Get-Content

Reference

Module:: Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

Gets the content of the item at the specified location.

Syntax

Get-Content
   [-ReadCount <Int64>]
   [-TotalCount <Int64>]
   [-Tail <Int32>]
   [-Path] <String[]>
   [-Filter <String>]
   [-Include <String[]>]
   [-Exclude <String[]>]
   [-Force]
   [-Credential <PSCredential>]
   [-Delimiter <String>]
   [-Wait]
   [-Raw]
   [-Encoding <Encoding>]
   [-AsByteStream]
   [-Stream <String>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Get-Content
   [-ReadCount <Int64>]
   [-TotalCount <Int64>]
   [-Tail <Int32>]
   -LiteralPath <String[]>
   [-Filter <String>]
   [-Include <String[]>]
   [-Exclude <String[]>]
   [-Force]
   [-Credential <PSCredential>]
   [-Delimiter <String>]
   [-Wait]
   [-Raw]
   [-Encoding <Encoding>]
   [-AsByteStream]
   [-Stream <String>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Get-Content cmdlet gets the content of the item at the location specified by the path, such as the text in a file or the content of a function. For files, the content is read one line at a time and returns a collection of objects, each representing a line of content.

Beginning in PowerShell 3.0, Get-Content can also get a specified number of lines from the beginning or end of an item.

Examples

Example 1: Get the content of a text file

This example gets the content of a file in the current directory. The LineNumbers.txt file has 100 lines in the format, This is Line X and is used in several examples.

1..100 | ForEach-Object { Add-Content -Path .\LineNumbers.txt -Value "This is line $_." }
Get-Content -Path .\LineNumbers.txt

This is Line 1
This is Line 2
...
This is line 99.
This is line 100.

The array values 1-100 are sent down the pipeline to the ForEach-Object cmdlet. ForEach-Object uses a script block with the Add-Content cmdlet to create the LineNumbers.txt file. The variable $_ represents the array values as each object is sent down the pipeline. The Get-Content cmdlet uses the Path parameter to specify the LineNumbers.txt file and displays the content in the PowerShell console.

Example 2: Limit the number of lines Get-Content returns

This command gets the first five lines of a file. The TotalCount parameter gets the first five lines of content. This example uses the LineNumbers.txt referenced in Example 1.

Get-Content -Path .\LineNumbers.txt -TotalCount 5

This is Line 1
This is Line 2
This is Line 3
This is Line 4
This is Line 5

Example 3: Get a specific line of content from a text file

This command gets a specific number of lines from a file and then displays only the last line of that content. The TotalCount parameter gets the first 25 lines of content. This example uses the LineNumbers.txt file referenced in Example 1.

(Get-Content -Path .\LineNumbers.txt -TotalCount 25)[-1]

This is Line 25

The Get-Content command is wrapped in parentheses so that the command completes before going to the next step. Get-Contentreturns an array of lines, this allows you to add the index notation after the parenthesis to retrieve a specific line number. In this case, the [-1] index specifies the last index in the returned array of 25 retrieved lines.

Example 4: Get the last line of a text file

This command gets the last line of content from a file. This example uses the LineNumbers.txt file that was created in Example 1.

Get-Item -Path .\LineNumbers.txt | Get-Content -Tail 1

This is Line 100

This example uses the Get-Item cmdlet to demonstrate that you can pipe files to Get-Content. The Tail parameter gets the last line of the file. This method is faster than retrieving all the lines in a variable and using the [-1] index notation.

Example 5: Get the content of an alternate data stream

This example describes how to use the Stream parameter to get the content of an alternate data stream for files stored on a Windows NTFS volume. In this example, the Set-Content cmdlet is used to create sample content in a file named Stream.txt.

