In SharePoint Online, lists are essential for storing and managing data. Once a list is created, you may need to update its settings, modify fields (columns), or update list items. PnP PowerShell provides efficient commands to update a SharePoint list programmatically.
This guide covers:
How to connect to SharePoint Online
How to update list properties
How to update list columns (fields)
How to update list items
Prerequisites
Before updating a list, ensure that:
You have SharePoint Admin or Site Owner permissions.
You have PnP PowerShell installed on your system.
You know the SharePoint site URL where the list exists.
Step 1: Install and Import PnP PowerShell
If you haven’t installed PnP PowerShell, install it using:
Install-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell -Scope CurrentUser -AllowClobber -Force
Then, import the module:
Import-Module PnP.PowerShell
Step 2: Connect to SharePoint Online
To update a list, first connect to the SharePoint site:
# Connect to the SharePoint Online site
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com/sites/yoursite" -Interactive
🔹 Replace "yourtenant" with your actual tenant name.
🔹 Replace "yoursite" with the target site name.
For app-based authentication, use:
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com/sites/yoursite" -ClientId "Your-App-Client-ID" -Tenant "yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com" -CertificatePath "Path\To\Certificate.pfx"
Connected successfully!
Step 3: Update List Properties
To update list properties like title, description, or enabling versioning, use the Set-PnPList command.
Example 1: Rename a SharePoint List
# Update the title of the SharePoint list
Set-PnPList -Identity "Old List Name" -Title "New List Name"
Example 2: Update List Description
# Update the description of the SharePoint list
Set-PnPList -Identity "Employee Directory" -Description "List containing employee records"
Example 3: Enable Versioning in a List
# Enable versioning for a SharePoint list
Set-PnPList -Identity "Employee Directory" -EnableVersioning $true
List properties updated successfully!
Step 4: Update List Columns (Fields)
To modify columns, use Set-PnPField.
Example 1: Rename a Column
# Rename an existing field in a SharePoint list
Set-PnPField -List "Employee Directory" -Identity "EmployeeName" -DisplayName "Full Name"
Example 2: Change Column Type (Only for Text to Multiple Lines)
# Change a single-line text field to a multi-line text field
Set-PnPField -List "Employee Directory" -Identity "EmployeeName" -Type Note
Example 3: Make a Column Required
# Make the Employee ID column required
Set-PnPField -List "Employee Directory" -Identity "EmployeeID" -Required $true
Columns updated successfully!
Step 5: Update List Items
To update items in a SharePoint list, use Set-PnPListItem.
Example 1: Update a Single Item
# Update the "Department" of an employee with ID 1
Set-PnPListItem -List "Employee Directory" -Identity 1 -Values @{"Department"="HR"}
Example 2: Update Multiple Fields in an Item
# Update multiple fields in an item
Set-PnPListItem -List "Employee Directory" -Identity 2 -Values @{"Employee Name"="John Doe"; "Department"="IT"; "Active Employee"=$true}
Example 3: Bulk Update Multiple Items
# Bulk update all employees in IT department to HR
$items = Get-PnPListItem -List "Employee Directory" | Where-Object { $_["Department"] -eq "IT" }
foreach ($item in $items) {
Set-PnPListItem -List "Employee Directory" -Identity $item.Id -Values @{"Department"="HR"}
}
List items updated successfully!
Step 6: Verify the Updates
Run these commands to check the updated list and items:
Check Updated List Properties
Get-PnPList -Identity "Employee Directory"
Check Updated Columns
Get-PnPField -List "Employee Directory"
Check Updated List Items
Get-PnPListItem -List "Employee Directory"
Verification complete!
Step 7: Restore a Previous Version (If Needed)
If you enabled versioning, you can restore an older version of a list item.
# Restore previous version of an item
Restore-PnPListItemVersion -List "Employee Directory" -Identity 1 -VersionId 2
Previous version restored successfully!
Common Errors & Troubleshooting
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
Set-PnPList : Access Denied | You don’t have Site Owner/Admin permissions | Ensure you are a Site Owner or SharePoint Admin |
The term 'Set-PnPList' is not recognized | PnP PowerShell is not installed | Run Import-Module PnP.PowerShell |
Column type is invalid | Incorrect field type in Set-PnPField | Use correct types (Text, Note, Number, etc.) |
Cannot connect to SharePoint Online | Authentication issue | Use -Interactive login or App-based authentication |