How to Connect to SharePoint Online with PowerShell? A Complete Guide

Summary: If ever wish to know the power of PowerShell in SharePoint, then you have reached the right place. Here you will find the step-by-step process on how to connect to SharePoint Online with PowerShell. Also, find ways to automate repetitive tasks.

PowerShell plays a significant role in automating SharePoint tasks. Microsoft admins automate their tasks and cut down their extra efforts to do the repetitive tasks manually.

No doubt, you can also handle SharePoint with its graphical user interface. However, there are some limitations to using the GUI such as being time-consuming, human errors, and so on. Therefore Microsoft offers its needy SharePoint Online Management Shell to administrators to streamline their management efficiently.

In this post, we’ll unlock the full potential of PowerShell and learn how to connect to your SharePoint Online environment from PowerShell.

Why You Should Connect to SharePoint Online Using PowerShell?

Here are some of the benefits of using PowerShell for managing SharePoint Online.

1. By leveraging the PowerShell, you can automate your regular tasks. It will save time and effort. Also, the chances of human errors will be minimized.
2. The integration of SharePoint Online with the other tools will also be simpler.
3. You can export the user’s report from SharePoint Online by using the simple PowerShell commands.
4. Some of the operations of SharePoint Online can only be performed with the help of PowerShell.

How to Connect to SharePoint Online with PowerShell with SharePoint Online Management Shell?

To connect to your SharePoint Online account with the PowerShell using the PowerShell module, you need to execute the below steps.

Step 1. Ensure you have installed the PowerShell and SharePoint Online PowerShell modules.
To download the necessary modules, you can go to Microsoft’s official site. After the SharePoint Online Management Shell is downloaded, then install it. You can also verify the version of your SharePoint Online Management Shell by opening the Control Panel > Add/Remove Program. or by executing the below command.

Get-Module -Name Microsoft.Online.SharePoint.PowerShell -ListAvailable

Step 2. Now, it’s time to use PowerShell and connect with SharePoint Online using Connect-SPOService. But before using that command, make sure you have completed the below prerequisites.

• Credentials of Microsoft 365 account.
• Stable Network connection.
• Permission to access the sites of SharePoint Online.
• Correct SharePoint Online Admin Center URL.

After the completion of the prerequisites. You can launch the SharePoint Online Management Shell from the command prompt. Then execute the below command to connect to the SharePoint Online account.

Connect-SPOService -Url tenantURL `
-credential yourcredentials.onmicrosoft.com

As you hit Enter just after mentioning the command, you will be asked to enter the username and password. Provide the correct details and press OK.

Step 3. After successfully connecting to the SharePoint Online account, you can automate the tasks such as –

To create a new site collection, execute the below command.

New-SPOSite -Url https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com/sites/newsite -Title "New Site" -Template "Team Site"

How to Connect to SharePoint Online with PowerShell by Avoiding Credentials Prompt?

If you do not want to get the username or password prompt, then you can provide these details in the script.

$AdminCenterofSharePointURL = "enter here"

$UserNameofAdmin = "enter username"
$PasswordofAdmin = "enter password"

$SecuringPassword = ConvertTo-SecureString $AdminPassword -AsPlainText -Force
$Credential = new-object -typename System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -argumentlist $UserNameofAdmin, $SecuringPassword

Connect-SPOService -url $AdminCenterofSharePointURL -Credential $Credential

Get-SPOSite

How to Connect to SharePoint Online with MFA-Enabled Accounts from PowerShell?

If you have enabled the multi-factor authentication for the SharePoint Online account, then you need to remove the -Credentials parameter from the “Connect-SPOService” cmdlet.

Connect-SPOService -Url https://YourTenant-admin.sharepoint.com

Hit Enter after providing the above command, then a prompt will appear on the screen. Provide the details and the verification code to connect to SharePoint Online PowerShell with MFA.

10 Most Common PowerShell Cmdlets Used to Manage SharePoint Online

Cmdlet	Description
Connect-SPOService	Connects to a SharePoint Online tenant.
Get-SPOSite	Gets a list of site collections within a tenant.
New-SPOSite	Creates a new site collection.
Remove-SPOSite	Deletes a site collection.
Get-SPOLibrary	Gets a list of libraries within a site collection.
New-SPOLibrary	Creates a new library.
Get-SPOListitem	Gets list items from a list.
Add-SPOListitem	Adds a new list item.
Set-SPOListitem	Updates an existing list item.
Remove-SPOListitem	Deletes a list item.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

While using the PowerShell cmdlets to connect to your SharePoint Online account, you might face several issues. So kindly go through the below troubleshooting steps for an error-free connection to the SharePoint Online account.

• Incorrect Credentials – Cross-check the credentials that you are entering while logging in to the SharePoint Online account.
• Firewall Restriction – Make sure the firewall allows you to set up connections using PowerShell.
• Syntax Errors – Check the syntax of the commands before going to execute them.
• Permissions – Ensure that the PowerShell cmdlet has the essential permissions to perform the specific action.
• MFA – Remove the -Credential parameter from the script in case of MFA and validate it through the verification code.

Is SharePoint Online Management Shell Able to Perform Migration?

Although you can use the PowerShell script to perform migration as well, writing the long scripts is lengthy and error-prone too. So, to avoid this inefficient method. You can go with the Most Efficient SharePoint Migration Tool to perform error-free and simple migration.

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This tool is the best alternative to PowerShell cmdlets while performing SharePoint tenant to tenant migration.

Below are some quick steps of the tool.

• Step 1. Download, Setup, and Run the tool.
• Step 2. Select O365 as the Source & Destination platforms.
• Step 3. Choose Sites from the tool’s workload section.
• Step 4. Add users to the tool and Click on Start Migration.

Concluding Words

By mastering the PowerShell scripts, you can enhance your SharePoint Online management experience. Here we have explained the different methods to resolve your query on how to connect to SharePoint Online with PowerShell. Now you can leverage the power of PowerShell for managing the SharePoint tasks. Also, use the above-explained troubleshooting steps in case of any error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How can I download and Install the SharePoint Online Management Shell?
A – You can download the SharePoint Online Management Shell from the Microsoft Download Center. After the successful download, just run the install and follow the given instructions.

Q2. What are the PowerShell commands used to manage site collections?
A – Mostly used PowerShell commands for managing the site collections are:- New-SPOSite, Remove-SPOSite, Set-SPOSiteUser, and Get-SPOSite.

Q3. How can I handle runtime errors in my PowerShell scripts?
A – You can use the try-catch blocks to handle the runtime errors in your PowerShell scripts.

Q4. How do I troubleshoot the issues using PowerShell to connect with SharePoint Online?
A – If you encounter issues while connecting to SharePoint Online using PowerShell, you can check your Internet connection, server settings, and syntax errors.