MicrosoftMicrosoft Office 365Powershell

How to Perform a Bulk User Password Reset in Office 365 with PowerShell

Introduction

If you’re an IT admin, resetting passwords for a large number of users in Office 365 can be a daunting task. Doing it manually through the admin center is time-consuming and prone to errors. That’s where PowerShell comes to the rescue! With a few PowerShell commands, you can streamline the password reset process, saving you time and ensuring accuracy.

Prerequisites

  • Basic understanding of PowerShell.
  • Administrative access to your Office 365 tenant.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Establish a PowerShell Connection

Install-Module -Name ExchangeOnlineManagement

Import the module:

Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

Connect to Exchange Online:

Connect-ExchangeOnline

Enter your Office 365 admin credentials when prompted.

Example:

UserPrincipalName,NewPassword
[email protected],SuperS3cretP@ss1
[email protected],C0mpl3xP@ssw0rd

3. Execute the Password Reset Script

  • Adapt the following script, replacing the CSV path:
$UserList = Import-Csv -Path "C:\Path\to\CSV\File.csv"
foreach ($User in $UserList) {
    Set-MsolUserPassword -UserPrincipalName $User.UserPrincipalName -NewPassword $User.NewPassword -ForceChangePassword $false
}
  • Don’t forget to switch out “C:\Path\to\CSV\File.csv” with the actual location of your file.

Important Considerations

  • Password Strength: Encourage the use of complex passwords for enhanced security.
  • ForceChangePassword: Consider setting -ForceChangePassword $true to require users to change their temporary password on their next login.
  • CSV Accuracy: Proofread your CSV file to avoid errors and potential issues.

PowerShell Benefits

  • Efficiency: Bulk password resets become significantly faster.
  • Accuracy: Reduced risk of manual-entry errors.
  • Automation: Ideal for routine password updates.

Related Resources

Muhammad Faizan

Hi, My name is Muhammad Faizan and i have spent last 15 years working as System Administrator mainly with Microsoft Technologies. I am MCSE, MCTP, MCITP, certified professional. I love scripting and Powershell is the scripting language i am in love with.

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One Comment

  1. Thank you, Ill give this a try…. with 1400+ user accounts, being able to export from AD, edit the file a little and then reset the password, that will be helpful. I hope to give this a try today….. hopefully today

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