Client Side Object Model (CSOM) PowerShell SharePoint SharePoint Online 

SharePoint Online: Change the UI to Modern Experience or Classic Experience using PowerShell

Salaudeen Rajack 7 Comments , , , , ,

Requirement: Change Classic Experience to Modern Experience and Modern UI to Classic in SharePoint Online.

How to Activate Modern Experience from Classic?

The modern experience in SharePoint Online lists and libraries is faster, mobile-friendly, and easier to use.  It brings new functionalities and components, However, some features can only be used in the classic experience. So, you may need to switch between modern UI and classic experience in SharePoint Online. How to switch back to the new experience in SharePoint Online? To enable modern experience in SharePoint Online, use the link “Exit classic Experience” in the bottom left corner.

sharepoint online disable modern experience

This turns ON modern experience. How to revert back to classic in SharePoint Online? Well, To disable modern experience and switch back to classic in SharePoint Online use the link “Return to Classic SharePoint”.

sharepoint online enable modern experience
Please note, this script doesn’t convert your classic team site home page to modern. You have to create a new modern page and set it as Home page!

PowerShell to Switch Between Modern Experience and Classic Experiences

To enable modern experience, we have to disable the classic experience feature and to disable modern experience we should re-enable the classic experience feature in SharePoint Online. This PowerShell script is spitted into two different functions.

  1. Sets the given feature status to enabled or disabled at given scope such as: Site or Web
  2. Activates the relevant feature at appropriate scope(s) to set the UI experience.

You can use this PowerShell script to enable or disable modern experience at site collection or site levels.This script sets either modern experience or classic experience on objects: Lists and libraries (If the list experience settings is: “Default experience for the site”), Site contents, Site usage, Recycle Bin, etc.

#Load SharePoint CSOM Assemblies
Add-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"

#Function to Enable or Disable Feature in SharePoint Online
Function Set-SPOFeatureStatus
{
    [CMDLetBinding()]
    Param
    (
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext]$Context,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][GUID]$FeatureGUID,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][ValidateSet('Site','Web')][String]$Scope,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][ValidateSet('Enable','Disable')][String]$Status
    )
    If($Scope -eq "Site")
    {
        #Get the Site
        $Site = $Context.Site
        #Get the Feature Status
        $FeatureStatus =  $Site.Features.GetById($FeatureGuid)
        $FeatureStatus.Retrieve("DefinitionId")
        $Context.Load($FeatureStatus)
        $Context.ExecuteQuery()

        If($Status -eq "Enable")
        {
            #Activate the feature if its not enabled already
            If($FeatureStatus.DefinitionId -eq $null)
            {
                #Enable the Feature
                $Site.Features.Add($FeatureGuid, $True, [Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FeatureDefinitionScope]::None) | Out-Null
                $Context.ExecuteQuery()
                Write-host -f Green "`tFeature has been Enabled at Site Level!"
            }
            Else
            {
                Write-host -f Yellow "`tFeature is Already Enabled at Site Level!"
            }
        }
        Elseif($Status -eq "Disable")
        {
            #De-Activate the feature if its enabled already
            If($FeatureStatus.DefinitionId -ne $null)
            {
                #Disable feature
                $Site.Features.Remove($FeatureGuid, $True) | Out-Null
                $Context.ExecuteQuery()
                Write-host -f Green "`tFeature has been Disabled at Site Level!"
            }
            Else
            {
                Write-host -f Yellow "`tFeature is Already Disabled at Site Level!"
            }
        }
    }
    ElseIf($Scope -eq "Web")
    {
        #Get the web
        $Web = $Context.Web
        #Get the Feature Status
        $FeatureStatus =  $Web.Features.GetById($FeatureGUID)
        $FeatureStatus.Retrieve("DefinitionId")
        $Context.Load($FeatureStatus)
        $Context.ExecuteQuery()
    
