Networking / Security · Risk: High · Documentation Verified
Last verified: 2026-10-26
Microsoft DnsServer reference: Changes settings for a DNS primary zone. 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-DnsServerPrimaryZone. Modifying administrative cmdlets may require elevation or delegated administration. This catalog does not assert that ordinary users can execute the command.
Supported environments
Windows / DnsServer · Windows Server 2025 documentation; feature/module prerequisites apply
Parameters
-AllowedDcForNsRecordsAutoCreation
Specifies IP addresses of domain controllers that add their names in Name Server (NS) resource records for the zone.
-AsJob
Runs the cmdlet as a background job. Use this parameter to run commands that take a long time to complete. The cmdlet immediately returns an object that represents the job and then displays the command prompt. You can continue to work in the session while the job completes. To manage the job, use the *-Job cmdlets. To get the job results, use the Receive-Job cmdlet. For more information about Windows PowerShell background jobs, see about_Jobs.
-CimSession
Runs the cmdlet in a remote session or on a remote computer. Enter a computer name or a session object, such as the output of a New-CimSession or Get-CimSession cmdlet. The default is the current session on the local computer.
-ComputerName
Specifies a DNS server. If you do not specify this parameter, the command runs on the local system. You can specify an IP address or any value that resolves to an IP address, such as a fully qualified domain name (FQDN), host name, or NETBIOS name.
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
-DirectoryPartitionName
Specifies a directory partition on which to store the zone. Use this parameter when the *ReplicationScope* parameter has a value of Custom.
-DynamicUpdate
Specifies how a zone accepts dynamic updates. Servers that accept dynamic updates can receive client registration requests. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - None - Secure - NonsecureAndSecure DNS update security is available only for Active Directory-integrated zones.
-IgnorePolicies
Indicates whether to ignore policies for this zone.
-Name (required)
Specifies the name of a zone.
-Notify
Specifies how a DNS master server notifies secondary servers of changes to resource records. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - NoNotify. The zone does not send change notifications to secondary servers. - Notify. The zone sends change notifications to all secondary servers. - NotifyServers. The zone sends change notifications to some secondary servers. If you choose this option, specify the list of secondary servers in the *NotifyServers* parameter.
-NotifyServers
Specifies an array of IP addresses of secondary DNS servers that the DNS master server notifies of changes to resource records. You need this parameter only if you selected the value NotifyServers for the *Notify* parameter.
-PassThru
Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
-ReplicationScope (required)
Specifies a partition on which to store an Active Directory-integrated zone. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - Custom. Any custom directory partition that a user creates. Specify a custom directory partition by using the *DirectoryPartitionName* parameter. - Domain. The domain directory partition. - Forest. The ForestDnsZone directory partition. - Legacy. A legacy directory partition.
-SecondaryServers
Specifies an array of IP addresses of DNS servers that are allowed to receive this zone through zone transfers.
-SecureSecondaries
Specifies how a DNS master server allows zone transfers to secondary servers. You can configure the DNS server to send zone transfers only certain servers. If other servers request zone transfers, the DNS server rejects the requests. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - NoTransfer. Zone transfers are not allowed on this DNS server for this zone. - TransferAnyServer. Zone transfers are allowed to any DNS server. - TransferToZoneNameServer. Zone transfers are allowed only to servers in the name servers (NS) records for this zone. - TransferToSecureServers. Zone transfers are allowed only for secondary servers.
-ThrottleLimit
Specifies the maximum number of concurrent operations that can be established to run the cmdlet. If this parameter is omitted or a value of 0 is entered, then Windows PowerShell® calculates an optimum throttle limit for the cmdlet based on the number of CIM cmdlets that are running on the computer. The throttle limit applies only to the current cmdlet, not to the session or to the computer.
-VirtualizationInstance
Specifies the virtualization instance in which the zone will be added. A virtualization instance is logical partition in a DNS Server, which is capable of independently hosting zones and zone scopes. Same name zones and zone scopes can be hosted in different virtualization instances. This parameter is optional and if not provided it will add the zone into the default virtualization instance which is functionally equivalent to a standard DNS server.
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
-ZoneFile (required)
Specifies the name of the zone file. This parameter is relevant only for file-backed DNS.
Prerequisites
Windows with the DnsServer 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 changes the dynamic update setting to NonsecureAndSecure for the zone named western.contoso.com. The example uses the *PassThru* parameter to return output. Source: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; transcript prompt/output removed. This example was not executed.