pwshguy

Announcements!

• Announcing Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.1.0
  This post announces the release of Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.1.0. We discuss the features and benefits of DSC and how it differs from PowerShell DSC.
• What's New in PowerShell-Docs for 2025
  This article lists notable changes made to docs each month and celebrates the contributions from the community.
• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  All recordings from the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025 are now live!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Automating Network Diagnostics with Globalping PowerShell Module
  Are you tired of manually running network diagnostics like Ping, Traceroute, or DNS queries? The Globalping PowerShell Module is here to save the day! With its easy-to-use cmdlets, you can automate measurements from probes distributed across the globe.
• QuietShell – Executing PowerShell without a Console Window
  For some time I’ve used a simple VBScript wrapper in code projects and scheduled tasks to allow silent execution of PowerShell scripts in the user context without displaying a console window: But with the deprecation of VBScript and it’s eventually being removed from the Windows OS, it was time to look at alternative ways
• AI Inception: Building AI Solutions with AI for AI
  Last month I had the pleasure of speaking at the Sydney event for Global Azure. My session was the title of this post, AI Inception: Building AI Solutions with AI for AI. One key component of my talk was on Recursive AI.
• Download Windows Themes using PowerShell
  You can switch your Windows Theme using the Settings app and the Microsoft Store, but you can also download them from the Microsoft site using PowerShell to save them locally for easy switching between them. In this blog post, I will show you how.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• DiskReportingTools
  A set of PowerShell tools for disk reporting and visualization. The tools rely on CIM cmdlets so this module requires a Windows platform.
• AIShell.Ollama.Agent
  This agent is used to interact with a language model running locally or remotely by utilizing the Ollama API. Before using this agent locally you need to have Ollama installed and running.
• Updating the Entra ID Custom Banned Password List with PowerShell
  Microsoft 365 tenants with Entra P1 or P2 licenses can use a custom banned password list to stop people using specific terms in their passwords. The idea is to prevent easily-guessed terms being used in passwords. You could also block words deemed to be objectionable. In any case, this article explains how to maintain the custom blocked password list with a PowerShell script.
• GenXdev v 1.184.2025
  GenXdev PowerShell Utilities and helpers

Community

• The Life and Code of The PoSh Wolf
  This week, we sit down with Anthony Howell, better known as The PoSh Wolf, for an inspiring and entertaining conversation about PowerShell, community, and creativity. From his early days in a two-person IT department to speaking at PowerShell Summit, Anthony shares how passion, persistence, and curiosity have fueled his journey. He dives into his creative use of PowerShell for managing game servers and even building a Discord bot, proving that automation isn't just for enterprise tasks. We explore how side projects can grow into real skills, the value of sharing in the community, and how embracing mistakes makes us all better. Anthony also gives insights into using .NET in PowerShell, learning Go, and building resilient systems for fun and work.

Events

• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025
• Doug vs. the Machine: Agents Gone Wild
  This is part of an 8-part livestream series happening Tuesdays and Thursdays in June. Live prompt engineering. Real problems. Wild demos.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Registry Redirection: Why You Should Never Hardcode Wow6432Node and How to Properly Access Registry Views in PowerShell
  The Windows Registry is a critical component of the operating system that stores configuration settings, application options, and system parameters. On 64-bit Windows systems, the registry is divided into two views: one for 64-bit applications and another for 32-bit applications. This duality is essential for compatibility but can trip up administrators and scripters who aren’t aware of it.
• Microsoft shares script to restore inetpub folder you shouldn’t delete
  Microsoft has released a PowerShell script to help restore an empty 'inetpub' folder created by the April 2025 Windows security updates if deleted. As Microsoft previously warned, this folder helps mitigate a high-severity Windows Process Activation privilege escalation vulnerability.
• How to Block Ad-Hoc Email-Based Subscriptions
  The old Set-MsolCompanySettings cmdlet is no more, so how can a Microsoft 365 tenant block email-based subscriptions? With the Graph, of course! Seriously, there’s no 1-to-1 mapping from the old cmdlet to a new, but some of the settings are available in the Entra ID authorization policy. We can update the authorization policy with PowerShell to block email-based subscriptions, like Copilot Studio.
• Warp Launch Log 3: MCP support, refine prompt, image upload, reusable prompts, git support
  Warp, the top terminal app with AI support, has introduced new features in its GA release, including MCP support and Refine for AI responses. The Preview release now allows image uploads and the saving of reusable AI prompts. I also found a few new features that weren’t mentioned in the Launch Log 3 post.
• Concatenate String in Write-Host In PowerShell
  In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through multiple methods to concatenate strings in PowerShell’s Write-Host command, from the most basic approaches to advanced techniques. String concatenation in PowerShell, especially when using the Write-Host cmdlet, is something you’ll do almost daily if you’re writing scripts for system administration or automation tasks.
• Intune Drift Control PowerShell
  This is my latest training exercise, building configuration drift control for Microsoft Intune with PowerShell and the pester module. I wanted to be able to check my clients configuration against my own baseline for Microsoft Intune. Of course, there are many tools out there that can do this for you. Like Andrew Taylor’s EUCToolbox.
• Using the Polyglot extension from VSCode for creating Jupyter notebooks containing PowerShell code and how to use the PowerShellNotebook module
  I did a small demo session at Experts Live NL this week about this topic. In this blog post, I aim to demonstrate the capabilities of the Polyglot extension, explain its functionality, which is easier compared to the original method of creating Jupyter notebooks, which I covered in 2022.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• MSGraphStuff v 1.1.6
  Microsoft Graph API related functions. Some of them are explained at https://doitpshway.com/.

