entra-agent-user

$2a

Important: The identityParentId must reference a true agent identity (created via an agent identity blueprint), NOT a regular application service principal. You can verify by checking that the service principal has @odata.type: #microsoft.graph.agentIdentity and servicePrincipalType: ServiceIdentity.

Architecture

Agent Identity Blueprint (application template)

    │

    ├── Agent Identity (service principal - ServiceIdentity)

    │       │

    │       └── Agent User (user - agentUser) ← 1:1 relationship

    │

    └── Agent Identity Blueprint Principal (service principal in tenant)

Component

Type

Token Claim

Purpose

Agent Identity

Service Principal

idtyp=app

Backend/API operations

Agent User

User (agentUser)

idtyp=user

Act as a digital worker in M365

Step 1: Verify the Agent Identity Exists

Before creating an agent user, confirm the agent identity is a proper agentIdentity type:

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/servicePrincipals/{agent-identity-id}

Authorization: Bearer <token>

Verify the response contains:

{

  "@odata.type": "#microsoft.graph.agentIdentity",

  "servicePrincipalType": "ServiceIdentity",

  "agentIdentityBlueprintId": "<blueprint-id>"

}

PowerShell

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Application.Read.All" -TenantId "<tenant>" -UseDeviceCode -NoWelcome

Invoke-MgGraphRequest -Method GET `

  -Uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/servicePrincipals/<agent-identity-id>" | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 3

Common mistake: Using an app registration's appId or a regular application service principal's id will fail. Only agent identities created from blueprints work.

Step 2: Create the Agent User

HTTP Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/microsoft.graph.agentUser

Content-Type: application/json

Authorization: Bearer <token>

{

  "accountEnabled": true,

  "displayName": "My Agent User",

  "mailNickname": "my-agent-user",

  "userPrincipalName": "my-agent-user@yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com",

  "identityParentId": "<agent-identity-object-id>"

}

Required Properties

Property

Type

Description

accountEnabled

Boolean

true to enable the account

displayName

String

Human-friendly name

mailNickname

String

Mail alias (no spaces/special chars)

userPrincipalName

String

UPN — must be unique in the tenant (alias@verified-domain)

identityParentId

String

Object ID of the parent agent identity

PowerShell

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "User.ReadWrite.All" -TenantId "<tenant>" -UseDeviceCode -NoWelcome

$body = @{

  accountEnabled    = $true

  displayName       = "My Agent User"

  mailNickname      = "my-agent-user"

  userPrincipalName = "my-agent-user@yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com"

  identityParentId  = "<agent-identity-object-id>"

} | ConvertTo-Json

Invoke-MgGraphRequest -Method POST `

  -Uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/microsoft.graph.agentUser" `

  -Body $body -ContentType "application/json" | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 3

Key Notes

• No password — agent users cannot have passwords. They authenticate via their parent agent identity's credentials.

• 1:1 relationship — each agent identity can have at most one agent user. Attempting to create a second returns 400 Bad Request.

• The userPrincipalName must be unique. Don't reuse an existing user's UPN.

Step 3: Assign a Manager (Optional)

Assigning a manager allows the agent user to appear in org charts (e.g., Teams).

PUT https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/{agent-user-id}/manager/$ref

Content-Type: application/json

Authorization: Bearer <token>

{

  "@odata.id": "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/{manager-user-id}"

}

PowerShell

$managerBody = '{"@odata.id":"https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/<manager-user-id>"}'

Invoke-MgGraphRequest -Method PUT `

  -Uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/<agent-user-id>/manager/`$ref" `

  -Body $managerBody -ContentType "application/json"

Step 4: Set Usage Location and Assign Licenses (Optional)

A license is needed for the agent user to have a mailbox, Teams presence, etc. Usage location must be set first.

Set Usage Location

PATCH https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/{agent-user-id}

Content-Type: application/json

Authorization: Bearer <token>

{

  "usageLocation": "US"

}

List Available Licenses

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/subscribedSkus?$select=skuPartNumber,skuId,consumedUnits,prepaidUnits

Authorization: Bearer <token>

Requires Organization.Read.All permission.

Assign a License

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/{agent-user-id}/assignLicense

Content-Type: application/json

Authorization: Bearer <token>

{

  "addLicenses": [

    { "skuId": "<sku-id>" }

  ],

  "removeLicenses": []

}

PowerShell (all in one)

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "User.ReadWrite.All","Organization.Read.All" -TenantId "<tenant>" -NoWelcome

# Set usage location

Invoke-MgGraphRequest -Method PATCH `

  -Uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/<agent-user-id>" `

  -Body '{"usageLocation":"US"}' -ContentType "application/json"

# Assign license

$licenseBody = '{"addLicenses":[{"skuId":"<sku-id>"}],"removeLicenses":[]}'

Invoke-MgGraphRequest -Method POST `

  -Uri "https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/users/<agent-user-id>/assignLicense" `

  -Body $licenseBody -ContentType "application/json"

Tip: You can also assign licenses via the Entra admin center under Identity → Users → All users → select the agent user → Licenses and apps.

Provisioning Times

Service

Estimated Time

Exchange mailbox

5–30 minutes

Teams availability

15 min – 24 hours

Org chart / People search

Up to 24–48 hours

SharePoint / OneDrive

5–30 minutes

Global Address List

Up to 24 hours

Agent User Capabilities

• ✅ Added to Microsoft Entra groups (including dynamic groups)

• ✅ Access user-only APIs (idtyp=user tokens)

• ✅ Own a mailbox, calendar, and contacts

• ✅ Participate in Teams chats and channels

• ✅ Appear in org charts and People search

• ✅ Added to administrative units

• ✅ Assigned licenses

Agent User Security Constraints

• ❌ Cannot have passwords, passkeys, or interactive sign-in

• ❌ Cannot be assigned privileged admin roles

• ❌ Cannot be added to role-assignable groups

• ❌ Permissions similar to guest users by default

• ❌ Custom role assignment not available

Troubleshooting

Error

Cause

Fix

Agent user IdentityParent does not exist

identityParentId points to a non-existent or non-agent-identity object

Verify the ID is an agentIdentity service principal, not a regular app

400 Bad Request (identityParentId already linked)

The agent identity already has an agent user

Each agent identity supports only one agent user

409 Conflict on UPN

The userPrincipalName is already taken

Use a unique UPN

License assignment fails

Usage location not set

Set usageLocation before assigning licenses

References

• Agent identities

• Agent users

• Agent service principals

• Create agent identity blueprint

• Create agent identities

• agentUser resource type (Graph API)

• Create agentUser (Graph API)