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10 Must-Have PowerShell Scripts Every IT Admin Should Know

As an IT professional, your day is likely filled with repetitive tasks, tight deadlines, and constant demands for better performance. That’s why automation isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. I’m Mezba Uddin, a Microsoft MVP and MCT, and I built Mr Microsoft to help IT admins like you work smarter with automation, not harder. From Microsoft 365 automation to infrastructure monitoring and PowerShell scripting, I’ve shared practical solutions that are used in real-world environments. This article dives into ten of the most useful PowerShell scripts for IT admins, complete with automation examples and practical use cases that will boost productivity, reduce errors, and save countless hours. 

Whether you're new to scripting or looking to optimize your stack, these scripts are game-changers.

Automate Active Directory User Creation

Provisioning new users manually can lead to errors and wasted time. One of the most widely used PowerShell scripts for IT admins is an automated Active Directory user creation script. This script allows you to import user details from a CSV file and automatically create AD accounts, set passwords, assign groups, and configure properties—all in a few seconds. It’s a perfect way to speed up onboarding in large organizations. On MrMicrosoft.com, you’ll find a complete walkthrough and customizable script templates to fit your unique IT environment. Whether you're managing 10 users or 1,000, this script will become one of your most trusted tools for Active Directory administration.

Bulk Assign Microsoft 365 Licenses

In hybrid or cloud environments, managing Microsoft 365 license assignments manually is a drain on time and accuracy. Through Microsoft 365 automation, you can use a PowerShell script to assign licenses in bulk, deactivate unused ones, and even schedule regular audits. This script is a great way to enforce licensing compliance while reducing costs. At Mr Microsoft, I provide an optimized version of this script that’s suitable for large enterprise environments. It’s customizable, secure, and a great example of how scripting can eliminate repetitive administrative tasks while ensuring your Microsoft 365 deployment runs smoothly and efficiently.

Send Password Expiry Notifications Automatically

One of the most common helpdesk tickets? Password expiry. Through simple IT infrastructure automation, a PowerShell script can send automatic email notifications to users whose passwords are about to expire. It reduces last-minute password reset requests and keeps users informed. At Mr Microsoft, I share a plug-and-play script for this task, including options to adjust frequency, messaging, and groups. It’s a lightweight, server-friendly way to keep your user base informed and proactive. With this script running on a schedule, your IT team will have fewer disruptions and more time to focus on high-priority tasks.

Monitor Server Disk Space Remotely

Monitoring disk space across multiple servers—especially in hybrid cloud environments—can be difficult without the right tools. That’s why cloud automation for IT pros includes disk monitoring scripts that remotely scan storage, trigger alerts, and generate reports. I’ve posted a working solution on Mr Microsoft that connects securely to servers, logs thresholds, and sends alerts before critical levels are hit. It’s ideal for IT teams managing Azure resources, Hyper-V, or even on-premises file servers. With this script, you can detect space issues early and prevent downtime caused by full partitions.

Export Microsoft 365 Mailbox Size Reports

For admins managing Exchange Online, mailbox size tracking is essential. With the right Microsoft 365 management tools, like a PowerShell mailbox report script, you can quickly extract user sizes, quotas, and growth over time. This is invaluable for storage planning and policy enforcement. On Mr Microsoft, I’ve shared an easy-to-adapt script that pulls all mailbox data and exports it to CSV or Excel formats. You can automate it weekly, track long-term trends, or email the results to managers. It’s a simple but powerful reporting tool that turns Microsoft 365 data into actionable insights.

Parse and Report on Windows Event Logs

If you’re getting started with scripting, working with event logs is a fantastic entry point. Using PowerShell for beginners, you can write scripts that parse Windows logs to identify system crashes, login failures, or security events. I’ve built a script on Mr Microsoft that scans logs daily and sends summary reports. It’s lightweight, customizable, and useful for security monitoring. This is a perfect project for IT pros new to scripting who want meaningful results without complexity. With scheduled execution, this tool ensures proactive monitoring—especially critical in regulated or high-security environments.

Reset Passwords for Multiple Users

Resetting passwords one at a time is inefficient—especially during mass onboarding, offboarding, or policy enforcement. Using IT admin productivity tools like a PowerShell batch password reset script can streamline the process. It’s secure, scriptable, and ideal for both on-premises AD and hybrid Azure AD environments. With added functionality like expiration dates and enforced resets at next login, this script empowers IT admins to enforce password policies with speed and consistency.

Automate Windows Update Scheduling

If you’re tired of unpredictable updates or user complaints about restarts, this is for you. One of the most effective PowerShell scripts for IT admins automates the installation of Windows updates across workstations or servers. With this tool, you can check for updates, install them silently, and even reboot during off-hours. This reduces patching delays, improves compliance, and eliminates the need for manual updates or GPO complexity—especially useful in remote or hybrid work environments.

Cleanup Inactive Users with Graph API

Inactive user accounts are a security risk and resource drain. With the Microsoft Graph API, you can automate account cleanup based on login activity or license usage. My detailed Microsoft Graph API tutorial on Mr Microsoft walks through how to connect securely, pull activity data, and disable or archive stale accounts. This not only tightens security but also saves licensing costs. It’s a must-have script for admins managing large Microsoft 365 environments. Plus, the tutorial includes reusable templates to make your deployment faster and safer.

Automate SharePoint Site Provisioning

Provisioning SharePoint sites manually is tedious and error-prone. With Microsoft 365 automation, you can instantly create SharePoint sites based on predefined templates, permissions, and naming conventions. I’ve built a reusable script on Mr Microsoft that automates this entire process. It’s ideal for departments, projects, or onboarding flows where consistency and speed are critical. This script integrates with Teams and Exchange setups too, giving your IT team a full-stack provisioning workflow with minimal effort.

Final Thoughts – Automate Smarter, Not Harder

Every script above is built from real-life IT challenges I’ve encountered over the years. At Mr Microsoft, my goal is to share solutions that are practical, secure, and ready to use. Whether you're managing hundreds of users or optimizing workflows, automation is your edge—and PowerShell scripts for IT admins are your toolkit. Want more step-by-step guides and tools built by a fellow IT pro? 

Visit MrMicrosoft.com and start automating smarter today.