Community

• From DJ Decks to Cloud Architecture - Shannon Eldridge-Kuehn
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we chat with Shannon Eldridge-Kuehn, a seasoned technologist whose career spans from spinning vinyl as a DJ to leading cloud and FinOps consulting. Shannon shares her unique journey into tech, driven by curiosity and a desire to record her DJ sets, which ultimately led to a successful career in cloud infrastructure, Azure, platform engineering, and FinOps. We explore Shannon’s transition into IT without a traditional tech background, her time at Microsoft, and her current work in FinOps. She discusses the challenges of cloud adoption, navigating imposter syndrome, and why strong communication skills are just as critical as technical ones. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, career evolution, and staying curious. 

Events

• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025
• Doug vs. the Machine: Agents Gone Wild
  This is part of an 8-part livestream series happening Tuesdays and Thursdays in June. Live prompt engineering. Real problems. Wild demos.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell Build 2025 Announcement
  At Microsoft Build 2025, we're excited to announce several new capabilities aligned with these priorities

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Managing Guest Users in PowerShell with Microsoft Graph API
  Managing Guest Users in PowerShell with Microsoft Graph API In today’s collaborative work environments, inviting guest users to access organizational resources has become a common practice.
• Exchange Online Upgrades Its Message Tracing Capabilities
  Microsoft announced the GA for the new message tracing feature on June 3. The old code will be deprecated in September 2025, so it's time to update any PowerShell scripts that use the Get-MessageTrace or Get-MessageTraceDetail cmdlets. Upgrading is easy and shouldn’t take too long, once you find the time to do the work.
• Enhanced Dashboards with PSWriteHTML – Introducing InfoCards and Density Options
  Discover new features in the PSWriteHTML PowerShell module – including New-HTMLInfoCard, improved layout controls with the -Density parameter, and customizable shadows for clean, modern dashboards and reports.
• Avoid The Five Big Errors in Graph PowerShell Scripts
  Everyone learns from experience. This article covers five important building blocks for writing great Graph PowerShell scripts, the product of hard-won experience and many mistakes. Filtering, properties, permissions, and pagination all make the list.
• Creating/downloading videos from Azure OpenAI Sora by PowerShell/API
  Finally the OpenAI Sora model is released in preview for Azure AI Foundry. You can read more about it here. Sora is a text to video model that lets you input a description of a scene and it generates a video from it. Using the Video playground in AI Foundry its super easy to generate
• Practical PowerShell: Crafting Collections
  PowerShell scripting becomes far more powerful when you master collections like arrays and hash tables. In this article, we review the basics of standard collection types. Then, walk through additional useful options that leverage other object types available through the .NET Framework.
• How to Get SharePoint Document Library Size using PnP PowerShell?
  One of my clients recently asked how to check the size of a specific SharePoint document library. The easiest way is through SharePoint’s Storage Metrics, which is available in the site settings. It provides the total size, %of Site Quota, etc. In this article, I will also explain how to get the SharePoint document library
• How do I get the full Azure Advisor Recommendation from an API?
  Recently at work I was writing a script to pull all Azure Advisor recommendations for a set of subscriptions for further analysis and display, and I wanted to make sure that my output included as much information as possible. The list of recommendations is readily available via the API, and based on the example output I thought - perfect! This should have all of the information I could need!

