Get-MgDirectoryObjectById: A Comprehensive Guide

The Get-MgDirectoryObjectById cmdlet in Microsoft Graph PowerShell allows administrators to retrieve directory objects (such as users, groups, and devices) using their unique object IDs. This cmdlet is especially useful for fetching specific directory objects when their identifiers are known.

Cmdlet Syntax

Get-MgDirectoryObjectById -BodyParameter <Hashtable>

Parameters:

• -BodyParameter (Required): A hashtable containing the object IDs (ids) and object types (types) to fetch from Microsoft Entra ID.

Usage Examples

Retrieve Detailed Information for Specific Users

$params = @{
ids = @(
        "cc37ba04-e73a-4986-b63e-ce887d726b66"
        "d7004a09-ebf0-4e24-bbb9-1d49df68453e"
        )
        types = @("user")
}                  
Get-MgDirectoryObjectById -BodyParameter $params | Select-Object Id, DisplayName, UserPrincipalName, AccountEnabled

Explanation: This command retrieves detailed information about the specified users, including their display names, user principal names, and account status.

Retrieve Group Details by Object IDs

$params = @{
ids = @(
        "cc37ba04-e73a-4986-b63e-ce887d726b66"
        "d7004a09-ebf0-4e24-bbb9-1d49df68453e"
        )
        types = @("group")
}                  
Get-MgDirectoryObjectById -BodyParameter $params | Select-Object Id, DisplayName, GroupTypes, SecurityEnabled

Explanation: This command fetches specific details about the requested groups, including their display name, group type, and whether they are security-enabled.

Retrieve Mixed Directory Object Types

$params = @{
ids = @(
        "cc37ba04-e73a-4986-b63e-ce887d726b66"
        "d7004a09-ebf0-4e24-bbb9-1d49df68453e"
        )
        types = @(user", "group", "device")
}                  
Get-MgDirectoryObjectById -BodyParameter $params | Select-Object Id, DisplayName, @{Label='Type';Expression={$_.ODataType}}

Explanation: This example retrieves multiple object types (users, groups, and devices) in a single request and displays their ID, name, and type.

Cmdlet Tips

• Ensure that you have the required permissions (Directory.Read.All) in Microsoft Graph to retrieve directory objects.
• The ids parameter must contain valid GUIDs representing object IDs in Microsoft Entra ID.
• The types parameter must be specified correctly (e.g., user, group, device); otherwise, the cmdlet may return no results.
• Use Select-Object to extract specific properties instead of retrieving the entire object.
• • If retrieving multiple objects, ensure the IDs exist and belong to the correct type to avoid empty responses.

Use Cases

• Audit & Compliance: Retrieve detailed user and group information for security audits.
• Troubleshooting: Fetch object details for troubleshooting identity-related issues.
• Bulk Operations: Retrieve multiple directory objects at once using their unique IDs.
• User & Group Management: Fetch and validate user and group details before performing updates or assignments.

Possible Errors and Solutions

Error	Cause	Solution
Insufficient privileges to complete the operation.	The signed-in user lacks the required Microsoft Graph permissions	Assign the Directory.Read.All or User.Read.All permission via Connect-MgGraph -Scopes 'Directory.Read.All'
The provided ID is not valid.	One or more of the provided object IDs are incorrect.	Verify that the object IDs exist and are correctly formatted as GUIDs.
No results returned.	The specified object type does not match the actual object.	Double-check the types parameter to ensure it corresponds to the correct object category.

Conclusion

The Get-MgDirectoryObjectById cmdlet is a powerful tool for retrieving directory object details using known object IDs. By leveraging this cmdlet, administrators can efficiently fetch user, group, or device details for auditing, troubleshooting, and identity management tasks. Ensuring the correct object types and permissions are set will help avoid common issues while executing this command.