PnP PowerShell (Patterns & Practices PowerShell) is a command-line tool that allows administrators and developers to manage SharePoint Online, Microsoft 365, and Teams efficiently. Before running SharePoint operations, you need to authenticate and establish a connection to your SharePoint environment.
Step 1: Prerequisites
Before connecting, ensure:
PnP PowerShell is installed (If not, install PnP PowerShell).
You have the correct SharePoint Online URL (e.g., https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com).
You have the necessary permissions (e.g., SharePoint Admin or Site Owner).
Step 2: Connecting to SharePoint Online
PnP PowerShell supports multiple authentication methods based on security and automation needs.
1. Interactive Login (Recommended for Admins & General Use)
The easiest way to connect:
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com" -Interactive
- This opens a Microsoft login window for secure authentication.
- Supports Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Conditional Access policies.
2. Connect Using Credentials (Not Recommended for Security Reasons)
For scripts that require basic authentication (less secure, avoid for production):
$cred = Get-Credential
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com" -Credentials $cred
⚠ Warning: Microsoft discourages this method due to security risks.
3. Connect Using App Registration & Certificate (For Automation & Scheduled Jobs)
For automated scripts, use an Azure AD App Registration with certificate-based authentication.
Step 1: Register an App in Azure AD
- Go to Azure AD Portal → App registrations → New registration.
- Assign API permissions:
SharePoint Online (Application Permissions). - Generate a certificate and upload it under Certificates & secrets.
Step 2: Connect Using Certificate
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com" -ClientId "<App_ID>" -Tenant "<Tenant_ID>" -CertificatePath "<Path_To_Cert>"
- Replace
<App_ID>and<Tenant_ID>with values from your Azure AD app. <Path_To_Cert>is the certificate file (.pfx) path.
4. Connect Using App Registration & Client Secret (For Automation Without Certificate)
An alternative to certificates (less secure but useful for automation):
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com" -ClientId "<App_ID>" -Tenant "<Tenant_ID>" -ClientSecret "<Client_Secret>"
⚠ Warning: Avoid storing client secrets in scripts. Use secure storage solutions like Azure Key Vault.
Step 3: Verify Connection
After connecting, run:
Get-PnPSite
If the command returns site details, you are successfully connected.
Step 4: Disconnect from SharePoint Online
To end the session, run:
Disconnect-PnPOnline
This ensures security by removing cached credentials.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Issue: “PnP PowerShell is not recognized”
✔ Solution: Ensure PnP PowerShell is installed. Run:
Install-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell -Scope CurrentUser
Issue: “Access denied” or “Unauthorized”
✔ Solution: Ensure your account has admin permissions on SharePoint Online.
Issue: “Untrusted repository” warning
✔ Solution: When prompted, enter Y to trust the repository.