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• MySQLite v 1.0.0
  A small set of PowerShell commands for working with SQLite database files. - jdhitsolutions/MySQLite

Community

• Hacking Games and Building a Career - Mateus Pimentel
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we take a detour from our typical PowerShell conversations to explore the fascinating world of game hacking with backend services developer Mateus Pimentel. Mateus shares his journey from crafting bots for MMORPGs to reverse engineering games and ultimately working in online services for a major gaming company.We discuss his early experiences hacking Tibia, how he overcame being hacked himself as a kid, and how those formative experiences shaped his approach to software development and cybersecurity. Mateus also dives into powerful learning experiences from hacking games, participating in Capture the Flag competitions, and avoiding the dark paths that lure many curious technologists. This episode is a compelling exploration of hacking culture, ethics, and personal transformation.
• How to Write a CFP That Gets You to the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2026
  So, you want to speak at the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2026? Great. But before you start dreaming about standing ovations and post-talk high-fives, let’s talk about the one thing standing between you and that stage: your Call for Proposals (CFP).

Events

• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025
• Doug vs. the Machine: Agents Gone Wild
  This is part of an 8-part livestream series happening Tuesdays and Thursdays in June. Live prompt engineering. Real problems. Wild demos.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Microsoft Edit: Terminal editor for Windows and Linux
  Microsoft has recently launched Edit, a lightweight terminal editor for Windows and Linux. It revives the spirit of the MS-DOS Editor, which debuted in 1991 as a full-screen text editor for DOS and early Windows systems. Edit eliminates the need to leave the terminal to edit files. While Edit doesn't feature a traditional GUI, it supports tab management and can be navigated using a mouse. On Linux, the open-source tool can be seen as an alternative to nano.
• How to List Hidden Group Memberships with the Graph
  A user reported that a script didn't list any details of hidden group memberships and asked why. The reason is that a separate Graph permission controls access to hidden group memberships. If an app doesn’t have the permission, the Graph returns null memberships, which is probably not all that helpful. Once the right permission is in place, everything works.
• Track Microsoft Entra Application Operations Using PowerShell
  When applications are registered in Microsoft Entra, they are granted with surprising number of privileges like accessing sensitive data to acting on behalf of users. But these permissions aren’t static. Once an app is registered, its configuration can evolve over time through various operational changes.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Using the Convert Module in PowerShell
  When you have Objects in a format that you can't read, or when you want to convert Objects to another format, or to switch from Celsius to Fahrenheit, you can use the Cmdlets from the Convert module from Andrew Pearce :) In this small blog post, I will show you how you can use this great module!
• Intune Automation Collection Community Solution Helps to Build Workflows with PowerShell Scripts and More
  Hello - Here is the new HTMD Blog Article for you. Enjoy reading it.
• WinTuner v 1.1.1
  Package and publish any apps from WinGet to Intune.
• WebSocket
  WebSocket is a small PowerShell module that helps you work with WebSockets.
• PesterExplorer
  Pester does a wonderful job printing out tests results as they're running. The difficulty can be where you're looking at a large number of results. PesterExplorer creates a Text User Interface to explore Pester results.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• June 2025 Update for the Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell eBook
  The June 2025 update for the Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell eBook is now available. Coding automation with Microsoft 365 PowerShell can be challenging, but not with this book beside you. It contains hundreds of examples of working with Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Teams, and Planner using regular PowerShell cmdlets and the Graph APIs.
• using powershell to call llama3.2 and saving the file locally
  Scripts included

Community

• Building Fast Tools and Smarter Workflows with Justin Grote
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we welcome back Justin Grote, a Microsoft MVP and open-source powerhouse, for an in-depth and fast-paced conversation. Fresh off his PowerShell Wednesday presentation, Justin shares the thinking behind his latest innovations, including the creation of the high-performance ExcelFast module and his evangelism for dev containers and modern development workflows.
• Add enhanced splatting RFC draft by jborean93
  Anyone interested in yet another attempt at trying to enhance splatting in PowerShell. I've tried to collate all the options proposed over the years with their pros/cons. Hoping to get any community feedback before trying to champion a proper RFC
• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  The recordings from the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025 are starting to roll out on YouTube.

