Commands › Exchange Online

New-ComplianceSearch

Exchange Online ExchangeOnlineManagement New-*

Create compliance searches in Exchange Server 2016 or later and in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal. You use this cmdlet to define the search criteria. > [!NOTE] > In the cloud, this cmdlet has the following requirements: > - Version 3.9.0 or later of the Exchange Online PowerShell module (August 2025). > - Use the *EnableSearchOnlySession* parameter when you run the **Connect-IPPSSession** command to connect to Security & Compliance PowerShell.

Quick start script

# New-ComplianceSearch — quick start (serv365.ai)
# 1. Connect (app-only shown; interactive: omit the certificate parameters)
Connect-ExchangeOnline -CertificateThumbprint $thumb -AppId $appId -Organization $org

# 2. Capture the current state first — you cannot roll back what you never recorded
$before = Get-ComplianceSearch
$before | Format-List

# 3. Make the change (dry run first)
New-ComplianceSearch -Name <String> -WhatIf
New-ComplianceSearch -Name <String>

# 4. Verify and diff
$after = Get-ComplianceSearch
Compare-Object ($before | Out-String) ($after | Out-String)

Syntax

New-ComplianceSearch [-Name] <String>
 [-AllowNotFoundExchangeLocationsEnabled <Boolean>]
 [-Case <String>]
 [-Confirm]
 [-ContentMatchQuery <String>]
 [-Description <String>]
 [-ExchangeLocation <String[]>]
 [-ExchangeLocationExclusion <String[]>]
 [-Force]
 [-HoldNames <String[]>]
 [-IncludeOrgContent <Boolean>]
 [-IncludeUserAppContent <Boolean>]
 [-Language <CultureInfo>]
 [-LogLevel <ComplianceJobLogLevel>]
 [-PublicFolderLocation <String[]>]
 [-RefinerNames <String[]>]
 [-SharePointLocation <String[]>]
 [-SharePointLocationExclusion <String[]>]
 [-StatusMailRecipients <String[]>]
 [-WhatIf]
 [<CommonParameters>]

Parameters (20)

Parameter	Type	Required	What it controls
-Name	String	yes	The Name parameter specifies the name of the compliance search. If the value contains spaces, enclose the value in quotation marks.
-AllowNotFoundExchangeLocationsEnabled	Boolean		The AllowNotFoundExchangeLocationsEnabled parameter specifies whether to include mailboxes other than regular user mailboxes in the compliance search. Valid values are:
-Case	String		This parameter is available only in the cloud-based service.
-Confirm	SwitchParameter		The Confirm switch specifies whether to show or hide the confirmation prompt. How this switch affects the cmdlet depends on whether the cmdlet requires confirmation before proceeding.
-ContentMatchQuery	String		The ContentMatchQuery parameter specifies a content search filter.
-Description	String		The Description parameter specifies an optional description for the compliance search. If the value contains spaces, enclose the value in quotation marks.
-ExchangeLocation	String[]		The ExchangeLocation parameter specifies the mailboxes to include. Valid values are:
-ExchangeLocationExclusion	String[]		This parameter is functional only in on-premises Exchange.
-Force	SwitchParameter		The Force switch hides warning or confirmation messages. You don't need to specify a value with this switch.
-HoldNames	String[]		This parameter is available only in the cloud-based service.
-IncludeOrgContent	Boolean		{{ Fill IncludeOrgContent Description }}
-IncludeUserAppContent	Boolean		This parameter is available only in the cloud-based service.
-Language	CultureInfo		The Language parameter specifies the language for the compliance search.
-LogLevel	ComplianceJobLogLevel		This parameter is available only in on-premises Exchange.
-PublicFolderLocation	String[]		This parameter is available only in the cloud-based service.
-RefinerNames	String[]		This parameter is available only in the cloud-based service.
-SharePointLocation	String[]		This parameter is available only in the cloud-based service.
-SharePointLocationExclusion	String[]		This parameter is available only in the cloud-based service.
-StatusMailRecipients	String[]		This parameter is available only in on-premises Exchange.
-WhatIf	SwitchParameter		This parameter is reserved for internal Microsoft use.

Reference facts derived from Microsoft documentation, © Microsoft, licensed CC BY 4.0; restructured with original guidance by serv365.ai.