COMMAND EVERYTHING.
Modifies an Active Directory fine-grained password policy.
Microsoft ActiveDirectory reference: Modifies an Active Directory fine-grained password policy. 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 Set-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy. Modifying administrative cmdlets may require elevation or delegated administration. This catalog does not assert that ordinary users can execute the command.
Windows / ActiveDirectory · Windows Server 2025 documentation; feature/module prerequisites apply
-Add- Specifies values to add to an object property. Use this parameter to add one or more values to a property that cannot be modified using a cmdlet parameter. To modify an object property, you must use the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) display name. You can specify multiple values to a property by specifying a comma-separated list of values and more than one property by separating them using a semicolon. The format for this parameter is: -Add @{Attribute1LDAPDisplayName=value1, value2, ...; Attribute2LDAPDisplayName=value1, value2, ...; AttributeNLDAPDisplayName=value1, value2, ...} When you use the *Add*, *Replace*, *Clear*, and *Remove* parameters together, the operations are performed in the following order: - Remove - Add - Replace - Clear
-AuthType- Specifies the authentication method to use. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - Negotiate or 0 - Basic or 1 The default authentication method is Negotiate. A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection is required for the Basic authentication method.
-Clear- Specifies an array of object properties that are cleared in the directory. Use this parameter to clear one or more values of a property that cannot be modified using a cmdlet parameter. To modify an object property, you must use the LDAP display name. You can modify more than one property by specifying a comma-separated list. The format for this parameter is: -Clear Attribute1LDAPDisplayName, Attribute2LDAPDisplayName When you use the *Add*, *Replace*, *Clear*, and *Remove* parameters together, the operations are performed in the following order: - Remove - Add - Replace - Clear
-ComplexityEnabled- Specifies whether password complexity is enabled for the password policy. If enabled, the password must contain three of the following four character types: - Uppercase characters (A, B, C, D, E, ...) - Lowercase characters (a, b, c, d, e, ...) - Numerals (0, 1, 2, 3, ...) - Special characters (#, $, *, %, ...) This parameter sets the ComplexityEnabled property of a password policy. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - $False or 0. Disables password complexity. - $True or 1. Enables password complexity.
-Confirm- Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
-Credential- Specifies the user account credentials to use to perform this task. The default credentials are the credentials of the currently logged on user unless the cmdlet is run from an Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell provider drive. If the cmdlet is run from such a provider drive, the account associated with the drive is the default. To specify this parameter, you can type a user name, such as User1 or Domain01\User01 or you can specify a PSCredential object. If you specify a user name for this parameter, the cmdlet prompts for a password. You can also create a PSCredential object by using a script or by using the Get-Credential cmdlet. You can then set the *Credential* parameter to the PSCredential object. If the acting credentials do not have directory-level permission to perform the task, Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell returns a terminating error.
-Description- Specifies a description of the object. This parameter sets the value of the Description property for the object. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) for this property is description.
-DisplayName- Specifies the display name of the object. This parameter sets the DisplayName property of the object. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) for this property is displayName.
-Identity (required)- Specifies an Active Directory fine-grained password policy object by providing one of the following property values. The identifier in parentheses is the LDAP display name for the attribute. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - A Distinguished Name (distinguishedName) - A GUID (objectGUID) - A Name (name) The cmdlet searches the default naming context or partition to find the object. If two or more objects are found, the cmdlet returns a non-terminating error. This parameter can also get this object through the pipeline operator or you can set this parameter to a fine-grained password policy object instance.
-Instance (required)- Specifies a modified copy of a fine-grained password policy object to use to update the actual Active Directory fine-grained password policy object. When this parameter is used, any modifications made to the modified copy of the object are also made to the corresponding Active Directory object. The cmdlet only updates the object properties that have changed. The *Instance* parameter can only update fine-grained password policy objects that have been retrieved by using the Get-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy cmdlet. When you specify the *Instance* parameter, you cannot specify other parameters that set properties on the object.
-LockoutDuration- Specifies the length of time that an account is locked after the number of failed login attempts exceeds the lockout threshold. You cannot login to an account that is locked until the lockout duration time period has expired. This parameter sets the lockoutDuration property of a password policy object. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) of this property is msDS-LockoutDuration. The lockout duration must be greater than or equal to the lockout observation time for a password policy. Use the *LockOutObservationWindow* parameter to set the lockout observation time. Specify the lockout duration time interval in the following format: D.H:M:S.F where: D = Days (0 to 10675199) H = Hours (0 to 23) M = Minutes (0 to 59) S = Seconds (0 to 59) F= Fractions of a second (0 to 9999999)
-LockoutObservationWindow- Specifies the maximum time interval between two unsuccessful login attempts before the number of unsuccessful login attempts is reset to 0. An account is locked when the number of unsuccessful login attempts exceeds the password policy lockout threshold. This parameter sets the lockoutObservationWindow property of a password policy object. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) of this property is msDS-lockoutObservationWindow. The lockout observation window must be smaller than or equal to the lockout duration for a password policy. Use the *LockoutDuration* parameter to set the lockout duration time. Specify the time interval in the following format: D:H:M:S.F where: D = Days (0 to 10675199) H = Hours (0 to 23) M = Minutes (0 to 59) S = Seconds (0 to 59) F= Fractions of a second (0 to 9999999) Note: Time values must be between the following values: 0:0:0:0.0 and 10675199:02:48:05.4775807.