Events

• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• AI Shell Preview 4 Release!
  We're excited to share the latest preview release of AI Shell that includes new features and improvements based on your feedback.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Learning Python via PowerShell - A turn to the dark side?
  PowerShell and Python are powerful programming languages with many similarities. While PowerShell is technically a shell scripting language (like Bash), functionally it has a lot more in common with Python, and can be used to generate scripts of equal complexity.
• Deploy and automatically update WinGet apps in Intune using PowerShell without Remediation or 3rd party tools
  In this blog post, I will show you how to use PowerShell and the WinGet module to install a specific or the latest version of software using Intune Win32 Detection and install scripts. This solution will automatically update your apps if updates are available without using Remediation, Enterprise App Catalog, or third-party tools.
• PowerShell Get-ItemProperty [with Examples]
  As a PowerShell administrator, I use the Get-ItemProperty cmdlet a lot. You can use this cmdlet to gather installed software information, access registry values, or retrieve file metadata, etc. In this tutorial, I will explain how to use Get-ItemProperty in PowerShell effectively with real-world examples that I’ve personally used throughout my decade-plus career with PowerShell.
• Simplifying Dell Command Warranty with PowerShell
  TLDR: Get-DellWarrantyInfo Function can be found here: garytown/hardware/Dell/CommandUpdate/EMPS/Dell-EMPSWarranty.ps1 In this post I’ll cover the Dell Warranty CLI tool they provide, and how I’ve converted it to use a “PowerShell Wrapper” to make it simple and useful.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• How to Get All Risky Users in Microsoft Entra
  Identifying risky users in Microsoft Entra is more than just a security best practice.
• Pi-hole Multi-Instance Control Dashboard
  Pi-hole Multi-Instance Control Dashboard with PowerShell Universal (free)
• 
  Looking to simplify your module installation life? Well, look no further, just released the latest version of PSFramework.NuGet

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• June 2025 Update for the Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell eBook
  The June 2025 update for the Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell eBook is now available. Coding automation with Microsoft 365 PowerShell can be challenging, but not with this book beside you. It contains hundreds of examples of working with Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Teams, and Planner using regular PowerShell cmdlets and the Graph APIs.
• Live PowerShell Coding: Improving ModuleExplorer with Joshua Dearing
  Let's code some PowerShell, live! Joshua Dearing, PowerShell Podcast guest and PowerSheller extraoirdinaire, will join me for some good old-fashioned pair programming.

Community

• Building Confidence and Community with PowerShell with Brock Bingham
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Brock Bingham, a longtime PowerShell enthusiast, educator, and community advocate. Recorded live from PDQ Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, this episode captures the high energy and camaraderie of a PowerShell Wednesday in person. Brock shares his journey from PowerShell beginner to mentor, his passion for community building, and the power of sharing knowledge with others.
• PowerShell 7.5 and DSC 3.0.0 with Jason Helmick
  What's new in PowerShell 7.5? Richard talks to Jason Helmick about the latest version of PowerShell. Jason talks about 7.5 being a version with plenty of community contributions and what that means for everyone. He also...
• A talk with the Angry Admin about VMWare, PowerShell, AI and more
  In this "Inside IT Automation" episode, Heiko has a conversation with Piotr Tarnawski aka AngrySysOps aka Angry Admin. They talk about VMware automations, PowerShell, AI and more.

Events

• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• v7.4.10 Release of PowerShell
  PowerShell 7.4.10 has been released

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Shorten Azure CLI commands in PowerShell without backticks
  Learn how to shorten Azure CLI commands in PowerShell using arrays and splatting. No backticks needed. Cleaner, safer, and easier automation.
• Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK V2.28 Attempts to Restore Stability
  On May 10, 2025, Microsoft released V2.28 of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK in the hope that the new version would fix a bunch of annoying problems that have dogged the SDK for several months. The first few days haven’t revealed any new problems and bug reports are being closed, so the signs are positive. But do test before deploying V2.28 into production.
• What are GitHub Copilot instruction files? A simple usage example
  In Visual Studio Code version 1.100, Microsoft introduced GitHub Copilot instruction files, which mirror the Rules feature in AI IDEs like Cursor and Windsurf. Instructions allow you to guide the AI assistant’s behavior by providing specific, context-aware directives tailored to your coding standards and project requirements.
• Get SharePoint List Column Details [Internal Name, Display Name, Data Type] Using PnP PowerShell
  A few weeks before, I developed a Power Apps application for a client that takes data sources as a SharePoint list. There are almost six lists, and each list has more than 20 fields. Due to some permission issues, we had to manually create all the lists and columns on the SharePoint site.
• How to Check if a PowerShell String Contains Special Characters (5 Easy Methods)
  Recently, I was working on a PowerShell script to validate user inputs, and I needed to check if strings contained special characters. This is a common requirement when validating usernames, passwords, or parsing data files. The challenge is that PowerShell treats many special characters differently since they have specific meanings in the language.
• Using Show-ObjectTree to browse PowerShell Objects
  You can use Get-Member to discover all Methods and Properties when working with Variables. But browsing them in your PowerShell Terminal is easier using Show-ObjectTree. In this small blog post, I'm having a busy week and preparing for my WorkplaceNinjasNL session next week, I will show you how that cmdlet works :-)