Set-Content -Path .\Stream.txt -Value 'This is the content of the Stream.txt file'
# Specify a wildcard to the Stream parameter to display all streams of the recently created file.
Get-Item -Path .\Stream.txt -Stream *

PSPath        : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Test\Stream.txt::$DATA
PSParentPath  : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Test
PSChildName   : Stream.txt::$DATA
PSDrive       : C
PSProvider    : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem
PSIsContainer : False
FileName      : C:\Test\Stream.txt
Stream        : :$DATA
Length        : 44

# Retrieve the content of the primary stream.
# Note the single quotes to prevent variable substitution.
Get-Content -Path .\Stream.txt -Stream ':$DATA'

This is the content of the Stream.txt file

# Alternative way to get the same content.
Get-Content -Path .\Stream.txt -Stream ""
# The primary stream doesn't need to be specified to get the primary stream of the file.
# This gets the same data as the prior two examples.
Get-Content -Path .\Stream.txt

This is the content of the Stream.txt file

# Use the Stream parameter of Add-Content to create a new Stream containing sample content.
$addContentSplat = @{
    Path = '.\Stream.txt'
    Stream = 'NewStream'
    Value = 'Added a stream named NewStream to Stream.txt'
}
Add-Content @addContentSplat

# Use Get-Item to verify the stream was created.
Get-Item -Path .\Stream.txt -Stream *

PSPath        : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Test\Stream.txt::$DATA
PSParentPath  : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Test
PSChildName   : Stream.txt::$DATA
PSDrive       : C
PSProvider    : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem
PSIsContainer : False
FileName      : C:\Test\Stream.txt
Stream        : :$DATA
Length        : 44

PSPath        : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Test\Stream.txt:NewStream
PSParentPath  : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Test
PSChildName   : Stream.txt:NewStream
PSDrive       : C
PSProvider    : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem
PSIsContainer : False
FileName      : C:\Test\Stream.txt
Stream        : NewStream
Length        : 46

# Retrieve the content of your newly created Stream.
Get-Content -Path .\Stream.txt -Stream NewStream

Added a stream named NewStream to Stream.txt

The Stream parameter is a dynamic parameter of the FileSystem provider. By default Get-Content only retrieves data from the default, or :$DATA stream. Streams can be used to store hidden data such as attributes, security settings, or other data. They can also be stored on directories without being child items.

Example 6: Get raw content

The commands in this example get the contents of a file as one string, instead of an array of strings. By default, without the Raw dynamic parameter, content is returned as an array of newline-delimited strings. This example uses the LineNumbers.txt file referenced in Example 1.

$raw = Get-Content -Path .\LineNumbers.txt -Raw
$lines = Get-Content -Path .\LineNumbers.txt
Write-Host "Raw contains $($raw.Count) lines."
Write-Host "Lines contains $($lines.Count) lines."

Raw contains 1 lines.
Lines contains 100 lines.

Example 7: Use Filters with Get-Content

You can specify a filter to the Get-Content cmdlet. When using filters to qualify the Path parameter, you need to include a trailing asterisk (*) to indicate the contents of the path.

The following command gets the content of all *.log files in the C:\Temp directory.

Get-Content -Path C:\Temp\* -Filter *.log

Example 8: Get file contents as a byte array

This example demonstrates how to get the contents of a file as a [byte[]] as a single object.

$byteArray = Get-Content -Path C:\temp\test.txt -AsByteStream -Raw
Get-Member -InputObject $bytearray

TypeName: System.Byte[]

Name           MemberType            Definition
----           ----------            ----------
Count          AliasProperty         Count = Length
Add            Method                int IList.Add(System.Object value)

The first command uses the AsByteStream parameter to get the stream of bytes from the file. The Raw parameter ensures that the bytes are returned as a [System.Byte[]]. If the Raw parameter was absent, the return value is a stream of bytes, which is interpreted by PowerShell as [System.Object[]].

Parameters

-AsByteStream

Specifies that the content should be read as a stream of bytes. The AsByteStream parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 6.0.

A warning occurs when you use the AsByteStream parameter with the Encoding parameter. The AsByteStream parameter ignores any encoding and the output is returned as a stream of bytes.

