Skip to main content

Create user access token & authorization header

Create user access token & authorization header

This article explains how to authenticate to Microsoft Graph in delegated user context. Use this approach when an action must run on behalf of a signed-in user.

Important Avoid Resource Owner Password Credentials (ROPC) whenever possible. Microsoft does not recommend it for modern environments because it is incompatible with many MFA, Conditional Access, passwordless, and passkey-based sign-in scenarios.

When to use delegated authentication

Use delegated authentication when:

  • a signed-in user triggers the action
  • the API call must respect the user's permissions
  • the action should be auditable as that user
  • interactive consent or MFA may be required

Preferred approaches for delegated Graph access:

  1. Device code flow for scripts and terminals
  2. Interactive browser sign-in for desktop tools
  3. Authorization code flow with PKCE for web apps and SPAs
  4. MSAL instead of building raw OAuth requests manually

Example with MSAL.PS

Install-Module MSAL.PS -Scope CurrentUser

$TenantId = "<tenant-id>"
$ClientId = "<app-client-id>"
$Scopes   = @("User.Read", "Mail.Read")

$Token = Get-MsalToken -TenantId $TenantIdToken=Get−MsalToken−TenantIdTenantId -ClientId $ClientId -Scopes $ScopesClientId−ScopesScopes

$Header = @{
    Authorization = "Bearer $($Token.AccessToken)"
    "Content-Type" = "application/json"
}

Best practices

  • prefer MSAL over custom username/password token requests
  • request only the scopes you really need
  • do not store user passwords in scripts
  • expect MFA and Conditional Access challenges in enterprise tenants
  • use app-only access only when there is no real user context

Summary

For modern Microsoft Graph delegated access, use MSAL plus interactive or device-based sign-in methods. Avoid ROPC unless you have a specific legacy exception and fully understand the risk.

Back to top