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• IntuneMermaid
  This module was created to generate diagrams on Mermaid format for Intune assignments of profiles and applications.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• PowerShell: Creating viewer requested script 01
  In this video, I will be demonstrating viewer requested script for modifying taskbar behaviors settings.
• How to Create Amazing Websites with Obsidian and GitHub
  In this episode of PowerShell Wednesday, we're joined by Joshua Dearing (aka Fortress) who delivers a fantastic, beginner-friendly walkthrough on how to build and publish a personal website using GitHub Pages.

Community

• PowerShell, Security, and the Path to Mastery.
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we bring you a special double feature! We chat with Bogdan Calapod live from PDQ HQ, a seasoned security expert and co-founder of Coda, who reflects on his path from hackathon projects to helping organizations secure their environments. Then, we sit down with Lucas Allman live from the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit, where he shares his journey from podcast listener to conference presenter. Key topics in this episode include:

Fun

• PowerShell Terminal Setup
  I just got back from Midwest Management Summit (MMS MOA), and I was a little surprised how many people wanted to know how I setup my terminal. I figured that since I had to read a couple of blog posts to get exactly the setup that I was after, this deserved a blog post.

Events

• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Sudo for Windows (PowerShell)
  Sudo for Windows is a new way for users to execute commands with elevated privileges (as an administrator) directly from a non-relevant console session on Windows.
• How to Permanently Remove Mailbox Items with the Graph API
  Some new Graph APIs were announced on April 1 to close a feature gap with EWS. The new APIs permanently remove mailbox items and other objects, including folders, calendars, and calendar items. Permanent deletion means that items cannot be recovered through clients because they end up in the Purges folder in Recoverable Items. This article explains how the new APIs work, including a practical example.
• How to Check if a Variable is Null or Empty in PowerShell?
  While working on PowerShell scripts, you’ll often need to check if a variable contains data before performing operations on it. There are various methods for checking this. In this article, I’ll show you several methods to check if a PowerShell variable is null or empty.
• Export All Mailboxes in Microsoft 365 Using PowerShell
  Managing Exchange Online mailboxes is one of the most essential responsibilities for Microsoft 365 administrators. Whether you’re conducting audits, offboarding M365 users, or handling routine mailbox maintenance, having quick access to a complete and accurate list of mailboxes is vital.
• Using PowerShell to disable (audio) devices in Windows
  I often encounter this issue. I dock my laptop at a customer's location and start a Teams call with someone. No idea what audio device my microphone in Teams will be or what output device it will use, the built-in speakers of the monitor attached to the docking station? My Sony earplugs? In this small blog post, I will show you how you can search and disable a lot of (audio) devices at once using PowerShell :)
• PowerShell Format Number: Essentials Made Easy
  Discover the art of PowerShell format number and master the nuances of numeric formatting. This concise guide unveils tips for polished scripts.
• How Can You Dramatically Boost Exchange PowerShell Performance with Multi-Threading? - PUPUWEB
  Is Your Bulk Exchange Script Sluggish? Discover the Game-Changing PowerShell Parallelism! Optimizing bulk operations in Microsoft Exchange using
• The PowerShell Pipeline
  When I first started learning PowerShell, one of the most fascinating things to discover was the “pipeline”. I was already amazed with the data that I could gather by running commands, but using the pipeline took that to the next level.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• New version of EntraFIDOFinder is out now
  Now with over 15 new keys! It was a little slow last month, but this month they made up with adding 6 new Vendors too. For the module, most of the enhancements were on the backend, where I created a function to reorganize any keys that weren’t following the standard configuration.
• Oh My Posh update to non-module version
  After my latest (not so) regular update of installed PowerShell modules, I was surprised by a breaking change in the Oh My Posh module. Fortunately, a link to an online migration guide was displayed directly in the terminal to get me started, but it still took me some time to get it working again.
• dbatools v2.1.31
  The community module that enables SQL Server Pros to automate database development and server administration
• Intune Primary User Mix Up
  Tired of one tech “owning” every Intune device? Use my quick PowerShell cleanup script and put the right users back in charge fast!

