Migrating from New-AzureADMSGroupLifecyclePolicy to New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy

As Microsoft phases out the AzureAD module, it’s time for administrators to migrate their scripts to the modern, secure, and flexible Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. One such commonly used cmdlet is New-AzureADMSGroupLifecyclePolicy, which was used to configure group expiration policies across Microsoft 365 groups.

In this article, you'll learn how to replace New-AzureADMSGroupLifecyclePolicy with New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy, what’s different in the new Graph-based approach, and how to implement it with real-world examples.

What You Did Previously with New-AzureADMSGroupLifecyclePolicy?

Using the AzureAD module, you could create lifecycle policies that automatically expired Microsoft 365 groups after a certain number of days, with optional notification emails.

Example

New-AzureADMSGroupLifecyclePolicy -GroupLifetimeInDays 180 `-AlternateNotificationEmails "samadmin@7xh7fj.onmicrosoft.com"

This created a lifecycle policy where groups expire after 180 days unless renewed, and email alerts were sent to the alternate contact.

What You Should Do Now with New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy?

The equivalent cmdlet in Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK is New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy. While the functionality remains the same, the implementation now uses a hashtable passed through the -BodyParameter parameter — a standard Graph pattern.

Example

$params = @{
    groupLifetimeInDays = 180
    alternateNotificationEmails = "samadmin@7xh7fj.onmicrosoft.com"
}
New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy -BodyParameter $params

In this example:

• groupLifetimeInDays = 180 means the group will automatically expire after 180 days unless renewed.
• alternateNotificationEmails defines who receives notifications if no group owner is available.

This syntax is more structured and consistent with the Graph API design principles.

What’s Different with New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy?

🔄 Old (New-AzureADMSGroupLifecyclePolicy)	➡️ New (New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy)
AzureAD module (deprecated)	Microsoft.Graph.Groups.LifecyclePolicies module
Hardcoded input	Highly scriptable and extensible
Less consistent with API model	Fully Graph-compliant design
Limited integration with broader services	Works natively with other Graph modules

Conclusion

Migrating from New-AzureADMSGroupLifecyclePolicy to New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy is a simple yet important step toward future-proofing your Microsoft 365 group management strategy. With Microsoft Graph, you gain improved consistency, integration, and support for advanced automation scenarios.

Whether you're enforcing group expiration policies or ensuring continuity through alternate notification emails, New-MgGroupLifecyclePolicy is the reliable, modern tool to keep your directory clean and compliant.