-LockoutThreshold- Specifies the number of unsuccessful login attempts that are permitted before an account is locked out. This number increases when the time between unsuccessful login attempts is less than the time specified for the lockout observation time window. This parameter sets the LockoutThreshold property of a password policy.
-MaxPasswordAge- Specifies the maximum length of time that you can have the same password. After this time period, the password expires and you must create a new one. This parameter sets the maxPasswordAge property of a password policy. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) for this property is maxPwdAge. Specify the time interval in the following format: D.H:M:S.F where: D = Days (0 to 10675199) H = Hours (0 to 23) M = Minutes (0 to 59) S = Seconds (0 to 59) F= Fractions of a second (0 to 9999999) Note: Time values must be between the following values: 0:0:0:0.0 and 10675199:02:48:05.4775807.
-MinPasswordAge- Specifies the minimum length of time before you can change a password. This parameter sets the minPasswordAge property of a password policy. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) for this property is minPwdAge. Specify the time interval in the following format: D.H:M:S.F where: D = Days (0 to 10675199) H = Hours (0 to 23) M = Minutes (0 to 59) S = Seconds (0 to 59) F= Fractions of a second (0 to 9999999) Note: Time values must be between the following values: 0:0:0:0.0 and 10675199:02:48:05.4775807.
-MinPasswordLength- Specifies the minimum number of characters that a password must contain. This parameter sets the MinPasswordLength property of the password policy.
-PassThru- Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
-PasswordHistoryCount- Specifies the number of previous passwords to save. A user cannot reuse a password in the list of saved passwords. This parameter sets the PasswordHistoryCount property for a password policy.
-Precedence- Specifies a value that defines the precedence of a fine-grained password policy among all fine-grained password policies. This parameter sets the Precedence property for a fine-grained password policy. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) for this property is msDS-PasswordSettingsPrecedence. This value determines which password policy to use when more than one password policy applies to a user or group. When there is a conflict, the password policy that has the lower Precedence property value has higher priority. For example, if PasswordPolicy1 has a Precedence property value of 200 and PasswordPolicy2 has a Precedence property value of 100, PasswordPolicy2 is used. Typically, password policy precedence values are assigned in multiples of 10 or 100, making it easier to add policies at a later time. For example, if you set the initial precedence values for your policies to 100 and 200, you can add another policy that has precedence value of 150. If the specified *Precedence* parameter is already assigned to another password policy object, the cmdlet returns a terminating error.
-ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion- Specifies whether to prevent the object from being deleted. When this property is set to true, you cannot delete the corresponding object without changing the value of the property. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - $False or 0 - $True or 1
-Remove- Specifies that the cmdlet remove values of an object property. Use this parameter to remove one or more values of a property that cannot be modified using a cmdlet parameter. To remove an object property, you must use the LDAP display name. You can remove more than one property by specifying a semicolon-separated list. The format for this parameter is: -Remove @{Attribute1LDAPDisplayName=value[]; Attribute2LDAPDisplayName=value[]} When you use the *Add*, *Replace*, *Clear*, and *Remove* parameters together, the operations are performed in the following order: - Remove - Add - Replace - Clear
-Replace- Specifies values for an object property that will replace the current values. Use this parameter to replace one or more values of a property that cannot be modified using a cmdlet parameter. To modify an object property, you must use the LDAP display name. You can specify multiple values to a property by specifying a comma-separated list of values, and more than one property by separating them using a semicolon. The format for this parameter is: -Replace @{Attribute1LDAPDisplayName=value1, value2, ...; Attribute2LDAPDisplayName=value1, value2, ...; AttributeNLDAPDisplayName=value1, value2, ...} When you use the *Add*, *Remove*, *Replace*, and *Clear* parameters together, the operations will be performed in the following order: - Remove - Add - Replace - Clear
-ReversibleEncryptionEnabled- Specifies whether the directory must store passwords using reversible encryption. This parameter sets the ReversibleEncryption property for a password policy. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - $False or 0 - $True or 1
-Server- Specifies the Active Directory Domain Services instance to connect to, by providing one of the following values for a corresponding domain name or directory server. The service may be any of the following: Active Directory Lightweight Domain Services, Active Directory Domain Services, or Active Directory snapshot instance. Specify the Active Directory Domain Services instance in one of the following ways: Domain name values: - Fully qualified domain name - NetBIOS name Directory server values: - Fully qualified directory server name - NetBIOS name - Fully qualified directory server name and port The default value for this parameter is determined by one of the following methods in the order that they are listed: - By using the *Server* value from objects passed through the pipeline - By using the server information associated with the Active Directory Domain Services Windows PowerShell provider drive, when the cmdlet runs in that drive - By using the domain of the computer running Windows PowerShell
-WhatIf- Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Windows with the ActiveDirectory module and the Windows feature or management tools that provide it. Confirm target connectivity and version compatibility using the linked Microsoft reference.
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.