Windows PowerShell Commands:Overview

the available PowerShell commands can be started with the command:

get-command

or displayed via help:

help *

PowerShell commands are also called cmdlets.

Download

cmdlets

Name	Alias	Description
Get-WinEvent	-	Gets events from event logs and event trace log files on local and remote computers
Get-Counter	-	Gets performance indicator data from local computers and remote computers
Import-Counter	-	Imports performance indicator log files (".blg", ".csv", ".tsv") ...
Export-Counter	-	The Export-Counter cmdlet accepts PerformanceCounterSampleSet objects and exports them as performance counter log files.
Disable-WSManCredSSP	-	Disables CredSSP (Credential Security Service Provider) authentication
Enable-WSManCredSSP	-	Enables CredSSP (Credential Security Service Provider) authentication
Get-WSManCredSSP	-	Retrieves the Credential Security Service Provider-related configuration for client and server.
Set-WSManQuickConfig	-	Configures the local computer for remote management.
Test-WSMan	-	Tests whether the WinRM service is running on a local computer or remote computer
Invoke-WSManAction	-	Calls an action for the object specified by the resource URI and in the selectors
Connect-WSMan	-	Connects to the WinRM service on a remote computer
Disconnect-WSMan	-	Disconnects the client from the WinRM service on a remote computer
Get-WSManInstance	-	Shows management information for a resource specified by a resource URI.
Set-WSManInstance	-	Changes the management information about a resource.
Remove-WSManInstance	-	Deletes a management resource instance.
New-WSManInstance	-	Creates a new instance of a management resource.
New-WSManSessionOption	-	Creates a hash table for the WS-Management session option, which is used as an input parameter for the following WS-Management cmdlets: Get-WSManInstance Set-WSManInstance Invoke-WSManAction Connect-WSMan
Get-Command	gcm	Gets basic information about cmdlets and other elements of Windows PowerShell commands in the session. e.g.aliases, functions, filters, scripts, and applications
Get-Help	-	Displays information about Windows PowerShell commands and concepts
Get-History	history,ghy,h	Gets a list of commands entered during the current session
Invoke-History	ihy,r	Executes commands from the session history
Add-History	-	Adds entries to the session history
Clear-History	clhy	Clears entries from the command history
Register-PSSessionConfiguration	-	Creates and registers a new session configuration.
Unregister-PSSessionConfiguration	-	Deletes a registered session configuration from the computer.
Get-PSSessionConfiguration	-	Gets the registered session configurations on the computer.
Set-PSSessionConfiguration	-	Changes the properties of a registered session configuration.
Enable-PSSessionConfiguration	-	Enables session configurations on the local computer.
Disable-PSSessionConfiguration	-	Disables access to session configurations in a session.
Enable-PSRemoting	-	Configures the computer to receive remote commands.
Invoke-Command	icm	Executes commands on local computers and on remote computers
New-PSSession	nsn	Creates a PowerShell session (persistent connection) on a local computer or a remote computer.
Get-PSSession	gsn	Gets the Windows PowerShell sessions (PSSessions) created in the current session
Remove-PSSession	rsn	Closes one or more Windows PowerShell sessions (PSSessions).
Start-Job	-	Starts a Windows PowerShell background job.
Get-Job	gjb	Gets Windows PowerShell background jobs started in the current session
Receive-Job	-	Gets the results of the Windows PowerShell background jobs in the current session.
Stop-Job	spjb	Stops a Windows PowerShell background job.
Wait-Job	wjb	Suppresses the command prompt until one or all Windows PowerShell background jobs have completed
Remove-Job	rjb	Deletes a Windows PowerShell background job.
Enter-PSSession	etsn	Starts an interactive session with a remote computer.
Exit-PSSession	exsn	Ends an interactive session with a remote computer.
New-PSSessionOption	-	Creates an object that contains advanced options for a PSSession.
ForEach-Object	%,foreach	Forces an operation on the individual input objects of a group of egg...
Where-Object	where,?	Creates a filter that controls which objects can be accessed via a command pipe...
Set-PSDebug	-	Enables or disables script debugging functions, sets expiration ve...
Set-StrictMode	-	Creates and enforces coding rules in expressions, scripts and script...
