100+ PowerShell Commands A-Z for Windows Administration & Troubleshooting

WMIC to PowerShell Replacements

If WMIC is missing or no longer recognized in Windows 11, use modern PowerShell CIM commands instead.

• WMIC Removed from Windows 11? PowerShell Replacement Guide

PowerShell Command Categories

• Help & Command Discovery
• Pipeline, Filtering & Output
• Files & Folders
• Processes
• Windows Services
• System & Computer Information
• Network Troubleshooting
• DNS Troubleshooting
• Disk & Storage
• Windows Event Logs
• Users & Groups
• Scheduled Tasks
• Registry
• Security & Permissions
• Microsoft Defender
• Remote Administration
• Useful PowerShell Utilities

1. PowerShell Help & Command Discovery

Get-Help

Use: Read help for a PowerShell command.

Get-Help -Examples

Use: Show examples for a command.

Get-Help -Full

Use: Display full help information.

Update-Help

Use: Download updated PowerShell help files where supported.

Get-Command

Use: List available PowerShell commands.

Get-Command *network*

Use: Find commands containing a word.

Get-Module

Use: Display currently loaded PowerShell modules.

Get-Module -ListAvailable

Use: Show installed modules available to PowerShell.

Import-Module

Use: Load a PowerShell module.

Get-Alias

Use: Show PowerShell aliases.

2. Pipeline, Filtering & Output Commands

Where-Object

Use: Filter PowerShell objects.

Select-Object

Use: Select specific properties from objects.

Sort-Object

Use: Sort output.

Measure-Object

Use: Count or calculate values from objects.

ForEach-Object

Use: Perform an action for each pipeline object.

Format-Table

Use: Display output as a table.

Format-List

Use: Display object properties vertically.

Out-File

Use: Save command output to a text file.

Export-Csv

Use: Export objects to CSV.

ConvertTo-Json

Use: Convert PowerShell objects into JSON.

3. PowerShell Files & Folders Commands

Get-ChildItem

Use: List files and folders.

Get-ChildItem -Recurse

Use: Search folders recursively.

Get-Item

Use: Display a specific file, folder or provider item.

New-Item

Use: Create a new file, folder or other provider item.

Copy-Item

Use: Copy files or folders.

Move-Item

Use: Move a file or folder.

Rename-Item

Use: Rename a file or folder.

Remove-Item

Use: Delete a file, folder or supported provider item.

Test-Path

Use: Check whether a path exists.

Get-Content

Use: Read the contents of a text file.

Set-Content

Use: Write or replace file content.

Add-Content

Use: Append content to a file.

Clear-Content

Use: Remove file content without deleting the file.

Get-FileHash

Use: Calculate a cryptographic hash for a file.

Get-Location

Use: Show the current PowerShell location.

Set-Location

Use: Change the current directory.

4. PowerShell Process Commands

Get-Process

Use: Show running processes.

Get-Process -Id

Use: Find a process by PID.

Get-Process by Name

Use: Find a process by executable name.

Stop-Process

Use: Stop a running process.

Stop-Process -Force

Use: Force a process to stop.

Start-Process

Use: Start an application or executable.

Start-Process as Administrator

Use: Start a process elevated.

5. Windows Service Commands

Get-Service

Use: List Windows services.

Get-Service Spooler

Use: Check the Print Spooler service.

Start-Service

Use: Start a Windows service.

Stop-Service

Use: Stop a Windows service.

Restart-Service

Use: Restart a service.

Set-Service

Use: Change supported service settings.

6. Computer & Windows System Information

Get-ComputerInfo

Use: Display detailed computer and Windows information.

Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem

Use: Display operating-system details.

Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem

Use: Display computer manufacturer, model and memory information.

Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS

Use: Display BIOS information.

Get Computer Serial Number

Use: Retrieve the serial number stored in BIOS/firmware.

Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor

Use: Display CPU information.

Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemory

Use: Show physical RAM module information.

Get-Date

Use: Display current system date and time.

Get-TimeZone

Use: Show the configured Windows time zone.

7. PowerShell Network Troubleshooting Commands

Test-Connection

Use: Test basic network connectivity using ICMP.

Test-NetConnection

Use: Test connectivity and collect network diagnostic information.

Test a TCP Port

Use: Check whether a remote TCP port can be reached.

Get-NetAdapter

Use: List Windows network adapters.

Get-NetAdapterStatistics

Use: Show network adapter packet and byte statistics.

Get-NetIPAddress

Use: Show IPv4 and IPv6 address configuration.

Get-NetIPConfiguration

Use: Show interface, IP address, gateway and DNS information.

Get-NetRoute

Use: Display the Windows IP routing table.

Get-NetTCPConnection

Use: Show current TCP connections.

Show Established TCP Connections

Use: Filter for active established TCP sessions.

Get-NetUDPEndpoint

Use: Show local UDP endpoints.

Get-NetConnectionProfile

Use: Display Windows network profile information.

8. PowerShell DNS Troubleshooting Commands

Resolve-DnsName

Use: Perform a DNS lookup.

Resolve-DnsName A Record

Use: Query IPv4 DNS records.

Resolve-DnsName MX

Use: Check mail-exchanger records for a domain.

Get-DnsClientServerAddress

Use: Display DNS servers configured on network interfaces.

