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--- title: How to install the machine configuration authoring module description: Learn how to install the PowerShell module for creating and testing machine configuration policy definitions and assignments. ms.date: 07/22/2025 ms.topic: how-to --- # How to set up a machine configuration authoring environment The PowerShell module **GuestConfiguration** automates the process of creating custom content including: - Creating a machine configuration content artifact (`.zip`) - Validating the package meets requirements - Installing the machine configuration agent locally for testing - Validating the package can be used to audit settings in a machine - Validating the package can be used to configure settings in a machine - Publishing the package to Azure storage - Creating a policy definition - Publishing the policy Support for applying configurations through machine configuration is introduced in version 3.4.2. ### Base requirements Operating systems where the module can be installed: - Ubuntu 20+ - Windows The module can be installed on a machine running PowerShell 7.x. Install the versions of PowerShell listed in the following table for your operating system. | OS | Minimum Required PowerShell Version | Installation | |------------|:-----------------------------------:|----------------------------------------| | Windows | `7.1.3` | [Installing PowerShell on Windows][01] | | Ubuntu 20+ | `7.2.4` | [Installing PowerShell on Ubuntu][02] | The **GuestConfiguration** module requires the following software: - Azure PowerShell 5.9.0 or higher. The required Az PowerShell modules are installed automatically with the **GuestConfiguration** module, or you can follow [these instructions][03]. ### Install the GuestConfiguration module from the PowerShell Gallery To install the **GuestConfiguration** module on either Windows or Linux, run the following command in PowerShell 7. ```powershell # Install the machine configuration DSC resource module from PowerShell Gallery Install-Module -Name GuestConfiguration ``` Validate that the module has been imported: ```powershell # Get a list of commands for the imported GuestConfiguration module Get-Command -Module GuestConfiguration ``` ### Install the PSDesiredStateConfiguration module from the PowerShell Gallery On Windows, to install the **PSDesiredStateConfiguration** module, run the following command in PowerShell 7. ```powershell # Install PSDesiredStateConfiguration version 2.0.7 (the stable release) Install-Module -Name PSDesiredStateConfiguration -RequiredVersion 2.0.7 Import-Module -Name PSDesiredStateConfiguration ``` On Linux, to install the **PSDesiredStateConfiguration** module, run the following command in PowerShell 7. ```powershell # Install PSDesiredStateConfiguration prerelease version 3.0.0 Install-Module -Name PSDesiredStateConfiguration -RequiredVersion 3.0.0-beta1 -AllowPrerelease Import-Module -Name PSDesiredStateConfiguration ``` Validate that the module has been imported: ```powershell # Get a list of commands for the imported PSDesiredStateConfiguration module Get-Command -Module PSDesiredStateConfiguration ``` ## Next step > [!div class="nextstepaction"] > [Create a custom machine configuration package](./2-create-package.md) <!-- Reference link definitions --> [01]: /powershell/scripting/install/installing-powershell-on-windows [02]: /powershell/scripting/install/install-ubuntu [03]: /powershell/azure/install-az-ps