New-Module	nmo	Creates a new dynamic module that exists only in memory...
Import-Module	ipmo	Adds modules to the current session
Export-ModuleMember	-	Indicates the module members that will be exported.
Get-Module	gmo	Get the modules that have been imported into the current session or i...
Remove-Module	rmo	Removes modules from the current session.
New-ModuleManifest	-	Creates a new module manifest.
Test-ModuleManifest	-	Checks if in a module manifest file the content of a module is exactly ...
Add-PSSnapin	asnp	Adds one or more Windows PowerShell snap-ins to the current session ...
Remove-PSSnapin	rsnp	Removes Windows PowerShell snap-ins from the current session.
Get-PSSnapin	gsnp	Gets the Windows PowerShell snap-ins on the computer
Export-Console	-	Exports the names of snap-ins in the current session to a conso...
Format-List	fl	Formats the output as a list of properties, in which each property...
Format-Custom	fc	Formats the output using a custom view.
Format-Table	ft	Formats the output as a table
Format-Wide	fw	Formats objects as a wide table in which only one property of each...
Out-Null	-	Deletes the output instead of sending it to the console
Out-Default	-	Sends the output to the default formatter and the default...
Out-Host	oh	Sends the output to the command line.
Out-File	-	Sends the output to a file.
Out-Printer	lp	Sends the output to a printer
Out-String	-	Sends objects to the host as a series of strings.
Out-GridView	ogv	Sends the output to an interactive table in a separate window.
Get-FormatData	-	Gets the formatting data in the current session.
Export-FormatData	-	Saves formatting data of the current session in a format...
Register-ObjectEvent	-	Subscribes to the events generated by a Microsoft .NET Framework object ...
Register-EngineEvent	-	Subscribes to events created by the Windows PowerShell module and cmdlet "N...
Wait-Event	-	Waits until a specific event is triggered before executing...
Get-Event	-	Gets the events in the event queue
Remove-Event	-	Deletes events from the event queue.
Get-EventSubscriber	-	Gets the event subscribers in the current session
Unregister-Event	-	Cancels an event subscription.
New-Event	-	Creates a new event.
Add-Member	-	Adds a custom member to the instance of a Windows PowerShell object...
Add-Type	-	Adds a Microsoft .NET Framework type to a Windows PowerShell session....
Compare-Object	diff	Compares two sets of objects.
ConvertTo-Html	-	Converts Microsoft .NET Framework objects to HTML content that can be placed in a...
ConvertFrom-StringData	-	Converts a string containing at least one key-value pair en...
Export-CSV	epcsv	Converts Microsoft .NET Framework objects to a set of CSV char...
Import-CSV	ipcsv	Converts object properties in a CSV file (Comma-Separated Valu...
ConvertTo-CSV	-	Converts Microsoft .NET Framework objects to a set of CSV char...
ConvertFrom-CSV	-	Converts object properties in comma-separated value (CSV) format to...
Export-Alias	epal	Exports information about currently defined aliases to a file.
Invoke-Expression	iex	Executes commands or expressions on the local computer.
Get-Alias	gal	Gets the aliases for the current session
Get-Culture	-	Gets the current culture setting of the operating system
Get-Date	-	Gets the current date and time.
Get-Host	-	Gets an object representing the current host program. And displays s...
Get-Member	gm	Gets the properties and methods of objects
Get-Random	-	Gets a random number or selects objects at random ...
Get-UICulture	-	Gets the current user interface culture settings d...
Get-Unique	gu	Returns the unique elements from a sorted list.
Export-PSSession	epsn	Imports commands from another session and stores them in a ...
Import-PSSession	ipsn	Imports commands from another session into the current session.
Import-Alias	ipal	Imports an alias list from a file.
Import-LocalizedData	-	Imports language-specific data based on the data required for the operating sys...
Select-String	-	Search text in strings and files.
Measure-Object	measure	Calculates the numeric properties of objects as well as the characters, ...
New-Alias	-	Creates a new alias.
New-TimeSpan	-	Creates a TimeSpan object.
Read-Host	-	Reads an input line from the console.
Set-Alias	sal	Creates or changes an alias (alternate name) for a cmdlet or...
Set-Date	-	Changes the system time on the computer to the time you specify.
Start-Sleep	sleep	Holds the activities in a script or session for the specified...
Tee-Object	tee	Saves the command output to a file or variable and displays it...
