Remove orphaned redirect sites

Summary

Changing the URL of a site results in a new site type: a Redirect Site. However this redirect site does not get removed if you delete the newly renamed site. This could result in orphaned redirect site collections that redirect to nothing. This script provides you with an overview of all orphaned redirect sites and allows you to quickly delete them.

Warning

Please be aware this script contains a command that will remove or delete an artifact, ensure you test and understand the implications of running the script.

• PnP PowerShell

$tenantAdminUrl = "https://contoso-admin.sharepoint.com" # Change to your tenant

Connect-PnPOnline -Url $tenantAdminUrl -Interactive

$sites = Get-PnPTenantSite -Template "RedirectSite#0"

$sites | ForEach-Object {
  Write-Host -f Green "Processing redirect site: " $_.Url
  $siteUrl = $_.Url

  $redirectSite = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $_.Url -MaximumRedirection 0 -SkipHttpErrorCheck #Requires PowerShell 7 for -SkipHttpErrorCheck parameter
  $body = $null
  $siteUrl = $_.Url

  if($redirectSite.StatusCode -eq 308) {
    Try {
      [string]$newUrl = $redirectSite.Headers.Location;
      Write-Host -f Green " Redirects to: " $newUrl
      $body = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $newUrl -SkipHttpErrorCheck #Requires PowerShell 7 for -SkipHttpErrorCheck parameter
    }
    Catch{
     Write-Host $_.Exception
    }
    Finally {
      If($body.StatusCode -eq "200"){
       Write-host -f Yellow "  Target location still exists"
      }
      If($body.StatusCode -eq "404"){
        Write-Host -f Red "  Target location no longer exists, should be removed"
        Remove-PnPTenantSite -Url $siteUrl -Force
      }
    }
  }
}

Check out the PnP PowerShell to learn more at: https://aka.ms/pnp/powershell

The way you login into PnP PowerShell has changed please read PnP Management Shell EntraID app is deleted : what should I do ?

Contributors

Author(s)
Leon Armston

Disclaimer

THESE SAMPLES ARE PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.