PowerShell Modules: Install, Update, Use

PowerShell’s power comes from modules. Here’s how to find, install, and manage them properly.

Finding Modules

# Search PowerShell Gallery
Find-Module -Name "*Intune*"
Find-Module -Name "*AzureAD*"
Find-Module -Name "*PnP*"

# Search by tag
Find-Module -Tag "Azure"

Installing Modules

# Install for current user (recommended)
Install-Module -Name "Microsoft.Graph" -Scope CurrentUser

# Install for all users (requires admin)
Install-Module -Name "Microsoft.Graph" -Scope AllUsers

# Install specific version
Install-Module -Name "Microsoft.Graph" -MinimumVersion "2.0.0" -MaximumVersion "2.9.0"

Update Modules

# Check for updates
Get-Module -ListAvailable | Where-Object { $_.UpdateAvailable }

# Update single module
Update-Module -Name "Microsoft.Graph"

# Update all
Update-Module -Name "*"

Trusted Repositories

# Add trusted repository
Register-PSRepository -Name "MyRepo" -SourceLocation "https://myrepo.com/nuget" -InstallationPolicy Trusted

# Set PSGallery to trusted (careful!)
Set-PSRepository -Name "PSGallery" -InstallationPolicy Trusted

Managing Modules

# List installed modules
Get-Module -ListAvailable

# List imported modules in current session
Get-Module

# Import a module
Import-Module "Microsoft.Graph"

# Remove module from session
Remove-Module "Microsoft.Graph"

Common Modules You’ll Need

Module	Purpose
Microsoft.Graph	Intune, Azure AD, M365
AzureAD	Legacy Azure AD
PnP.PowerShell	SharePoint/Teams
ImportExcel	Excel manipulation
PSWriteHTML	HTML reports
Pester	Testing

Uninstall Old Versions

# List all versions
Get-InstalledModule -Name "Microsoft.Graph" -AllVersions

# Remove old version
Uninstall-Module -Name "Microsoft.Graph" -RequiredVersion "1.9.2" -Force

Module Best Practices

1. Scope CurrentUser — Don’t pollute system
2. Check signatures — Only install signed modules
3. Pin versions — Production scripts need stable versions
4. Document dependencies — Note module versions in scripts

Wrap-Up

Modules extend PowerShell’s capabilities. Install what you need, keep them updated, and be careful with repository trust settings.

Questions? Drop them below!