Office 365 - Create Remote PowerShell Shortcut

In a previous post, I showed how to create a Remote PowerShell shortcut for Exchange on-premises, to save you from having to type in the remote session every time you connect.

Since I've been doing more work in O365, I decided to do the same for that; especially because Office 365 has many more connections you have to run, such as Exchange, Skype For Business/Teams, Azure AD, and Security Center.

This PS shortcut will install and import those sessions and get you signed in all in one shot.

First, set your PowerShell execution policy - I use Unrestricted but you can use RemoteSigned:

Open PowerShell as admin, and run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

Next, enable PS remoting by running:

Enable-PSRemoting

Then, install the required modules:

For MSOL, run:

Install-Module MSOnline

**Note** We're using MSOL because it's more comprehensive than AzureAD

**Note** Running the above cmdlet should install the latest version straight from the PowerShell gallery. If it doesn't, browse here and grab it:

https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/MSOnline/1.1.183.17

Next, download the Skype for Business Online Connector module from here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39366

**Note** As of this writing, the SFB Online Connector will manage Teams as well.

Next, copy the following block and paste it into Notepad:

$credential = Get-Credential
$exchangeSession = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://outlook.office365.com/powershell-liveid/ -Credential $credential -Authentication "Basic" -AllowRedirection
Import-PSSession $exchangeSession -DisableNameChecking
$SccSession = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://ps.compliance.protection.outlook.com/powershell-liveid/ -Credential $credential -Authentication "Basic" -AllowRedirection
Import-PSSession $SccSession -Prefix cc
Connect-MsolService -Credential $credential
Import-Module SkypeOnlineConnector
$sfboSession = New-CsOnlineSession -Credential $credential
Import-PSSession $sfboSession

**Note** I left out the SharePoint Online connection, because in order to run it without errors you either need to set your local DNS to Google's, or use the web login and that's a pain - plus I don't manage SharePoint, so......

**Note** The Exchange Online and Security Center won't work if you run MFA. For that, you need to install the EXOPS modules, which can't be run in a single window.

Save it as a .ps1 with a name like O365-Remote.ps1 to somewhere like C:\Scripts

Next, create a PowerShell shortcut anywhere, like on your Desktop:

Right-click the Desktop > New > Shortcut

In the location field, enter:

Powershell.exe

Click Next

Give it a name like O365RemotePS and click Finish.

Right-click the new O365RemotePS shortcut, and go to Properties.

In the Target field, add the following to the end of the line:

-NoExit -File "C:\Scripts\O365-Remote.ps1"

It will look like so:

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -NoExit -File "C:\Scripts\365-Remote.ps1"

Click OK.

Run your new shortcut as admin, and you'll get a creds prompt for your Office 365 organization.

**Note** Enter creds in the username@orgname.com format.

Once it starts the remote session, you'll be able to run your O365 cmdlets.