PowerShell Cheat Sheet

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Programming · PowerShell Cheat Sheet

Everyday PowerShell for Windows: finding help, editing the command line, files, the object pipeline, variables and operators, scripts and the execution policy, web requests and system tasks. Written for Windows PowerShell 5.1, the version installed on this machine (PowerShell 7 is not installed); features that need PowerShell 7 are marked. Every command and parameter on the sheet was checked to exist in this installation.

Help & Discovery

$PSVersionTable.PSVersionWhich PowerShell you are in (this machine: Windows PowerShell 5.1)

Get-Help Get-Process -ExamplesShow examples; also -Full, -Detailed, -Online, -ShowWindow

Update-HelpDownload the full help files (run PowerShell as administrator)

Get-Command *service*Find commands by part of a name

Get-Command Stop-Service -SyntaxShow every way to call a command

Get-VerbThe approved verbs: commands are named Verb-Noun

Get-MemberPipe any object to it to list its properties and methods

Get-Alias / Get-Alias -Definition Get-ChildItemList aliases / find the aliases of a command

Show-Command Get-ProcessA small window for filling in a command's options

TabCompletes commands, parameters, paths and even parameter values

Command-Line Keys (PSReadLine 2.0.0 here)

Up / DownPrevious / next command in the history

Ctrl+R / Ctrl+SSearch the history backwards / forwards as you type

F7A pop-up list of the history, a classic Windows console feature; it may behave differently inside Windows Terminal

Tab / Shift+TabComplete forwards / backwards

Ctrl+SpaceA menu of every possible completion

Alt+.Insert the last argument of the previous command

Ctrl+W or Ctrl+BackspaceDelete the word before the cursor

Ctrl+Left / Ctrl+RightMove one word

Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+YUndo / redo while editing the line

Shift+EnterStart a new line without running

Ctrl+LClear the screen

Ctrl+CCopy if text is selected, otherwise cancel the current line or command

Ctrl+Alt+?Show every key binding

Get-PSReadLineOptionSee the current editing settings; predictions arrive with PSReadLine 2.1 or later (PowerShell 7)

Moving Around & Working with Files

Set-Location D:\Work (cd)Change folder; Get-Location (pwd) shows where you are

Push-Location / Pop-LocationRemember the current folder and go back to it later

Get-ChildItem -Recurse -File -Filter *.md (ls, dir)List files; -Directory, -Hidden, -Force, -Name, -Depth 2 help

New-Item notes.txt -ItemType FileCreate a file; -ItemType Directory for a folder

Copy-Item a.txt b.txt Move-Item Rename-ItemCopy, move and rename; -Recurse for folders

Remove-Item old -Recurse -ForceDelete (no recycle bin). Add -WhatIf first to see what would happen

Test-Path .\file.txtTrue or False: does it exist?

Get-Content log.txt -Tail 20 -WaitShow the end of a file and keep following it; -Raw reads it as one string

Set-Content / Add-Content / Out-FileWrite text to a file / append / write command output

Join-Path A B Split-Path Resolve-PathBuild, take apart and resolve paths

Compress-Archive -Path src -DestinationPath out.zipMake a zip; Expand-Archive unzips it

Get-FileHash file.isoA checksum (SHA256 by default)

Select-String -Path *.md -Pattern 'TODO'Search inside files (sls); there is no -Recurse, so pipe from Get-ChildItem -Recurse

The Pipeline

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5Each command passes objects, not text, to the next

Where-Object { $_.Length -gt 1MB }Keep matching items (where, ?); $_ is the current item. Short form: Where-Object Length -gt 1MB

Select-Object Name, LengthChoose properties; -First, -Last, -Unique, -ExpandProperty

Sort-Object Length -DescendingSort (sort)

Group-Object ExtensionCount items per value

Measure-Object Length -Sum -Average -MaximumTotals and averages; with no property it counts

ForEach-Object { $_.Name.ToUpper() }Run code on each item (%)

Select-Object @{Name='MB'; Expression={$_.Length/1MB}}A calculated property

Format-Table -AutoSize / Format-List *Display as a table / as a list of every property (ft, fl)

Out-GridViewA sortable, filterable window of the results

Tee-Object -FilePath out.txtShow the output and also save it

Compare-Object $a $bDifferences between two collections

Filter earlyUse a command's own -Filter or -Name parameter before Where-Object: it is much faster on big folders

