diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/analyze.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/analyze.yml
index 4991b09704..21e73db5fe 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/analyze.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/analyze.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ jobs:
 
   - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/eng-common-workflow-enforcer.yml
 
+  - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/create-authenticated-npmrc.yml
+
   - task: UseNode@1
     displayName: 'Install Node.js 24'
     inputs:
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/live-test.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/live-test.yml
index dff4fc7eee..82aa08c3d9 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/live-test.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/live-test.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ jobs:
     inputs:
       version: '24.x'
 
+  - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/create-authenticated-npmrc.yml
+
   - pwsh: |
       $serverName = $env:SERVERNAME
 
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/verify-packages.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/verify-packages.yml
index fa8074bddd..f3b2d6df12 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/verify-packages.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/verify-packages.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ jobs:
     inputs:
       version: '24.x'
 
+  - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/create-authenticated-npmrc.yml
+
   - task: Powershell@2
     displayName: "Verify packages/images and run smoke tests"
     inputs:
@@ -51,4 +53,4 @@ jobs:
         -ArtifactsDirectory $(Pipeline.Workspace)
         -TargetOs ${{ parameters.OSName }}
         -TargetArch $(Architecture)
-        -TestDocker:$${{ parameters.PackageDocker }}
+        -TestDocker:$${{ parameters.PackageDocker }} 
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vscode-integration.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vscode-integration.yml
index c10651f9c9..3a88ae9152 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vscode-integration.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vscode-integration.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ jobs:
     displayName: 'Install Node.js 24'
     inputs:
       version: '24.x'
+  
+  - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/create-authenticated-npmrc.yml
 
   - task: PowerShell@2
     displayName: "Run VS Code elicitation outerloop test"
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/pack-and-sign-vsix.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/pack-and-sign-vsix.yml
index 08f9079241..10279adc92 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/pack-and-sign-vsix.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/pack-and-sign-vsix.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ jobs:
     inputs:
       version: '24.x'
 
+  - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/create-authenticated-npmrc.yml
+
   # --- VS Code Extension Packaging Steps ---
   - task: Powershell@2
     displayName: "Pack binaries for VSIX"
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/release-vsix.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/release-vsix.yml
index b4490757a7..d7bbe3d06d 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/release-vsix.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vsix/release-vsix.yml
@@ -13,13 +13,38 @@ parameters:
     - windows-x64
     - windows-arm64
 
-
 jobs:
+# Regular job: Create an authenticated .npmrc once and publish it so each
+# deployment job can install @vscode/vsce from the internal feed without
+# needing service-connection access from inside the production release job.
+- job: AuthenticateNpmrc
+  displayName: "Create authenticated .npmrc for vsce install"
+  dependsOn: ${{ parameters.DependsOn }}
+  condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables['Skip.PublishPackage'], 'true'))
+  pool:
+    name: $(LINUXPOOL)
+    image: $(LINUXVMIMAGE)
+    os: linux
+  steps:
+  - checkout: self
+
+  - template: /eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/create-authenticated-npmrc.yml
+    parameters:
+      npmrcPath: $(Agent.TempDirectory)/vsix_npmrc/.npmrc
+
+  - task: 1ES.PublishPipelineArtifact@1
+    displayName: Publish authenticated .npmrc
+    inputs:
+      path: $(Agent.TempDirectory)
+      artifact: vsix_npmrc
+
 # Deployment Jobs: Publish VSIX artifacts to Marketplace for each vsix target
 - ${{ each VsixTarget in parameters.VsixTargets }}:
   - deployment: PublishVSIX_${{ replace(VsixTarget, '-', '_') }}
     displayName: "Publish VSIX Artifact to Marketplace - ${{ VsixTarget }}"
-    dependsOn: ${{ parameters.DependsOn }}
+    dependsOn:
+    - ${{ parameters.DependsOn }}
+    - AuthenticateNpmrc
     condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables['Skip.PublishPackage'], 'true'))
     templateContext:
       type: releaseJob
@@ -31,6 +56,9 @@ jobs:
       - input: pipelineArtifact
         artifactName: build_info
         targetPath: $(Pipeline.Workspace)/build_info
+      - input: pipelineArtifact
+        artifactName: vsix_npmrc
+        targetPath: $(Agent.TempDirectory)/vsix_npmrc
     environment: package-publish
     pool:
       name: azsdk-pool
@@ -70,8 +98,8 @@ jobs:
                 Is Prerelease: $($server.vsixIsPrerelease)
                 "@
 
-                Write-Host "`nInstalling vsce..."
-                npm install -g @vscode/vsce
+                Write-Host "`nInstalling vsce from authenticated feed..."
+                npm install -g @vscode/vsce --userconfig "$(Agent.TempDirectory)/vsix_npmrc/.npmrc"
 
                 Write-Host "Executing: vsce publish $($publishArgs -join ' ')"
                 vsce publish @publishArgs