Guide: How to Connect to Exchange Online with PowerShell

PowerShell provides a powerful way to manage Microsoft 365 Exchange Online. Follow this step-by-step guide to connect to Exchange Online and start administering your organization’s mailboxes and settings.

1. Prerequisites

   Before you begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

   • A computer running Windows with PowerShell installed.
   • Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant installed on your computer.
   • Exchange Online Remote PowerShell Module installed. You can install it by running the following command in PowerShell with administrative privileges:

   Install-Module -Name ExchangeOnlineManagement

2. Open PowerShell

   Click on the Start menu and search for “PowerShell.” Right-click on “Windows PowerShell” and select “Run as administrator.” This ensures you have the necessary permissions to connect to Exchange Online.

3. Connect to Exchange Online

   Enter the following command to connect to Exchange Online using the Exchange Online PowerShell module:

   Connect-ExchangeOnline

   You will be prompted to sign in with your Microsoft 365 administrator account. Enter the username and password when prompted. If your organization has Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enabled, you’ll need to complete the additional MFA steps.

4. Verify the Connection

   Once connected, you should see a success message indicating that the connection to Exchange Online has been established. You are now ready to run PowerShell cmdlets to manage Exchange Online resources.

   RunspaceId    : 12345678-1234-1234-1234-1234567890ab
   Name          : Exchange Online
   ConnectionUri : https://outlook.office365.com/powershell-liveid/
   

5. Disconnect from Exchange Online

   When you have finished your Exchange Online tasks, you can disconnect from the session using the following command:

   Disconnect-ExchangeOnline

   Remember to disconnect when you’re done to ensure the security of your PowerShell session.

Congratulations! You have successfully connected to Exchange Online with PowerShell. You can now utilize the full capabilities of PowerShell to manage mailboxes, distribution groups, and other Exchange Online settings efficiently.

Stay informed about the latest Exchange Online PowerShell cmdlets and best practices to optimize your Exchange Online administration.

Top 10 Microsoft 365 Exchange Admin PowerShell Scripts!