        If($Status -eq "Enable")
        {
            #Activate the feature if its not enabled already
            If($FeatureStatus.DefinitionId -eq $null)
            {
                #Enable Feature
                $Web.Features.Add($FeatureGUID, $True, [Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FeatureDefinitionScope]::None)| Out-Null
                $Context.ExecuteQuery()
                Write-host -f Green "`tFeature has been Enabled at Web Level!"
            }
            Else
            {
                Write-host -f Yellow "`tFeature is Already Enabled at Web Level!"
            }
        }
        ElseIf($Status -eq "Disable")
        {
            #De-Activate the feature if its enabled already
            If($FeatureStatus.DefinitionId -ne $null)
            {
                #Disable Classic Experience feature, which Enables Modern UI
                $Web.Features.Remove($FeatureGUID, $True) | Out-Null                
                $Context.ExecuteQuery()
                Write-host -f Green "`tFeature has been Disabled at Web Level!"   
            }
            Else
            {
                Write-host -f Yellow "`tFeature is Already Disabled at Web Level!"
            }
        }
    }
}

#Function to set UI  experience to Modern or Classic at Site or Web Level
Function Set-SPOUIExperience
{
    [CMDLetBinding()]
    Param
    (
        [String]$SiteURL, 
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][ValidateSet('Modern','Classic')][String]$Experience,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][ValidateSet('Site','Web')][String]$Scope
    )

    Try {
        #Setup the context
        $Ctx = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext($SiteURL)
        $Ctx.Credentials = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.SharePointOnlineCredentials($Cred.Username, $Cred.Password)

        #Site Scoped Feature "EnableDefaultListLibrarExperience" - Classic Experience
        $SiteFeatureGuid = New-Object System.Guid "E3540C7D-6BEA-403C-A224-1A12EAFEE4C4"
        
        #Web Scoped Feature "EnableDefaultListLibrarExperience" - Classic Experience
        $WebFeatureGUID = New-Object System.Guid "52E14B6F-B1BB-4969-B89B-C4FAA56745EF" 

        #Enable or Disable Modern Experience based on the parameters
        If($Scope -eq "Site")
        {
            #Get the web
            $Web = $Ctx.Web
            $Ctx.Load($Web)
            $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

            If($Experience -eq "Modern")
            { 
                #Disable Classic Experience feature at site level
                Write-host -f Green "Enabling Modern Experience at the Site Collection by Disabling Classic UI Feature..."
                Set-SPOFeatureStatus -Context $Ctx -FeatureGUID $SiteFeatureGuid -Scope Site -Status Disable

                #Disable Classic Experience feature at web level
                Set-SPOUIExperience $Web.URL -Experience $Experience -Scope Web

                #Process each subsite in the site
                $Subsites = $Web.Webs
                $Ctx.Load($Subsites)
                $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()        
                Foreach ($SubSite in $Subsites)
                {
                    #Call the function Recursively
                    Set-SPOUIExperience $SubSite.URL -Experience $Experience -Scope Web
                }
            }
            ElseIf($Experience -eq "Classic")
            {
                #Enable Classic Experience feature at site level
                Write-host -f Green "Enabling Classic Experience at the Site Collection..."
                Set-SPOFeatureStatus -Context $Ctx -FeatureGUID $SiteFeatureGuid -Scope Site -Status Enable                
                
                #Enable Classic Experience feature at web level
                Set-SPOUIExperience $Web.URL -Experience $Experience -Scope Web

