PnP PowerShell (Patterns & Practices PowerShell) is a cross-platform command-line tool designed to automate and manage SharePoint Online, Microsoft 365, and Teams environments. It simplifies administrative tasks such as site management, list handling, user permissions, and document operations.
Step 1: Prerequisites
Before installing PnP PowerShell, ensure you have:
Windows 10/11, macOS, or Linux
PowerShell 7+ (for cross-platform support)
Administrator privileges (for system-wide installation)
Access to SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365)
Step 2: Installing PnP PowerShell
1. Open PowerShell
- On Windows: Press
Win + X, then select PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal. - On macOS/Linux: Open Terminal and ensure PowerShell 7+ is installed.
2. Install PnP PowerShell
Run the following command:
Install-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell -Scope CurrentUser
- The
-Scope CurrentUserflag installs PnP PowerShell only for the current user. - To install it for all users (requires admin rights), use:
Install-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell -Scope AllUsers
3. Update PnP PowerShell (Optional but Recommended)
Ensure you have the latest version with:
Update-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell
4. Verify Installation
Check if PnP PowerShell is installed by running:
Get-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell -ListAvailable
Step 3: Connecting to SharePoint Online
1. Connect Using Interactive Login
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com" -Interactive
This opens a browser window where you can sign in using your Microsoft 365 credentials.
🔹 2. Connect Using Credentials (Not Recommended for Security Reasons)
$cred = Get-Credential
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com" -Credentials $cred
3. Connect Using Azure AD App (For Automation)
If using an app registration with certificate authentication, run:
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com" -ClientId "<App_ID>" -Tenant "<Tenant_ID>" -CertificatePath "<Path_To_Cert>"
4. Disconnect from SharePoint
To end the session, run:
Disconnect-PnPOnline
Step 4: Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Issue: Installation fails due to missing PowerShell version
✔ Solution: Upgrade to PowerShell 7+ using:
winget install --id Microsoft.Powershell --source winget
Issue: “Untrusted repository” warning during installation
✔ Solution: If prompted, type Y to confirm installation.
Issue: Module not found after installation
✔ Solution: Try restarting PowerShell or running:
Import-Module PnP.PowerShell
Step 5: Uninstalling PnP PowerShell
If you no longer need PnP PowerShell, remove it using:
Uninstall-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell