Active Directory: Bulk User Password Reset by PowerShell

If you need to reset password for bulk number of user accounts, the following PowerShell scripts is for you.

This first script requires an file with usernames listed one per line. Check the UserList.txt file location in this file. Change your favorite password in ConvertTo-SecureString cmdlet in this script. Then you are good go.

#
# Script: ResetPwd.ps1
# Description: Reset the password for bulk number of users, and
# set the property to change passwrod required at next logon
#
# Written by: Anand Venkatachalapathy
#

Import-Module ActiveDirectory

# Set the default password
$password = ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText "AwesomeP@ssw0rd" -Force
 
# Get the list of accounts from the file on file
# List the user names one per line
$users = Get-Content -Path c:\MyScripts\UserList.txt
 
ForEach ($user in $users)
{
    # Set the default password for the current account
    Get-ADUser $user | Set-ADAccountPassword -NewPassword $password -Reset
   
    #If you need to set the property "Change password at next logon",
    #leave the next alone. If not, comment the next line
    Get-ADUser $user | Set-AdUser -ChangePasswordAtLogon $true
   
    Write-Host "Password has been reset for the user: $user"
}

# ------------- End -----------

This second script does bulk password changes for similar named user accounts. e.g., TestUser001 to Testuser100. Change your own password and user account name in the filter.

#
# Script: ResetPwd.ps1
# Description: Reset the password for bulk number of users, and 
# set the property to change password required at next logon
#
# Written by: Anand Venkatachalapathy
#

Import-Module ActiveDirectory

# Set the default password
$password = ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText "AwesomeP@ssw0rd" -Force    # Set the default password for all users named TestUserXX 
# e.g.,TestUser001 to TestUser100
Get-ADUser -Filter { SAMAccountName -like "*TestUser*"} `
| Set-ADAccountPassword -NewPassword $password -Reset
    
#If you need to set the property "Change password at next logon", 
#leave the next alone. If not, comment the next line
Get-ADUser -Filter { SAMAccountName -like "*TestUser*"} `
| Set-AdUser -ChangePasswordAtLogon $true
    

# ------------- End -----------