How to Use Contains Operator in Entra ID Dynamic Group Rules

Related Terms

Also known as: Azure AD Dynamic Groups Contains Operator, Entra ID Rule Syntax

Affected Systems

• Entra ID (formerly Azure AD)
• Dynamic Group Rules
• Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Important Note

While 'contains' and 'notContains' are no longer visible in the graphical rule builder, they are fully functional when manually typed in the rule syntax text box. Here's what it looks like:

The full interface where you'll find this:

Resolution Steps

1. Navigate to the Entra ID admin center and access Groups All groups New group
2. Set Group Type to "Security" and Membership type to "Dynamic Device"
3. Click "Add dynamic query"
4. Critical step: Click "Edit" next to "Rule syntax" to access the text editor
5. Type your rule using -contains, for example:

   device.displayName -contains "Minyama"

Additional Notes

Key Points About Contains Operators

• ONLY available through the rule syntax text box
• NOT visible in the graphical rule builder
• Must include the hyphen prefix (-contains)
• Still fully supported by Microsoft
• Existing rules using these operators continue to work

Available Operators

Common operators you can use in the text box:

• -contains: Contains the specified value
• -notContains: Does not contain the specified value
• -eq: Equals
• -ne: Not equals
• -startsWith: Starts with specified value
• -notStartsWith: Does not start with specified value
• -match: Matches pattern
• -notMatch: Does not match pattern
• -in: Matches any in list
• -notIn: Does not match any in list

Best Practices

• Use straight quotes, not curly quotes
• Ensure parentheses are properly paired
• Test your query in the "Validate Rules" tab

The text editor is required for:

• Rules using -contains or -notContains
• Rules with more than 5 expressions
• Direct reports rules
• Setting operator precedence

Your Feedback

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