Variables, Types & Operators

$name = 'Philip'Variables start with $; no declaration needed

[int]$n = '42'Force a type; others: [string], [datetime], [bool], [double]

$env:PATH $HOME $PWD $PROFILEEnvironment variable / home / current folder / profile path

$? $LASTEXITCODEDid the last command succeed? / exit code of the last program

$null $true $falseBuilt-in values

-eq -ne -gt -ge -lt -leCompare. Text comparison ignores case unless you use -ceq

-like 'a*' -match '^a.+z$'Wildcard / regular expression match; -notlike, -notmatch

-contains -inIs the item in the list? ($list -contains 3 or 3 -in $list)

-and -or -not -xor !Logic. In Windows PowerShell 5.1 there is no && or || between commands

-replace -split -join -fText operators: 'a,b' -split ',', $a -join ';', '{0:N2}' -f 3.14159

1..5A range of numbers

'single $x' "double $x" "$($o.Name)"Single quotes are literal; double quotes expand variables; $( ) inside them runs an expression

@' … '@ @" … "@Here-strings for several lines (the closing mark must start a line)

` (backtick)The escape character, and a line continuation at the end of a line

Arrays, Hashtables & Objects

$a = @(1,2,3); $a[0]; $a[-1]; $a.CountArrays are zero-based; -1 is the last item

$a += 4Adds an item by building a new array, so avoid it in big loops

$h = @{ name='x'; age=5 }Hashtable; read with $h.name or $h['name']; $h.Keys, $h.Values

[ordered]@{ a=1; b=2 }Keeps the order you wrote

[pscustomobject]@{ Name='x'; Size=3 }Make an object with properties

Invoke-Thing @paramsSplatting: pass a hashtable of parameters with @

'a b c'.Split(' ') .Trim() .Replace('a','b')String methods; also .ToUpper(), .Substring(2,3), .Contains('x')

Import-Csv f.csv / Export-Csv f.csv -NoTypeInformationRead / write CSV as objects

Get-Content f.json -Raw | ConvertFrom-JsonTurn JSON into objects

$obj | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 5Turn objects into JSON; the default -Depth 2 silently cuts deeper levels

Control Flow, Functions & Errors

if ($x -gt 1) { } elseif ($x -eq 1) { } else { }Conditions

switch ($x) { 1 { 'one' } default { 'other' } }Multi-way choice; switch -Wildcard and -Regex also work

foreach ($f in $files) { } for while do { } until ()Loops; break and continue work as usual

function Get-Thing { param([string]$Path, [switch]$Force) … }A function with typed parameters; add [CmdletBinding()] before param for -Verbose and -WhatIf

return $x / Write-Output $xAnything a function outputs is returned; Write-Host only prints to the screen

try { } catch { $_.Exception.Message } finally { }Handle errors. catch only sees terminating errors

-ErrorAction StopMake a command's errors terminating so try/catch catches them

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'Stop on any error for the whole script (the default is Continue)

$Error[0]The most recent error

throw 'message'Raise your own error

Write-Verbose Write-Warning Write-ErrorMessages of different levels

Measure-Command { … }Time a block of code

. .\lib.ps1Dot-sourcing: run a script in the current scope so its functions stay available

Scripts, Execution Policy & Your Profile

.\script.ps1Run a script in the current folder (the .\ is required)

Get-ExecutionPolicy -ListShow the policy at each scope. Here: LocalMachine Unrestricted, CurrentUser undefined

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUserAllow your own scripts for your account only (see the Python Environments sheet for the venv error)

Unblock-File .\downloaded.ps1Remove the 'downloaded from the internet' mark so a script may run

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File x.ps1Run one script ignoring the policy for that run only: the pattern your .cmd launchers use

$PROFILEPath of your profile script: here C:\Users\emuba\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

Test-Path $PROFILEDoes it exist yet?

New-Item -Path $PROFILE -ItemType File -ForceCreate it; then put aliases, functions and prompt tweaks in it

Set-Alias gs Get-StatusA session alias; put it in your profile to keep it

Start-Transcript -Path log.txtRecord everything typed and shown; Stop-Transcript ends it

Web, JSON & APIs

Invoke-RestMethod https://api.example.com/itemsGET and parse JSON automatically (irm)

Invoke-WebRequest $url -OutFile f.zipDownload a file; the result also has .StatusCode, .Content, .Headers (iwr)

-Method Post -Body ($o | ConvertTo-Json) -ContentType 'application/json'Send JSON

