Commands › Exchange Online

Start-ComplianceSearch

Exchange Online ExchangeOnlineManagement Start-*

Start stopped, completed or not started compliance searches in Exchange Server 2016 or later and in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal. > [!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

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

# 2. Run and inspect
Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity <ComplianceSearchIdParameter> | Format-List

# 3. Export for evidence / drift tracking
Start-ComplianceSearch | Export-Clixml .\ComplianceSearch-$(Get-Date -Format yyyyMMdd).xml

Syntax

Start-ComplianceSearch [-Identity] <ComplianceSearchIdParameter>
 [-Confirm]
 [-Force]
 [-RetryOnError]
 [-WhatIf]
 [<CommonParameters>]

Parameters (5)

Parameter	Type	Required	What it controls
-Identity	ComplianceSearchIdParameter	yes	The Identity parameter specifies the compliance search that you want to start.
-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.
-Force	SwitchParameter		The Force switch hides warning or confirmation messages. You don't need to specify a value with this switch.
-RetryOnError	SwitchParameter		The RetryOnError switch specifies whether to retry the search on any items that failed without re-running the entire search all over again. You don't need to specify a value with this switch.
-WhatIf	SwitchParameter		The WhatIf switch doesn't work in Security & Compliance PowerShell.

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