Community

• Growing with PowerShell and Community Support - Joshua Dearing
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Joshua Dearing, aka Fortress, to explore his personal and professional growth through PowerShell, community engagement, and saying yes to new opportunities. Fresh off his first PowerShell Wednesday presentation, Joshua shares the story of how he overcame imposter syndrome, started his blog, and found confidence by getting involved in the PowerShell community. Key topics in this episode include:

Events

• Rolling Your Own Configuration as Code Toolset
  Lucas will demo his home-grown toolset which includes custom PowerShell modules for maintaining the environment, the Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretManagement module for managing automation credentials, GitHub for versioning and collaboration and good old Window Task Scheduler.
• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell: Changing Active Directory User Logon Names (Bulk)
  Active Directory users log on with their logon names and password. But what are the rules for assigning usernames? g.surname? surname? gsurname? What are the naming conventions?
• Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell Update #11
  Update #11 for the Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell eBook is now available for subscribers to download. The eBook is now over 300 pages long and includes extensive coverage of using PowerShell to interact with Exchange Online, Teams, Planner, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive for Business data using workload modules or the Graph APIs (and Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK).
• Check the Windows Server version to determine if an in-place upgrade to Server 2025 is supported
  Before upgrading to Windows Server 2025, check your existing Windows Server version to determine if an in-place upgrade is feasible. You can check the Windows version via the graphical user interface, Windows PowerShell, or the command prompt.
• How to Add Items to an Array in PowerShell (5 Simple Methods)
  Recently, I was developing an automation script to manage a large inventory of servers, and I needed to add items to an array as the script ran dynamically. The challenge is that PowerShell handles arrays differently than many other programming languages. In this tutorial, I will show you five proven methods to add items to
• Set Up Email Notifications for Application Credentials Expiry in Microsoft Entra
  Each organization registers applications in Microsoft Entra ID for various purposes, such as integrating third-party services, enabling Single Sign-On (SSO), or automating business processes. To ensure these applications function smoothly, they require credentials like client secrets or certificates, which are used to obtain access tokens and access organizational resources.
• Creating Intune Randomized Rollouts with Entra Group Membership
  In our org, we have around 40k devices. Rolling out policies in the Group Policy days was a little bit easier for us, as we weren’t hitting every device at once (way too many forests). The great thing about Intune, is that we can hit all the devices at once. The bad thing about Intune, is we can hit all devices at once!
• Using PowerShell to Find Outdated Ubuntu Containers
  With Ubuntu 20.04 LTS’s sunset on the horizon, my manager forwarded an email about the need to update all of our Docker images to version 22.04. He sent it out as an FYI, but I took a moment to context switch towards answering this question because I thought that I could figure this out quickly using a one-liner in PowerShell.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• PowerShell Using the Pipe Line
  Intro into the PowerShell Pipeline
• Build Amazing WinUI 3 GUIs with PowerShell in Minutes!
  Want to build stunning modern Windows GUIs directly from PowerShell? In this episode of PowerShell Pro Tips, Microsoft MVP Andrew Pla dives into the WinUIShell module — an open-source gem that lets you create slick WinUI 3 interfaces with just a few lines of PowerShell code.

Community

• Lessons in Leadership from PowerShell Pioneers Jeffrey Snover and Don Jones
  In this very special episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with two legends of the PowerShell world: Jeffrey Snover, the inventor of PowerShell, and Don Jones, bestselling author, teacher, and longtime PowerShell community builder. Recorded live at the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit, this conversation is packed with personal insights, impactful moments, and the kind of storytelling that only Snover and Jones can deliver. 

