PowerShell Set-ADGroup: Modify Active Directory Groups
• 2 min read
powershell active-directory set-adgroup group-management tutorial
PowerShell Set-ADGroup: Complete Guide to Modifying AD Groups
Overview
The Set-ADGroup cmdlet modifies properties of group objects in Active Directory. Used for updating descriptions, ownership, and other group attributes.
Common Tasks:
- Update group descriptions
- Change group ownership
- Modify group display names
- Update email addresses
- Bulk update multiple groups
Prerequisites:
- PowerShell 5.1 or later
- Active Directory PowerShell module
- Administrator permissions
Syntax
Set-ADGroup [-Identity] <ADGroup> [-Description <string>] [-DisplayName <string>] [-ManagedBy <string>]
```powershell
### Key Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|-----------|------|-------------|
| `-Identity` | ADGroup | Group to modify |
| `-Description` | String | Group description |
| `-DisplayName` | String | Group display name |
| `-ManagedBy` | String | Group owner/manager |
---
## Examples
### Example 1: Update Description
```powershell
Set-ADGroup -Identity "IT-Support" -Description "IT Help Desk - Supports all technical issues"
```powershell
### Example 2: Set Group Owner
```powershell
$manager = Get-ADUser "bob.wilson"
Set-ADGroup -Identity "IT-Support" -ManagedBy $manager
```powershell
### Example 3: Update Display Name
```powershell
Set-ADGroup -Identity "IT-Support" -DisplayName "Information Technology Support Team"
```powershell
### Example 4: Bulk Update Descriptions
```powershell
Get-ADGroup -Filter "description -like '*old*'" |
Set-ADGroup -Description "Updated group description"
```powershell
### Example 5: Update Groups by Department
```powershell
$departments = @("IT", "HR", "Finance")
foreach ($dept in $departments) {
Set-ADGroup -Identity "$dept-All" `
-Description "All users in the $dept department"
}
```powershell
### Example 6: Bulk Update from CSV
```powershell
$csv = Import-Csv "C:\group-updates.csv"
foreach ($item in $csv) {
Set-ADGroup -Identity $item.GroupName `
-Description $item.NewDescription
}
```powershell
### Example 7: Set Manager for Multiple Groups
```powershell
$manager = Get-ADUser "sjones"
$groups = "Finance-All", "Finance-Staff", "Finance-Managers"
foreach ($group in $groups) {
Set-ADGroup -Identity $group -ManagedBy $manager
}
```powershell
---
## Best Practices
✅ **Keep descriptions current** - Document group purpose
✅ **Assign owners** - Set group manager
✅ **Use bulk operations** - Update multiple groups efficiently
✅ **Log changes** - Record modifications
✅ **Verify changes** - Confirm updates applied
---
## Related Commands
- **[Get-ADGroup](/powershell-get-adgroup)** - Query groups
- **[New-ADGroup](/powershell-new-adgroup)** - Create groups
- **[Remove-ADGroup](/powershell-remove-adgroup)** - Delete groups
- **[Add-ADGroupMember](/powershell-add-adgroupmember)** - Add members
---
## See Also
- **[Get-ADGroup](/powershell-get-adgroup)** - Query groups
- **[New-ADGroup](/powershell-new-adgroup)** - Create groups
- **[Active Directory Groups Guide](/active-directory-groups)** - Groups overview
---
**Last Updated:** February 6, 2026
**Difficulty Level:** Intermediate
**Reading Time:** 8 minutes