Measure-Command	-	Measures the time taken to execute script blocks and cmdlets...
Update-List	-	Adds a property value containing a collection of objects ...
Update-TypeData	-	Updates the current extended type configuration by reloading...
Update-FormatData	-	Updates the formatting data in the current session.
Write-Host	-	Writes a custom output to a host.
Write-Progress	-	Displays a status indicator in a Windows PowerShell command window
New-Object	-	Creates an instance of a Microsoft .NET Framework object or COM ob...
Select-Object	select	Select specified properties of an object or a set of object...
Group-Object	group	Groups objects that have the same value ...
Sort-Object	sort	Sorts objects by property values.
Get-Variable	gv	Gets the variables in the current console.
New-Variable	nv	Creates a new variable.
Set-Variable	set,sv	Sets the value of a variable. Creates the variable if no va...
Remove-Variable	rv	Deletes a variable and its value.
Clear-Variable	clv	Clears the value of a variable.
Export-Clixml	-	Creates an XML representation of objects and stores it in a da...
Import-Clixml	-	Imports a CLIXML file and creates corresponding objects in Windo...
ConvertTo-XML	-	Creates an XML representation of an object.
Select-XML	-	Searches text in an XML string or document.
Write-Debug	-	Writes a debug message to the console.
Write-Verbose	-	Writes text to the stream for verbose messages.
Write-Warning	-	Writes a warning message.
Write-Error	-	Writes an object to the error stream.
Write-Output	echo,write	Sends the specified objects to the next command in the pipeline. W...
Set-PSBreakpoint	sbp	Sets a breakpoint for a line, command, or variable
Get-PSBreakpoint	gbp	Get the breakpoints that are set in the current session
Remove-PSBreakpoint	rbp	Deletes breakpoints from the current console.
Enable-PSBreakpoint	ebp	Enables breakpoints in the current console.
Disable-PSBreakpoint	dbp	Disables breakpoints in the current console.
Get-PSCallStack	gcs	Displays the current call list
Send-MailMessage	-	Sends an email.
Get-TraceSource	-	Gets the Windows PowerShell components used for tracing...
Set-TraceSource	-	Configures, starts and stops a trace from Windows Powe...
Trace-Command	-	Configures and starts a trace of the specified expression...
Start-Transcript	-	Creates a record of a full or partial Windows PowerS...
Stop-Transcript	-	Stops a recording.
Add-Content	ac	Adds content to the specified elements, e.g. adding words...
Clear-Content	clc	Deletes the contents of an element, for example the text in a file...
Clear-Item	clp	Clears the value of a property, but not the property itself.
Join-Path	-	Combines a path and a child path into one path. The ...
Convert-Path	cvpa	Converts a path from a Windows PowerShell path to a Window...
Copy-Item	cpp	Copies a property and value from a specified location....
Get-EventLog	-	Gets the events in an event log or a list of event...
Clear-EventLog	-	Clears all entries from specified event logs on local ode...
Write-EventLog	-	Writes an event to an event log.
Limit-EventLog	-	Sets the event log properties that control the size of the event...
Show-EventLog	-	Shows the event logs of the local computer or a remote comp...
New-EventLog	-	Creates a new event log and event source on a...
Remove-EventLog	-	Deletes an event log or unregisters an eventq...
Get-ChildItem	dir,ls,gci	Gets the items and child items at one or more...
Get-Content	type,cat,gc	Gets the content of the element at the specified location.
Get-ItemProperty	gp	Gets the properties of a specified item
Get-WmiObject	gwmi	Gets instances of WMI classes (Windows Management Instrumentation, Wind...
Invoke-WmiMethod	iwmi	Invokes Windows Management Instrumentation methods (Windows Management...
Move-ItemProperty	mp	Moves a property from one location to another speic...
Get-Location	pwd,gl	Gets information about the current working memory location
Set-Location	chdir,cd,sl	Sets the current working memory location to a specified location ...
Push-Location	pushd	Pushes the current location to the top of the list of speic...
Pop-Location	popd	Changes the current location to the location last used on the...
New-PSDrive	mount,ndr	Creates a Windows PowerShell drive in the current session.
Remove-PSDrive	rdr,	Removes a Windows PowerShell drive from its location,
Get-PSDrive	gdr	Gets the Windows PowerShell drives in the current session
Get-Item	gi	Gets the item at the specified location.
New-Item	ni	Creates a new item.
