Data Protection Issues

Fix Get-LabelPolicy Server-Side Error in Microsoft Purview PowerShell

Elise Williams Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve a server-side error that occurs when executing the Get-LabelPolicy cmdlet in Microsoft Purview PowerShell.

How to Fix Get-LabelPolicy Server-Side Error in Microsoft Purview

Product: Microsoft Purview
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to retrieve or validate sensitivity label policies using the Get-LabelPolicy cmdlet after successfully connecting to IPPSSession.
Observed behavior: The command fails and returns a server-side error, despite the account possessing Global Administrator and Information Protection permissions.

Before you start

Ensure you have the latest version of the ExchangeOnlineManagement module installed, and keep a record of the exact correlation ID provided in the error message for potential Microsoft Support tickets.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Service Health and Check Network Connectivity

Temporary server-side outages or Microsoft 365 service degradations often cause this error despite having the correct permissions.

Because Get-LabelPolicy queries backend compliance databases directly, any transient Microsoft 365 service outages can result in a generic server-side failure.

Log into Admin Center

Navigate to Service Health

In the left-hand navigation menu, click on Health, and then select Service health.

Check Active Advisories

Look for any active advisories or incidents related to Microsoft Purview, Information Protection, or Exchange Online.

Reconnect Session

If no incident is ongoing, disconnect your current PowerShell session using Disconnect-ExchangeOnline, verify your network connection, and run Connect-IPPSSession to try again.

Verify Service Health and Check Network Connectivity

Wait out temporary outages: If an incident is actively reported on the dashboard, you must wait for Microsoft engineers to resolve the server-side issue before running the command again.

Solution 2

Confirm Granular Compliance Center Permissions

Even with Global Admin rights, explicit membership in specific Compliance Center role groups may be required due to sync delays or strict RBAC boundaries.

Solution 3

Update the Exchange Online Management Module

Outdated PowerShell modules can fail to properly parse modern server responses, resulting in generic server-side connection errors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Connect-IPPSSession work but Get-LabelPolicy fails?

Connect-IPPSSession only establishes the initial connection to the Exchange Online Protection endpoint. Get-LabelPolicy queries backend compliance databases, which can fail independently due to transient server issues, delayed permission syncs, or API throttling.

What is the purpose of the -ForceValidate parameter in Get-LabelPolicy?

The -ForceValidate parameter is used to immediately validate the configuration of a sensitivity label policy against backend services, bypassing local caches to ensure the policy rules and conditions apply correctly.

How do I contact Microsoft Support if the PowerShell error persists?

You can open a support ticket by logging into the Microsoft 365 admin center, clicking 'Help & support' in the bottom right corner, describing your issue, and selecting the option to contact support. Be sure to provide the PowerShell error transcript and the Correlation ID.

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