Events

• Rolling Your Own Configuration as Code Toolset
  Lucas will demo his home-grown toolset which includes custom PowerShell modules for maintaining the environment, the Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretManagement module for managing automation credentials, GitHub for versioning and collaboration and good old Window Task Scheduler.
• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• PowerShell v7.5.1
  Come and get the latest and greatest!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Restrict and report logon hours for Active Directory accounts
  For security purposes, it may be beneficial to restrict Active Directory account logins to regular working hours. These logon times can be configured using the calendar widget in Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC). However, PowerShell provides a more efficient and flexible alternative, particularly because it offers reporting capabilities that the graphical interface does not.
• How to Report the Sponsors of Entra ID Guest Accounts
  Entra ID populates the sponsor property for new guest accounts with details of the person who invites the guest to the tenant. It's data that can be used for different purposes, such as having someone to justify the continued presence of a guest account in a Microsoft 365 tenant. This article explains how to report guest accounts and their sponsors with some straightforward PowerShell.
• Why aligning equals signs in PowerShell hash tables matters
  If you ever formatted a hash table in PowerShell, you know how easy it is to focus on function over form. But what if one minor formatting tweak could improve readability, reduce syntax errors, simplify code reviews, and enhance script maintainability?
• Windows PowerToys 2 in 1 Short cuts
  In Windows 11 there’s a really powerful set of tools called “Microsoft PowerToys“. Within the features there’s a section to make your own shortcut hot keys under “Keyboard Manager”
• Tab completions in PowerShell
  While learning about Fast Node Manager, I noticed completions for PowerShell being mentioned in the documentation. I wasn't aware of completions beyond filenames and cmdlets were even supported in PowerShell. I decided to try them out with Fast Node Manager first and then check if they are available for other command line tools I regularly use.
• How to post on Bluesky with PowerShell
  I wanted to know how to use the Bluesky APIs and PowerShell for new posts (or Skeets). Bluesky has published a sample to post via code, also they have very good documentation about their API.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Video: Windows Server App Control and Azure Arc
  Are you looking for ways to enhance the security of your Windows Server environment? In this video, we explore how to leverage App Control to secure your Windows Server and manage it at scale using Microsoft Azure Arc.
• PowerShell Execution Policy: A Comprehensive Guide
  Have you encountered an error “execution of scripts is disabled on this system” while trying to run a PowerShell script? I am sure you must have at least at the beginning. This is because of PowerShell’s execution policy settings. In this article, I will walk you through everything you need to know about PowerShell execution

Community

• The Powershell Podcast Summit sessions with Adam Rivera, Asmar Fontenot, & Luis Orta
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we bring you another Summit Sessions special recorded live at the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025! This episode is a celebration of first-time attendees, newcomers to the PowerShell community, and those discovering their voice in tech. Andrew Pla sits down with passionate IT professionals who share their personal stories of growth, connection, and finding purpose through PowerShell and community.

Fun

• PSPodcast
  A few commands to get and display information of episodes of The PowerShell Podcast.
• Basically me to my new coworkers this week.
  100% agree!

Events

• Rolling Your Own Configuration as Code Toolset
  Lucas will demo his home-grown toolset which includes custom PowerShell modules for maintaining the environment, the Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretManagement module for managing automation credentials, GitHub for versioning and collaboration and good old Window Task Scheduler.
• PowerShell Conference Europe 2025
  23-26 June 2025

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• Important Purview eDiscovery Changes Take Effect in May 2025
  Microsoft is making some important changes to Purview eDiscovery from May 26, 2025. The changes affect how content searches work and are likely to affect many Microsoft 365 tenants. Administrators and eDiscovery investigators will both have to master new ways of working with eDiscovery cases, searching for information, reviewing search results, and exporting what’s found. Changes to PowerShell cmdlets might affect scripts, so there’s lots to consider.
• PowerShell, OpenSSH, and DSC team investments for 2025
  Come read about the investments Microsoft has planned for PowerShell in 2025.
• PnP PowerShell v3 released!
  It has been in the works for a long time, but finally we’re excited to announce that PnP PowerShell 3.0 has been released.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Microsoft Attempts to Fix Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK Problem with Azure Automation
  V2.26 and V2.26.1 of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK were low-quality, buggy disasters. Microsoft aims to fix the problem in the next version to make it possible for the SDK to work with Azure Automation runbooks again and address many of the obvious problems that should never have appeared outside Microsoft. It will take time for customer confidence to be restored.
• Build your own natural language interface for PowerShell using the Azure OpenAI API
  This article presents a PowerShell script leveraging the Azure OpenAI API, enabling you to execute PowerShell commands using natural language. A key benefit compared to comparable AI tools like ShellGPT is the ability to customize the script.
• Vibe Coding: How I Built a 120K Line App Without “Learning to Code”
  Building real applications with AI isn't just for developers anymore. Here's how I went from PowerShell scripts to a full-stack React/Express app by embracing "vibe coding" with AI.
• Create a Catalog of Windows Update Data using Microsoft Graph
  For some time I have run my own reporting solution for Windows Updates since I’ve never really been happy with the canned reports Microsoft have created in Intune and Windows Update for Business reports, even to this day.
• How to Append Text to Files in PowerShell
  As a PowerShell user, I’ve found that one of the most common tasks is writing data to files, especially appending content to existing files without overwriting previous information. This will be helpful in scenarios such as creating logs, generating reports, or saving script output, etc. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the different methods
• Practical AI: Managing My Travel Calendar with PowerShell
  AI is supposed to make our lives easier, so how about writing some PowerShell to block out timeslots in a travek calendar when the calendar's owner is on the move? Eventually AI gets the task done, but it needed some coaching and firm instruction along the way.
• Using the Get-NetView PowerShell Module for Network Troubleshooting
  Collecting enough logs and information from a system with networking issues can be difficult. You always need just one more to troubleshoot the problem. ;-) In this blog post, I will show you how the built-in Get-NetView module can help you collect all the necessary logs and information.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• AutoCategorizerPS
  A series of scripts that perform zero-shot (untrained) data classification using AI.
• Metro.AI.PowerShell
  Metro-AI is a unified PowerShell module that streamlines management of Azure AI Agent and Assistant APIs.
• psBluesky v2.6.0
  Heads up PowerShell PSBluesky users, time to update the module. Thanks to @wragg.io for adding StarterPack commands.