Clear-DnsClientCache

Use: Clear the Windows DNS client resolver cache.

9. PowerShell Disk & Storage Commands

Get-Volume

Use: Show Windows volumes and available storage.

Get-Disk

Use: Display disks visible to Windows.

Get-Partition

Use: Display disk partitions.

Get-PhysicalDisk

Use: Display physical disk information where supported.

Get-PSDrive

Use: Show PowerShell drives and free/used space where supported.

Check C Drive Free Space

Use: Display free and used space for the C drive.

Find Large Files

Use: Find the largest files under a folder.

Measure Folder File Size

Use: Calculate the combined size of files under a folder.

Get Storage-Specific CIM Information

Use: Query logical disk information.

10. Windows Event Log Commands

Get-WinEvent

Use: Read Windows event logs.

Application Events

Use: Read recent Application log events.

Security Events

Use: Read Security log events when permissions allow.

Filter Error Events

Use: Search recent System errors.

Get-EventLog

Use: Older Windows PowerShell event-log command.

11. Windows Local User & Group Commands

Get-LocalUser

Use: Show local user accounts.

Get-LocalGroup

Use: Show local Windows groups.

Get-LocalGroupMember

Use: Display members of a local group.

New-LocalUser

Use: Create a local Windows user account.

Add-LocalGroupMember

Use: Add an account to a local group.

Disable-LocalUser

Use: Disable a local Windows user.

12. Windows Scheduled Task Commands

Get-ScheduledTask

Use: List Windows scheduled tasks.

Get-ScheduledTaskInfo

Use: Show runtime information about a scheduled task.

Start-ScheduledTask

Use: Manually start a scheduled task.

Stop-ScheduledTask

Use: Stop a running scheduled task.

13. PowerShell Registry Commands

Get-ChildItem Registry

Use: Browse registry keys using the PowerShell registry provider.

Get-ItemProperty

Use: Read registry values or other item properties.

Set-ItemProperty

Use: Change a registry or supported provider property.

New-Item Registry Key

Use: Create a new registry key.

New-ItemProperty

Use: Create a registry value.

Remove-ItemProperty

Use: Remove a registry value.

14. PowerShell Security & Permission Commands

Get-Acl

Use: Read access-control information for a file, folder or other supported item.

Set-Acl

Use: Apply an ACL to a supported item.

Get-AuthenticodeSignature

Use: Check the Authenticode signature of a file.

Get-ExecutionPolicy

Use: Display the current PowerShell execution policy.

15. Microsoft Defender PowerShell Commands

Update-MpSignature

Use: Update Microsoft Defender security intelligence.

Quick Scan

Use: Start a Microsoft Defender Quick Scan.

Full Scan

Use: Start a Microsoft Defender Full Scan.

Offline Scan

Use: Start Microsoft Defender Offline Scan.

Get-MpComputerStatus

Use: Display Microsoft Defender protection status.

Get-MpThreat

Use: Review threat information known to Microsoft Defender.

Get-MpThreatDetection

Use: Review Microsoft Defender threat-detection history.

Get-MpPreference

Use: Display Microsoft Defender preferences.

For the complete UniTech LK Defender tutorial:

16. PowerShell Remote Administration Commands

Test-WSMan

Use: Test whether the WS-Management service is responding.

Enter-PSSession

Use: Start an interactive PowerShell remote session when remoting is configured.

Exit-PSSession

Use: Leave an interactive remote PowerShell session.

Invoke-Command

Use: Run PowerShell commands on a remote computer when remoting is configured.

New-PSSession

Use: Create a persistent remote PowerShell session.

Remove-PSSession

Use: Close a persistent PowerShell session.

17. Useful PowerShell Utility Commands

Clear-Host

Use: Clear the PowerShell console display.

Read-Host

Use: Prompt the user for input.

Write-Host

Use: Write information directly to the host display.

Write-Output

Use: Send objects or values into the PowerShell output pipeline.

Get-History

Use: Display commands from the current PowerShell session history.

Clear-History

Use: Clear the in-session PowerShell command history list.

Start-Transcript

Use: Record a PowerShell session to a text transcript.

Stop-Transcript

Use: Stop recording the current PowerShell transcript.

Get-Clipboard

Use: Read supported clipboard content.

Set-Clipboard

Use: Put text or supported content on the clipboard.

Common PowerShell Commands People Search For

• PowerShell commands
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• Windows 11 PowerShell commands
• Windows 10 PowerShell commands
• Windows Server PowerShell commands
• PowerShell network commands
• PowerShell DNS commands
• PowerShell storage commands
• PowerShell disk commands
• PowerShell file commands
• PowerShell folder commands
• PowerShell process commands
• PowerShell service commands
• PowerShell security commands
• PowerShell malware scan commands
• Microsoft Defender PowerShell commands
• PowerShell user commands
• PowerShell registry commands
• PowerShell event log commands
• PowerShell TCP connection commands
• PowerShell ping command
• PowerShell port test
• PowerShell IP address command
• PowerShell computer information
• PowerShell serial number command
• PowerShell find large files
• PowerShell C drive analysis
• PowerShell troubleshooting commands

PowerShell Commands Frequently Asked Questions

Related UniTech LK PowerShell Guides

• PowerShell Troubleshooting Hub
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• Windows Security Troubleshooting
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• All UniTech LK Troubleshooting Guides