Connecting to Exchange Online PowerShell is a crucial task for any IT professional working with Microsoft 365. In this article, I’ll provide a detailed guide on how to establish this connection and share some personal insights along the way.
Prerequisites
Before diving into the actual connection process, it’s essential to ensure that you have the required permissions to connect to Exchange Online PowerShell. You need to be a member of the Global Administrators or Exchange Administrators role groups in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Connecting to Exchange Online PowerShell
To connect to Exchange Online PowerShell, I prefer using the Exchange Online PowerShell V2 module as it provides a more reliable and secure connection compared to the earlier methods.
First, open Windows PowerShell or PowerShell ISE with administrative privileges. Then, execute the following command to install the Exchange Online PowerShell V2 module:
Install-Module -Name ExchangeOnlineManagement
Once the module is installed, import it into the current PowerShell session using the following command:
Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement
Next, initiate the connection to Exchange Online by running the command:
Connect-ExchangeOnline
Upon running this command, you will be prompted to sign in using your Microsoft 365 admin credentials. After entering the required credentials, you should be successfully connected to Exchange Online PowerShell.
Verifying the Connection
To verify that the connection to Exchange Online PowerShell has been established, you can run a simple cmdlet such as Get-Mailbox to retrieve a list of mailboxes in your Exchange Online organization. If the cmdlet returns the expected output without any errors, it confirms that the connection is functional.
Conclusion
Connecting to Exchange Online PowerShell is a fundamental skill for managing and maintaining a Microsoft 365 environment. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure a seamless connection and gain access to the powerful capabilities of Exchange Online PowerShell.