Set-Item	si	Changes the value of an item to the value specified in the command.
Remove-Item	rd,erase,del,rmdir,rm,ri	Deletes the specified items.
Move-Item	move,mv,mi	Moves an item from one location to another location.
Rename-Item	ren,rni,	Renames an item in a Windows PowerShell provider namespace
Copy-Item	copy,cp,cpi	Copies an item within a namespace from a location to ...
Clear-Item	cli	Deletes the contents of an item, but not the item itself.
Invoke-Item	ii	Executes the default action for the specified item.
Get-PSProvider	-	Gets information about the specified Windows PowerShell provider
New-ItemProperty	-	Creates a new property for an item and sets the value. S...
Split-Path	-	Returns the specified part of a path
Test-Path	-	Determines whether all elements of a path are present.
Get-Process	ps,gps	Gets the processes running on the local computer or a remote comp...
Stop-Process	kill,spps	Kills one or more running processes.
Wait-Process	-	Waits for processes to finish before accepting further input
Debug-Process	-	Debug one or more processes running on the local computer
Start-Process	saps,start	Starts one or more processes on the local computer.
Remove-ItemProperty	rp	Deletes the property and its value from an item.
Remove-WmiObject	rwmi	Deletes an instance of an existing WMI class (Windows Management Ins...
Rename-ItemProperty	rnp	Renames the property of an item
Register-WmiEvent	-	Subscribes to a WMI event (Windows Management Instrumentation, Windows...
Resolve-Path	rvpa	Resolves the wildcard characters in a path and displays the contents of the p...
Get-Service	gsv	Gets the services on a local computer or a remote computer
Stop-Service	spsv	Stops one or more running services.
Start-Service	sasv	Starts one or more terminated services.
Suspend-Service	-	Suspends one or more running services
Resume-Service	-	Resumes one or more paused (interrupted) services
Restart-Service	-	Stops one or more services and then starts them.
Set-Service	-	Starts, stops, and modifies the properties of a service.
New-Service	-	Creates a new Windows service.
Set-Content	sc	Writes new content into an element or replaces the content of an eleme...
Set-ItemProperty	sp	Creates or changes the value for a property of an item.
Set-WmiInstance	swmi	Creates or updates an instance of an existing WMI class (Wi...
Get-Transaction	-	Get the current (active) transaction
Start-Transaction	-	Starts a transaction.
Complete-Transaction	-	Executes a commit for the active transaction
Undo-Transaction	-	Resets the active transaction
Use-Transaction	-	Adds the script block to the active transaction.
New-WebServiceProxy	-	Creates a web service proxy object that allows you to use the web service in Windows ...
Get-HotFix	-	Get the hotfixes applied on the local and remote computers
Test-Connection	-	Sends ICMP echo request packets ("pings") to one or more compu...
Enable-ComputerRestore	-	Enables the system restore feature on the specified file...
Disable-ComputerRestore	-	Disables the system restore feature on the specified date...
Checkpoint-Computer	-	Creates a system restore point on the local computer.
Get-ComputerRestorePoint	-	Gets the restore points on the local computer
Restart-Computer	-	Restarts the operating system on the local and remote computers
Stop-Computer	-	Stops local and remote computers (shuts them down).
Restore-Computer	-	Starts a system restore on the local computer.
Add-Computer	-	Adds the local computer to a domain or workgroup
Remove-Computer	-	Removes the local computer from a workgroup or domain.
Test-ComputerSecureChannel	-	Tests and repairs the secure channel between the local computer un...
Reset-ComputerMachinePassword	-	Resets the computer's machine account password
Get-Acl	-	Gets the security descriptor for a resource, such as a D...
Set-Acl	-	Changes the security description of a specified resource, e.g. ei...
Get-PfxCertificate	-	This command gets information about PFX certificate files on d...
Get-Credential	-	Gets an object with credentials corresponding to a username...
Get-ExecutionPolicy	-	Gets the execution policy for the current session
Set-ExecutionPolicy	-	Changes the user setting for the Windows PowerShell execution ric...
Get-AuthenticodeSignature	-	Gets information about the authenticode signature in a file
Set-AuthenticodeSignature	-	Adds an authenticode signature
ConvertFrom-SecureString	-	Converts a secure string to a standard encrypted line
ConvertTo-SecureString	-	Converts encrypted standard strings to secure string...

