SharePoint Online: Delete Column from List using PowerShell

Requirement: SharePoint Online delete column from list

How to remove a column from SharePoint Online List?
We can delete Columns from lists or libraries when they are no longer needed. To delete a list column, follow these steps:

Go to List settings by going to List tab >> Under Settings group, click on List Settings button in the ribbon.
Under the List Settings page, in the Columns section, click on the column title you wish to delete.
Scroll down and Click on Delete button.
Confirm the deletion prompt by clicking OK.

This deletes SharePoint Online list column.

Please note, When you delete a column in SharePoint, all the data saved in the column is also deleted! We can't restore this column data from recycle bin!

SharePoint Online: Delete List Column using PowerShell
Here is the PowerShell to delete a column from List in SharePoint Online

#Load SharePoint CSOM AssembliesAdd-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.dll"
Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\ISAPI\Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.Runtime.dll"
  
#Variables for Processing
$SiteURL="https://crescent.sharepoint.com"
$ListName= "Projects"
$ColumnName="Project Code" #Display Name of the column

Try {
    #Get Credentials to connect
    $Cred = Get-Credential
    $Credentials = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.SharePointOnlineCredentials($Cred.Username, $Cred.Password)

    #Setup the context
    $Ctx = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext($SiteURL)
    $Ctx.Credentials = $Credentials

    #Get the List
    $List = $Ctx.Web.Lists.GetByTitle($ListName)

    #Get the Column to delete
    $Column = $List.Fields.GetByTitle($ColumnName)
    
    #sharepoint online delete list column powershell
    $Column.DeleteObject()
    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

    Write-host "Column '$ColumnName' deleted Successfully!" -ForegroundColor Green
 }
Catch {
    write-host -f Red "Error Deleting Column from List!" $_.Exception.Message
}

PnP PowerShell to Remove a Column from SharePoint Online List:
Here is how to remove a column from list using PnP PowerShell in SharePoint Online

#Config Variables
$SiteURL = "https://crescenttech.sharepoint.com"
$ListName= "Team Projects"
$ColumnName= "ProjectStartDate" #Internal Name

#Get Credentials to connect
$Cred = Get-Credential

Try {
    #Connect to PNP Online
    Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -Credentials $Cred
    
    #sharepoint online powershell delete list column
    Remove-PnPField -Identity $ColumnName -List $ListName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
    Write-host "Column '$ColumnName' Removed from the List Successfully!" -f Green
}
catch {
    write-host "Error: $($_.Exception.Message)" -foregroundcolor Red
}

If you want to remove a site column from SharePoint Online list, use: SharePoint Online: Delete Column using PowerShell

Disclaimer

4 comments:

Mike KeysaerFebruary 21, 2019 at 3:01 PM
This is exactly what I have been searching for!
AnonymousMay 16, 2019 at 4:03 AM
Great Help! The only thing I found out for "sealed" columns is to add these additional lines to the Column Section and the Update Command:
    #Get the Column to delete
    $Column = $List.Fields.GetByTitle($ColumnName)
$Column.Hidden = $false
$Column.ReadOnlyField = $false
$Column.Sealed = $false
$Column.Update()
    $Column.DeleteObject()
    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()
danker00June 3, 2020 at 9:20 AM
Wish there was some direction on how to delete multiple columns! This was great though - thank you