How to export distribution list members in Microsoft 365

Distribution lists are a quick way to reach entire teams or departments. But without visibility, they can quietly grow to hold outdated members, contractors who should no longer have access, or sensitive groups that no one is monitoring. This can create compliance risks, cluttered mail flow, and even data exposure.

Export distribution list members periodically to CSV and filter and optimize Exchange Online groups. Keep reading to find out how you can do it with native tools and with ManageEngine M365 Manager Plus, a dedicated Microsoft 365 administration tool.

Method 1: How to view distribution list members using the Exchange admin center

Prerequisites

• You have the Exchange Administrator role assigned.

Steps

1. Sign in to the Exchange admin center (EAC) and navigate to Recipients > Groups.
2. Select Distribution list from the top ribbon.
3. Click the group that you want to get the members for.
4. Select Members in the pop-up that opens and click View all and manage members.

Limitation to consider

• The EAC does not provide a way to export distribution list members. You will have to use Exchange Online PowerShell or a reporting tool such as M365 Manager Plus.

Method 2: How to get Microsoft 365 distribution list members using Exchange Online PowerShell

Prerequisites

Before using Exchange Online PowerShell, please verify that:

1. The Exchange Administrator or Global Administrator role is applied to the account you use to sign in to Exchange Online PowerShell.
2. You are connected to the Exchange Online module.
   • To check if the ExchangeOnlineManagement PowerShell module is installed, use this script:
     Copy

     Install-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement -Scope CurrentUser
     
     Update-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

3. Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell with this script:
   Copy

   Connect-ExchangeOnline

Export members of a specific distribution list using Get-DistributionGroupMember

The Get-DistributionGroupMember cmdlet can be used to retrieve and export members of a single distribution list.

Get-DistributionGroupMember -Identity "<identity>" -ResultSize Unlimited |
				Select-Object DisplayName, PrimarySmtpAddress, RecipientType |
				Export-Csv -Path ("C:\Reports\DLMembers-{0:yyyyMMdd-HHmmss}.csv" -f (Get-Date)) -NoTypeInformation -Encoding UTF8
			

Supported parameters

The following table contains some parameters that can be used with the Get-DistributionGroupMember and Get-EXORecipient cmdlets to provide details on your distribution lists and their members.

An example use case: Export Microsoft 365 distribution group members to CSV

For organization-wide audits, it’s often necessary to export all distribution lists and their memberships.

This script allows you to export members of distribution lists to a single CSV file for quarterly reviews or compliance checks.

$groups = Get-DistributionGroup -ResultSizeUnlimited

			$result = foreach ($group in $groups) {
			$members = Get-DistributionGroupMember -Identity$group.Identity -ResultSizeUnlimited
			foreach ($memberin$members) {
			 [PSCustomObject]@{
			GroupName = $group.DisplayName
			GroupEmail = $group.PrimarySmtpAddress
			MemberName = $member.DisplayName
			MemberEmail = $member.PrimarySmtpAddress
			MemberType = $member.RecipientTypeDetails
			 }
			 }
			}

			$result | Export-Csv"C:\Reports\DistributionGroupMembers_EXO.csv" -NoTypeInformation -EncodingUTF8
			

Method 3: How to export Microsoft 365 distribution list members to CSV using M365 Manager Plus

1. Log in to M365 Manager Plus and click the Reports tab.
2. Navigate to Azure Active Directory > Group Reports.
3. Select the Distribution List Members report to view all distribution group lists with their members.
4. Click Export As and select the desired file format to export your Microsoft 365 distribution list members to CSV or another option, such as PDF, XLSX, or HTML.

Monitor your Exchange Online distribution lists and more

M365 Manager Plus simplifies the management of your distribution lists, allowing you to view, monitor, and control them across your Microsoft 365 environment. It streamlines membership audits, identifies inactive groups, and offers proactive alerts.

Important tips

Frequently asked questions