Help

Help topics can be invoked in Powershell by calling help HILFETHEMA (example: help about_aliases)

In Windows 10, the help is not complete:

The help files for this cmdlet cannot be found by "Get-Help" on this computer. Only
part of the help is displayed.

The PowerShell help can be updated with the command: update-help -UICulture 'en-US' to update it. "en-Us", because as of PowerShell 3 unfortunately no German help is available with this variant. An internet connection is also required for updating.

command	Description
about_aliases	Describes how to use alternate names for cmdlets and commands in
about_Arithmetic_Operators	Describes the operators used in Windows PowerShell
about_arrays	Describes a compact data structure for storing
about_Assignment_Operators	Describes how variables can be assigned values using operators
about_Automatic_Variables	Describes variables from which state information for Windows
about_Break	Describes a statement that lets you use foreach, for, while, do, and
about_command_precedence	Describes the way in which Windows PowerShell will use the
about_Command_Syntax	Describes the syntax used in Windows PowerShell help
about_Comment_Based_Help	Describes how comment-based help topics for functions and
about_CommonParameters	Describes the parameters used with each cmdlet
about_Comparison_Operators	Describes the operators to compare values in Windows
about_Continue	Describes how to use the continue statement to control the program flow
about_Core_Commands	Lists the cmdlets that are required for use with Windows
about_data_sections	Explains data sections where text strings and other
about_debuggers	Describes the Windows PowerShell debugger.
about_do	Performs a statement list one or more times with the
about_environment_variables	Describes how to access Windows environment variables in Windows
about_escape_characters	Gives an introduction to the escape character in Windows PowerShell and
about_eventlogs	In Windows PowerShell, a "Windows PowerShell" called Windows
about_execution_policies	Describes execution policies of Windows PowerShell and
about_For	Describes a voice command that you can use to send instructions to
about_Foreach	Describes a voice command that lets you select all items in an
about_format.ps1xml	In Windows PowerShell's format.ps1xml files, the
about_functions	Describes how to create and use functions in Windows
about_functions_advanced	Provides an introduction to advanced functions that are similar
about_functions_advanced_methods	Describes how in functions that use the CmdletBinding attribute
about_functions_advanced_param...	Explains how to use functions that use the CmdletBinding attribute
about_functions_cmdletbindinga...	Describes an attribute declaring a function whose
about_hash_tables	Describes how to create, use and sort
about_History	Describes how to retrieve and execute commands in the command history.
about_If	Describes a voice command that you can use to call instruction lists
about_jobs	Contains information about background execution of commands or
about_job_details	Contains details about background jobs on local and remote computers.
about_join	Describes how to use the join operator (-join) to join multiple
about_Language_Keywords	Describes the keywords in Windows PowerShell-
about_Line_Editing	Describes how to edit commands at the Windows
about_locations	Describes accessing items in the working memory location of
about_logical_operators	Describes the operators for joining statements in
about_methods	Describes the methods to perform object actions in
about_modules	Explains how to install, import and use
about_objects	Contains important information about objects in Windows PowerShell.