                #Process each subsite in the site
                $Subsites = $Web.Webs
                $Ctx.Load($Subsites)
                $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()        
                Foreach ($SubSite in $Subsites)
                {
                    #Call the function Recursively
                    Set-SPOUIExperience $SubSite.URL -Experience $Experience -Scope Web
                }
            }
        }
        ElseIf($Scope -eq "Web")
        {
            If($Experience -eq "Modern")
            {
                #Disable Classic Experience
                Write-host -f Green "Enabling Modern Experience at the Web $($SiteURL) by Disabling Classic UI Feature..."
                Set-SPOFeatureStatus -Context $Ctx -FeatureGUID $WebFeatureGUID -Scope Web -Status Disable                
            }
            ElseIf($Experience -eq "Classic")
            {
                #Enable Classic Experience
                Write-host -f Green "Enabling Classic Experience at the Web $($SiteURL)"
                Set-SPOFeatureStatus -Context $Ctx -FeatureGUID $WebFeatureGUID -Scope Web -Status Enable
            }
        }
    }
    Catch {
        write-host -f Red "Error:" $_.Exception.Message
    }
}

#Set Variable
$SiteURL = "https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing"

#Get Credentials to connect
$Cred = Get-Credential

#Call the function to set UI experience
Set-SPOUIExperience -SiteURL $SiteURL -Experience Modern -Scope Site

When you activate the site level feature, it makes sure new sites you create follow the UI experience set. Similarly, web level feature sets UI experience on existing webs.

How to change the classic view to the modern view in SharePoint Online?

You can call the function with relevant parameters to change classic view to modern view in SharePoint Online. E.g. 

Set-SPOExperience -SiteURL $SiteURL -Experience Classic -Scope Site

This PowerShell script change the UI experience to classic view in SharePoint Online for all lists and libraries at the given site collection. However, settings at the individual list and library level can override site-wide settings: SharePoint Online: How to Change List UI to Modern Experience?, Similarly, you can switch back to modern view in SharePoint Online subsite with:

Set-SPOExperience -SiteURL $SiteURL -Experience Modern -Scope Web

Salaudeen Rajack

Salaudeen Rajack is a SharePoint Architect with Two decades of SharePoint Experience. He loves sharing his knowledge and experiences with the SharePoint community, through his real-world articles!

7 thoughts on “SharePoint Online: Change the UI to Modern Experience or Classic Experience using PowerShell”

  • September 25, 2020 at 10:15 AM

    Absolutely – Salaudeen Rajack –> you are SharePoint King and helping SharePoint learns a lot – don’t have words to express. Please continue your support. Cheers.

    Reply
  • June 13, 2019 at 2:32 PM

    Many thanks Salaudeen 🙂

    Implemented this method.

    ForEach($List in $Lists)

    {

    if([int]$list.BaseTemplate -eq 101)

    {

    $listcount +=1
    Write-Host ” – “$List.Title

    $List.OnQuickLaunch=$True
    $List.Update()

    }

    }

    Your blog is golden resource for CSOM users.

    Reply
  • June 10, 2019 at 7:50 PM

    I have solved the issue. Sorry again. By making some modifications. Hope it would be useful for others 🙂

    $UserName=”[email protected]”
    $Password =”****”

    #Setup Credentials to connect
    $Credentials = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.SharePointOnlineCredentials($UserName,(ConvertTo-SecureString $Password -AsPlainText -Force))

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

    #Get the web and List
    $Web=$Ctx.Web

    $Lists = $Ctx.Web.Lists
    $Ctx.Load($Lists)
    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

    ForEach($List in $Lists)
    {
    #Get the List Name
    $List.OnQuickLaunch=$True
    $List.Update()
    }

    $Ctx.ExecuteQuery()

    }

    catch {
    write-host “Error: $($_.Exception.Message)” -foregroundcolor Red
    }

    Have to sort only document libraries from those lists. Hopefully I will make it 🙂

    Reply
    • June 11, 2019 at 7:34 AM

      Sure, Use:
      $DocLibraries = $Ctx.Web.Lists | Where {$_.BaseType -eq “DocumentLibrary” -and $_.Hidden -eq $False}

      Reply
  • June 4, 2019 at 3:14 PM

    Hi, the question is not relevant with the topic I was wondering is there any documentation for Bulk adding document libraries to quick launch menu using Sharepoint Online ? Thanks

    Reply

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