Community

• The PowerShell Podcast Summit 2025 - Missy, Leslie, & Hailey
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we bring you a special edition live from the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025 — the Summit Sessions! This episode is packed with energy, community stories, and career inspiration as Andrew Pla chats with community leaders, organizers, and first-time contributors about what makes this event and the PowerShell community so special.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

Announcements!

• v7.6.0-preview.4 Release of PowerShell
  Come test out the latest release.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell script: BgInfo deployment script for Windows Server 2025
  In this blog post, I’ll show you how to deploy and configure the latest version of BgInfo on a serverContinue Reading
• Build your own natural language interface for PowerShell using the Azure OpenAI API
  This article presents a PowerShell script leveraging the Azure OpenAI API, enabling you to execute PowerShell commands using natural language. A key benefit compared to comparable AI tools like ShellGPT is the ability to customize the script.
• Mastering Error Handling in PowerShell: Try, Catch, and Finally
  Error handling is a critical aspect of writing robust scripts in any programming language. PowerShell provides a powerful structure for handling errors gracefully using try, catch, and finally blocks.
• Automate Your Virtual Infrastructure Management: A Handy PowerCLI Script for On-Call Situations
  Imagine a scenario where a power outage or building power-up event causes your ESXi hosts to remain in maintenance mode.
• Practical Graph: Running Audit Log Searches with the AuditLog Query API
  After a year or so of using the AuditLog Query Graph API, we have enough experience to be able to explain how to take advantage of the API and when it could be used to run audit searches instead of the Search-UnifiedAuditLog cmdlet. There's lots of PowerShell code in this article to give anyone who wants to experiment with the API a good start to finding audit events.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Create a Web Server on the fly using PowerShell with James Brundage
  Join Microsoft MVP James Brundage for a look at how you can create a fully functional web server in just 50 lines of PowerShell code! 🚀 Come see the potential of transforming PowerShell scripts into dynamic web front ends, setting the stage for your next development project. Don’t miss it!

Community

• PowerShell Summit Bar Sessions 2025 - David R
  In this casual bar-session chat recorded at the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025, host Andrew Pla sits down with David R, a first-time attendee with a passion for learning PowerShell. David shares how the PowerShell Podcast itself inspired him to attend and helped shape his scripting journey. What began as a work assignment turned into a powerful learning path, community connection, and a personal transformation.
• Discovering the Deeper Layers of PowerShell with Jeff Hicks
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we’re joined by the legendary Jeff Hicks, PowerShell educator, author, speaker, and community pillar. With decades of experience shaping the PowerShell landscape, Jeff returns to the podcast to share insights from his latest projects, discuss the evolution of the community, and offer wisdom for both new and experienced PowerShell users. From PowerShell Summit to writing foundational books and building up new contributors, Jeff continues to play a critical role in shaping the PowerShell ecosystem.
• PowerShell Summit Bar Sessions 2025 - Frank Lesniak
  In this episode of the PowerShell Summit 2025 Bar Sessions, Frank Lesniak makes a triumphant return to the podcast. Frank has taken the reigns In this two-sided interview, Frank flips the script and interviews Andrew, but only after we talk about how his week is going, fine dining, how to grow in your career and capitalize on opportunity, the value of empowering others, and more!
• PowerShell Summit Bar Sessions 2025 - Steven Judd
  In this episode of the PowerShell Summit Bar Sessions we talk with Steven Judd. We talk about Summit, Sean Kearney Spirit award, community, career, and more!
• Writing Better PowerShell with Jeff Hicks
  How do you write better PowerShell? Richard talks to Jeff Hicks about his latest book, Behind the PowerShell Pipeline, and his efforts to promote writing PowerShell scripts that are easy to understand, use, and maintain! Jeff...