about_operators	Describes the operators supported by Windows PowerShell.
about_parameters	Describes how to work with cmdlet parameters
about_Parsing	Describes how command parsing works in Windows
about_Path_Syntax	Describes the formats for full and relative path names in
about_pipelines	Combining commands into pipelines in Windows PowerShell
about_preference_variables	variables to customize the behavior of Windows PowerShell
about_profiles	Describes how to create and
about_prompts	Describes the prompt function and illustrates how a
about_properties	Describes how object properties in Windows PowerShell
about_providers	Describes how Windows PowerShell providers access data and
about_pssessions	Describes Windows PowerShell sessions (PSSessions) and
about_pssession_details	Provides detailed information about Windows PowerShell
about_PSSnapins	Describes Windows PowerShell snap-ins and illustrates their
about_Quoting_Rules	Describes rules for using single and duplicate
about_Redirection	Describes how to direct Windows PowerShell output to text files
about_Ref	Describes how to create and use a reference variable type.
about_regular_expressions	Describes regular expressions in Windows PowerShell.
about_remote	Describes how remote commands are executed in Windows PowerShell.
about_remote_FAQ	Contains questions and answers about running remote commands in
about_remote_jobs	Describes how to run background jobs on remote computers
about_remote_output	Describes how to interpret and
about_remote_requirements	Describes the system and configuration requirements for
about_remote_troubleshooting	Describes troubleshooting for remote operations in Windows PowerShell.
about_requires	Prevents a script from executing if the specified
about_Reserved_Words	Lists the reserved words that are not used as ID
about_Return	Ends the current scope. This can be a function, a
about_scopes	Explains the concept of scope in Windows PowerShell and shows,
about_scripts	Describes how scripts are written and
about_script_blocks	Defines script blocks and explains how to use them
about_script_internationalization	Describes the script internationalization features of Windows
about_Session_Configurations	Describes session configurations that determine which
about_Signing	Explains how scripts are signed so they can pass Windows
about_Special_Characters	Describes the special characters you use to interpret
about_split	Explains how to use the split operator to create an or
about_Switch	Explains how to use a switch statement to process multiple
about_Throw	Describes the throw keyword that causes an error with abort
about_transactions	Describes the management of transaction operations in Windows
about_trap	Describes a keyword that handles an error with abort
about_try_catch_finally	Describes the use of try, catch and finally blocks
about_types.ps1xml	Explains how to use the Types.ps1xml files to support the Microsoft
about_type_operators	Describes the operators associated with Microsoft .NET Framework types
about_Variables	Describes how to store values in variables that are used in
about_While	Describes a language statement that you can use to store values in variables based on
about_wildcards	Describes how to use wildcard characters in Windows PowerShell
about_Windows_PowerShell_2.0	Describes the new features of Windows PowerShell 2.0.
about_Windows_PowerShell_ISE	Describes the features and system requirements of the integrated
about_WMI_Cmdlets	Contains background information about the
about_WS-Management_Cmdlets	Provides an overview of web services for management (WS-Management) as
default	Displays help on Windows PowerShell cmdlets and concepts