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Last verified: 2026-10-26
Microsoft GroupPolicy reference: Backs up one GPO or all the GPOs in a domain. The syntax and selected example below are adapted from the pinned Windows Server 2025 reference. Module availability, target configuration and delegated permissions determine whether it can run in your environment. Documentation and parameter text: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; formatting adapted by Cmdlet World. No execution testing is claimed.
Use an account with the target resource permissions documented for Backup-GPO. Modifying administrative cmdlets may require elevation or delegated administration. This catalog does not assert that ordinary users can execute the command.
Supported environments
Windows / GroupPolicy · Windows Server 2025 documentation; feature/module prerequisites apply
Parameters
-All
Specifies that all the GPOs in the domain are backed up.
-Comment
Specifies a comment for the backed-up GPO. The comment string must be enclosed in double-quotation or single-quotation marks and can contain 2,047 characters.
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
-Domain
Specifies the domain for this cmdlet. You must specify the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the domain (for example: sales.contoso.com). For the Backup-GPO cmdlet, the GPO to back up must exist in this domain. If you do not specify the Domain parameter, the domain of the user that is running the current session is used. (If the cmdlet is being run from a computer startup or shutdown script, the domain of the computer is used.) For more information, see the Notes section in the full Help. If you specify a domain that is different from the domain of the user that is running the current session (or, for a startup or shutdown script, the computer), a trust must exist between that domain and the domain of the user (or the computer). You can also refer to Domain by its built-in alias, domain name. For more information, see about_Aliases
-Guid (required)
Specifies the GPO to backup by its globally unique identifier (GUID). The GUID uniquely identifies the GPO. You can also refer to the Guid parameter by its built-in alias, Id. For more information, see about_Aliases.
-Name (required)
Specifies the GPO to backup by its display name. The display name is not guaranteed to be unique in the domain. If another GPO with the same display name exists in the domain an error occurs. You can use the Guid parameter to uniquely identify a GPO. You can also refer to the Name parameter by its built-in alias, DisplayName. For more information, see about_Aliases.
-Path (required)
Specifies the path to the backup directory; for instance, C:\Backups or \\MyServer\Backups.
-Server
Specifies the name of the domain controller that this cmdlet contacts to complete the operation. You can specify either the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) or the host name. If you do not specify the name by using the Server parameter, the PDC emulator is contacted.
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Prerequisites
Windows with the GroupPolicy module and the Windows feature or management tools that provide it. Confirm target connectivity and version compatibility using the linked Microsoft reference.
Security considerations
This cmdlet changes system state. Review every target and parameter in the official reference, test outside production, and prepare an appropriate backup or rollback. Do not execute the example automatically.
This command backs up the TestGPO GPO to the C:\GpoBackups directory. The specified comment is included in the GPO backup. Source: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; transcript prompt/output removed. This example was not executed.