PowerShell Array

What is PowerShell Array?

A PowerShell array is a data structure used to store multiple values in a single variable. It allows you to group a collection of items—such as email addresses, usernames, or user IDs—and perform operations on each element collectively. Arrays are especially helpful in Microsoft 365 administration where bulk operations on multiple users or objects are common.

With arrays, you can streamline scripts that apply the same logic (like password resets or license assignments) to a list of users, improving efficiency and consistency.

How PowerShell Array Operates?

You can create a PowerShell array using the @() syntax, listing each item inside the parentheses. Once defined, a foreach loop can iterate over the array, applying actions to each item one at a time.

Example:

$items = @("value1", "value2", "value3")
foreach ($item in $items) {
    # Do something with $item
}
                                        

Arrays are dynamically sized and flexible—you can append new values using += and filter or manipulate them as needed. They make scripts more organized and reusable, especially when working with lists of Microsoft 365 users or groups.

Usage Example

Here’s a script that stores a list of Microsoft 365 user UPNs (whose passwords need to be reset) in an array and resets their passwords using Microsoft Graph PowerShell:

# Connect to Microsoft Graph
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "User.ReadWrite.All"
                                            
# Define an array of user UPNs
$usersToReset = @(
    "jackie@7xh7fj.onmicrosoft.com",
    "jangri.doe@7xh7fj.onmicrosoft.com",
    "jalebi.doe@7xh7fj.onmicrosoft.com"
)
                                            
# Set a common temporary password
$tempPassword = "Temp@12345"
                                            
# Loop through users and reset their passwords
foreach ($upn in $usersToReset) {
    try {
        Update-MgUser -UserId $upn -BodyParameter @{
        PasswordProfile = @{
            Password = $tempPassword
            ForceChangePasswordNextSignIn = $true
        }
    }
    Write-Host "✅ Password reset for $upn" -ForegroundColor Green
    }
    catch {
    Write-Host "❌ Failed for $upn - $($_.Exception.Message)" -ForegroundColor Red
    }
}
                                        

This is a powerful and practical use of arrays to simplify bulk password resets in Microsoft 365 using Graph PowerShell.