Remove old proxyaddress entry for user in azure active directory

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06-10-2024

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Removing Stubborn ProxyAddresses in Azure Active Directory: A User's Guide

The Problem: You're trying to update a user's email address in Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), but you're running into an error. The culprit? A lingering, outdated proxyAddress entry that's preventing the change. This can happen when a user's mailbox has been migrated or their email address has changed, leaving behind an outdated proxy address that conflicts with the desired update.

The Solution: Removing this outdated proxyAddress entry is the key to resolving the issue. Here's how you can do it:

Understanding ProxyAddresses

Before diving into the removal process, let's clarify what proxyAddresses are. In Azure AD, proxyAddresses are alternative email addresses associated with a user account. They allow users to receive emails at multiple addresses, which can be useful for forwarding, aliases, or group membership. However, these addresses can become outdated, leading to conflicts when updating a user's primary email address.

Removing the Problematic ProxyAddress

1. Identify the Outdated ProxyAddress:

• Log in to the Azure portal and navigate to Azure Active Directory > Users.
• Select the user whose proxy addresses you want to manage.
• Under Properties, locate the Proxy Addresses section. Here, you'll see all the email addresses associated with this user.
• Identify the outdated proxyAddress that needs to be removed.

2. Remove the ProxyAddress:

• Using PowerShell:

  Connect-AzureAD
  Get-AzureADUser -ObjectId <userObjectId> | Set-AzureADUser -ProxyAddresses @{Add=@("smtp:[email protected]"); Remove=@("smtp:[email protected]")}
  

  Replace <userObjectId> with the user's object ID, "[email protected]" with the user's new primary email address, and "[email protected]" with the outdated proxy address you want to remove.

• Using Azure AD Graph API:

  {
    "proxyAddresses": [
      "smtp:[email protected]", 
      "smtp:[email protected]" // Keep other valid proxy addresses
    ]
  }
  

  This example updates the user's proxy addresses, adding the new primary email address and keeping any valid remaining addresses.

• Using the Azure Portal (for basic changes):

  1. In the Azure portal, navigate to Azure Active Directory > Users.
  2. Select the user you want to edit.
  3. Go to Properties.
  4. Click Edit in the Proxy Addresses section.
  5. Remove the outdated proxyAddress and click Save.

Important Note: Removing a proxyAddress will not delete any associated data or email messages. It simply prevents the user from receiving emails at that address.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Check for typos: Ensure that the proxy address you're trying to remove is spelled correctly.
• Verify the user's mailbox: If the user's mailbox is hosted on-premises (in an Exchange server), you might need to update the proxy address in the Exchange environment as well.
• Review permissions: Make sure you have the necessary permissions to manage user attributes in Azure AD.

Additional Considerations

• Multiple Proxy Addresses: You can keep other proxy addresses in addition to the user's new primary email address.
• User impact: Inform the user about the change and ensure they understand that emails will no longer be delivered to the removed proxy address.

By following these steps, you can effectively remove outdated proxyAddresses and ensure that your Azure AD user's email information is up-to-date and accurate.