, LocalAzureBlobClient])
 def test_azureblobpath_nocreds(client_class, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", raising=False)
     with pytest.raises(MissingCredentialsError):
         client_class()
 
 
+def _mock_azure_clients(monkeypatch):
+    """Monkeypatch BlobServiceClient and DataLakeServiceClient with mocks."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        cloudpathlib.azure.azblobclient, "BlobServiceClient", MockBlobServiceClient
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        cloudpathlib.azure.azblobclient, "DataLakeServiceClient", MockedDataLakeServiceClient
+    )
+
+
+def test_default_credential_used_with_account_url(monkeypatch):
+    """DefaultAzureCredential is used when account_url is provided without credential."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", raising=False)
+    _mock_azure_clients(monkeypatch)
+
+    client = AzureBlobClient(account_url="https://myaccount.blob.core.windows.net")
+
+    assert isinstance(client.service_client, MockBlobServiceClient)
+    assert client.service_client._account_url == "https://myaccount.blob.core.windows.net"
+    assert isinstance(client.service_client._credential, DefaultAzureCredential)
+
+    assert isinstance(client.data_lake_client, MockedDataLakeServiceClient)
+    assert client.data_lake_client._account_url == "https://myaccount.dfs.core.windows.net"
+    assert isinstance(client.data_lake_client._credential, DefaultAzureCredential)
+
+
+def test_no_default_credential_when_explicit_credential(monkeypatch):
+    """DefaultAzureCredential is NOT used when an explicit credential is provided."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", raising=False)
+    _mock_azure_clients(monkeypatch)
+
+    explicit_cred = "my-explicit-credential"
+    client = AzureBlobClient(
+        account_url="https://myaccount.blob.core.windows.net",
+        credential=explicit_cred,
+    )
+
+    assert client.service_client._credential == explicit_cred
+    assert not isinstance(client.service_client._credential, DefaultAzureCredential)
+
+
+def test_account_url_env_var_blob(monkeypatch):
+    """AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL env var with .blob. URL creates both clients."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setenv(
+        "AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", "https://myaccount.blob.core.windows.net"
+    )
+    _mock_azure_clients(monkeypatch)
+
+    client = AzureBlobClient()
+
+    assert isinstance(client.service_client, MockBlobServiceClient)
+    assert client.service_client._account_url == "https://myaccount.blob.core.windows.net"
+    assert isinstance(client.service_client._credential, DefaultAzureCredential)
+
+    assert isinstance(client.data_lake_client, MockedDataLakeServiceClient)
+    assert client.data_lake_client._account_url == "https://myaccount.dfs.core.windows.net"
+    assert isinstance(client.data_lake_client._credential, DefaultAzureCredential)
+
+
+def test_account_url_env_var_dfs(monkeypatch):
+    """AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL env var with .dfs. URL creates both clients."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setenv(
+        "AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", "https://myaccount.dfs.core.windows.net"
+    )
+    _mock_azure_clients(monkeypatch)
+
+    client = AzureBlobClient()
+
+    assert client.service_client._account_url == "https://myaccount.blob.core.windows.net"
+    assert client.data_lake_client._account_url == "https://myaccount.dfs.core.windows.net"
+
+
+def test_missing_creds_error_no_env_vars(monkeypatch):
+    """MissingCredentialsError is still raised when nothing is configured."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL", raising=False)
+    with pytest.raises(MissingCredentialsError):
+        AzureBlobClient()
+
+
 def test_as_url(azure_rigs):
     p: AzureBlobPath = azure_rigs.create_cloud_path("dir_0/file0_0.txt")
 
@@ -141,6 +228,10 @@ def _check_access(az_client, gen2=False):
     cl: AzureBlobClient = azure_rigs.client_class(credential=credential, account_url=bsc.url)
     _check_access(cl, gen2=azure_rigs.is_adls_gen2)
 
+    # test DefaultAzureCredential used automatically with only account_url
+    cl = azure_rigs.client_class(account_url=bsc.url)
+    _check_access(cl, gen2=azure_rigs.is_adls_gen2)
+
     # add basic checks for gen2 to exercise limited-privilege access scenarios
     p = azure_rigs.create_cloud_path("new_dir/new_file.txt", client=cl)
     assert cl._check_hns(p) == azure_rigs.is_adls_gen2