Opselith
POWERSHELL / EXCHANGEONLINEMANAGEMENT
ProIntermediateRead-onlylow

Find mailboxes on retention hold

Find Exchange Online mailboxes with RetentionHoldEnabled set and export them to CSV with PowerShell.

Open in PowerShell Builder →Browse all scripts

Generated securely after server-side Pro license validation · Review before running · Opselith does not connect to your tenant

What this PowerShell script does

Finds mailboxes with retention hold enabled.

Requirements

  • CSV output path - Example: C:\Temp\report.csv

Environment

  • Module: ExchangeOnlineManagement
  • Permissions: View-Only Recipients
  • Output: CSV report
  • Context: PowerShell 7 · Exchange Online
  • Risk: Low
Review before you run The script is generated securely after server-side Pro license validation. Test outside production first.
NEXT STEP

Ready to generate

Configure Find mailboxes on retention hold in the Builder, review the generated PowerShell and run it yourself in your own PowerShell session.

Configure this script →Open Builder
More about this script

Why use this template?

Use this PowerShell template when you need to find mailboxes with retention hold enabled. It can be previewed in the Builder; Pro access is required to generate it for your own environment.

The template uses ExchangeOnlineManagement and requires View-Only Recipients. Output: CSV report. Level: Intermediate. Action: Read-only. Risk: Low.

Review before running

The script remains preview-only until Pro access is enabled. Review it before running it, and test it outside production first. “Read-only” describes the script itself; anything you add around it can still change data.

Preview the script

  1. Open the template in the PowerShell Builder.
  2. Review the purpose, requirements, permissions, output and risk.
  3. Activate Pro when you are ready to generate the full script, then test it outside production.

Pro templates remain previewable before purchase or activation. No tenant connection is required. When you generate a Pro script, only the configuration values needed for that template are sent to Opselith after license validation.Preview Find mailboxes on retention hold →

How to use this result

Use this report to identify mailboxes where Exchange MRM retention-policy processing has been placed on retention hold.

When this helps

  • Review retention-hold state during MRM troubleshooting.
  • Find mailboxes where retention processing may have been intentionally paused.
  • Compare retention-hold state with operational documentation before policy changes.

How to read the result

  • Microsoft describes RetentionHoldEnabled as suspending MRM retention-policy processing by the Managed Folder Assistant for that mailbox.
  • Retention hold is not the same as Litigation Hold and is not a substitute for legal preservation requirements.

Things to check

  • Do not assume a mailbox is legally preserved because RetentionHoldEnabled is true.
  • Confirm the reason for the hold before enabling or disabling MRM processing.

What to do next: Investigate why each mailbox is on retention hold and confirm whether normal MRM processing should remain paused.

Related tasks

Official references

Before you runModule, permissions, inputs, compatibility and script checks
OPS / SCRIPT DETAILS

Script details

Finds mailboxes with retention hold enabled. Review these details before generating or running the script.

securityfindmailboxexchangeretention
Generated here. Run by you.Opselith does not connect to your tenant or run PowerShell. After generating, review the script and run it in your own PowerShell session.

What it works with

Module: ExchangeOnlineManagement

ExchangeOnlineManagement lets PowerShell connect to and work with Exchange Online.

Context: PowerShell 7 · Exchange Online

Compatibility: PowerShell 7 is the supported target for this Microsoft 365 template.

Permissions and changes

Permissions: View-Only Recipients

Risk: Low

Read-only: designed to collect information without intentionally changing the target environment.

Changes: Read-only. The script reads data and does not intentionally change the target environment.

Inputs

  • CSV output path - Example: C:\Temp\report.csv (Required)

What to expect

Output: CSV report

Expect a CSV file at the path you choose. Open it in Excel or another CSV viewer and review the rows.

Example: C:\Temp\report.csv

This template is in the Pro library. Generating the full script requires eligible Pro or tester access. Opselith receives only the values needed to build the script; it does not connect to your tenant, run PowerShell or store the generated script. You review and run the result in your own PowerShell session.

Example use

Finds mailboxes with retention hold enabled.

Enter the required values in the Builder, review the generated script and confirm the output before running it.

Before you run: Make sure your account has View-Only Recipients. Check that the ExchangeOnlineManagement PowerShell module is available and that you are using the supported PowerShell version. Review the generated script and output path, then test outside production first.
Script checksWhat has been verifiedQA reviewed
Static checksPassed
PSScriptAnalyzerPending
Real-world run testNot yet recorded
Last checkedNot yet recorded

Real-world run results are shown only after Opselith reviews and accepts a tester report.

Tester: report a result →
TEST STATUSWhat Opselith has checked

Last reviewed: 10 Sept 2026

PSScriptAnalyzer: Awaiting a release PSScriptAnalyzer gate that includes this script. No analyzer pass is claimed yet.

Pending or Not yet recorded means there is no accepted result on file yet. A passed analyzer check does not mean the script has been run in a real tenant.

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