-Headers @{ Authorization = "Bearer $token" }Add headers

-UseBasicParsingSkip the Internet Explorer engine in Windows PowerShell 5.1 (avoids a setup prompt on some machines)

curl and wgetIn Windows PowerShell 5.1 these are aliases of Invoke-WebRequest, not the real programs. Type curl.exe to run the real curl

Test-NetConnection localhost -Port 8000Can I reach that port? (handy for checking your FastAPI server)

Resolve-DnsName example.comDNS lookup

Test-Connection example.comPing

PowerShell 7 onlyInvoke-RestMethod -SkipHttpErrorCheck and some other parameters do not exist in 5.1

Processes, Services, Network & Windows

Get-Process chrome | Stop-ProcessFind and stop a program (ps, kill)

Start-Process notepad -Verb RunAsStart a program, here as administrator

Get-Service / Start-Service / Stop-Service / Restart-ServiceManage Windows services

Get-NetTCPConnection -State ListenWhich ports are being listened on (and by which process id)

Get-NetIPAddressYour IP addresses

Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystemSystem details; Get-ComputerInfo gives many more

Get-WinEvent -LogName System -MaxEvents 20Read the Windows event log

Get-ChildItem Env:List environment variables

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('X','v','User')Set a permanent variable for your account (new windows only)

Get-ItemProperty HKCU:\Software\…Read the registry like a folder; Set-ItemProperty changes it

Get-Clipboard / Set-ClipboardRead / write the clipboard

Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd'Formatted date

Start-Sleep -Seconds 5Wait

Start-Job { … } / Get-Job / Receive-JobRun code in the background and collect the result

Get-ScheduledTask / Register-ScheduledTaskWork with Task Scheduler

Modules & Remoting

Get-Module -ListAvailableModules installed

Import-Module NameLoad one (most load automatically when you use their commands)

Find-Module name / Install-Module name -Scope CurrentUserSearch the PowerShell Gallery and install without administrator rights

Get-InstalledModuleModules installed from the Gallery

Enter-PSSession -ComputerName pcInteractive session on another Windows computer (needs remoting set up)

Invoke-Command -ComputerName pc { … }Run code remotely

Linux and WSLUse ssh or wsl from PowerShell; PowerShell 7 can also remote over SSH

Windows PowerShell 5.1 vs PowerShell 7

powershell.exe / pwsh.exe5.1 ships with Windows (installed here); 7 is a separate download and installs beside it. 7 (pwsh) is not installed on this machine

Get itwinget install Microsoft.PowerShell (winget is available here; the package id is from my knowledge)

&& and ||Run the next command only if the last one succeeded / failed: 7 only

? : and ?? ?.Ternary, null-coalescing and null-conditional operators: 7 only

ForEach-Object -Parallel7 only (the parameter does not exist here)

Encoding5.1 writes UTF-16 with > and Out-File; 7 writes UTF-8 without a BOM (see the tip below)

Predictions and coloursInline command prediction and the $PSStyle colour object are 7 features

A Reasonable Starter Profile (my suggestions)

Set-Alias ll Get-ChildItemA short name for listing

function mkcd($p){ New-Item $p -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null; Set-Location $p }Make a folder and go into it

function which($n){ (Get-Command $n).Source }Where is this program?

$PSDefaultParameterValues['Out-File:Encoding'] = 'utf8'Every Out-File writes UTF-8 (5.1 adds a BOM)

$env:PATH += ';C:\tools'Add a folder to PATH for the session

Set-PSReadLineOption -EditMode WindowsThe default editing keys, stated explicitly

Why does my redirected file look like garbage? Encoding

In Windows PowerShell 5.1, command > file.txt and Out-File write UTF-16 (with a byte-order mark), which many tools show as text with gaps between the letters. Use command | Out-File file.txt -Encoding utf8 instead (utf8 in 5.1 adds a BOM) or Set-Content -Encoding UTF8. PowerShell 7 writes plain UTF-8 by default.

Safe habits for deleting and changing things

Put -WhatIf after Remove-Item, Move-Item, Stop-Process and similar commands to see what would happen, and -Confirm to be asked about each one. Remove-Item does not use the recycle bin, and Remove-Item -Recurse -Force on the wrong folder cannot be undone. Test a Get-ChildItem with the same path first.

"Running scripts is disabled on this system"

That is the execution policy, not a bug. The one-line fix for your own account is Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser, as explained on the Python Environments sheet. Your launchers use -ExecutionPolicy Bypass for a single run, which changes nothing permanently.