When reading from and writing to binary files, use the AsByteStream parameter and a value of 0 for the ReadCount parameter. A ReadCount value of 0 reads the entire file in a single read operation. The default ReadCount value, 1, reads one byte in each read operation and converts each byte into a separate object. Piping single-byte output to Set-Content causes errors unless you use the AsByteStream parameter with Set-Content.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Credential

Note

This parameter isn't supported by any providers installed with PowerShell. To impersonate another user, or elevate your credentials when running this cmdlet, use Invoke-Command.

Type:	PSCredential
Position:	Named
Default value:	Current user
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Delimiter

Specifies the delimiter that Get-Content uses to divide the file into objects while it reads. The default is \n, the end-of-line character. When reading a text file, Get-Content returns a collection of string objects, each ending with an end-of-line character. When you enter a delimiter that doesn't exist in the file, Get-Content returns the entire file as a single, undelimited object.

You can use this parameter to split a large file into smaller files by specifying a file separator, as the delimiter. The delimiter is preserved (not discarded) and becomes the last item in each file section.

Delimiter is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Get-Content cmdlet. This parameter works only in file system drives.

Note

Currently, when the value of the Delimiter parameter is an empty string, Get-Content does not return anything. This is a known issue. To force Get-Content to return the entire file as a single, undelimited string. Enter a value that doesn't exist in the file.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	End-of-line character
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Encoding

Specifies the type of encoding for the target file. The default value is utf8NoBOM.

The acceptable values for this parameter are as follows:

ascii: Uses the encoding for the ASCII (7-bit) character set.
ansi: Uses the encoding for the for the current culture's ANSI code page. This option was added in PowerShell 7.4.
bigendianunicode: Encodes in UTF-16 format using the big-endian byte order.
bigendianutf32: Encodes in UTF-32 format using the big-endian byte order.
oem: Uses the default encoding for MS-DOS and console programs.
unicode: Encodes in UTF-16 format using the little-endian byte order.
utf7: Encodes in UTF-7 format.
utf8: Encodes in UTF-8 format.
utf8BOM: Encodes in UTF-8 format with Byte Order Mark (BOM)
utf8NoBOM: Encodes in UTF-8 format without Byte Order Mark (BOM)
utf32: Encodes in UTF-32 format.

Encoding is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Get-Content cmdlet. This parameter is available only in file system drives.

Beginning with PowerShell 6.2, the Encoding parameter also allows numeric IDs of registered code pages (like -Encoding 1251) or string names of registered code pages (like -Encoding "windows-1251"). For more information, see the .NET documentation for Encoding.CodePage.

Starting with PowerShell 7.4, you can use the Ansi value for the Encoding parameter to pass the numeric ID for the current culture's ANSI code page without having to specify it manually.

Note

UTF-7* is no longer recommended to use. As of PowerShell 7.1, a warning is written if you specify utf7 for the Encoding parameter.

Type:	Encoding
Accepted values:	ASCII, BigEndianUnicode, BigEndianUTF32, OEM, Unicode, UTF7, UTF8, UTF8BOM, UTF8NoBOM, UTF32
Position:	Named
Default value:	UTF8NoBOM
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Exclude

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet excludes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter.

Enter a path element or pattern, such as *.txt. Wildcard characters are permitted.

The Exclude parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as C:\Windows\*, where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the C:\Windows directory.

Type:	String[]
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	True

-Filter

Specifies a filter to qualify the Path parameter. The FileSystem provider is the only installed PowerShell provider that supports the use of filters. You can find the syntax for the FileSystem filter language in about_Wildcards. Filters are more efficient than other parameters, because the provider applies them when the cmdlet gets the objects rather than having PowerShell filter the objects after they're retrieved.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	True

-Force

Force can override a read-only attribute or create directories to complete a file path. The Force parameter doesn't attempt to change file permissions or override security restrictions.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Include

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet includes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as "*.txt". Wildcard characters are permitted. The Include parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as C:\Windows\*, where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the C:\Windows directory.

Type:	String[]
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	True

-LiteralPath

Specifies a path to one or more locations. The value of LiteralPath is used exactly as it's typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.

For more information, see about_Quoting_Rules.

Type:	String[]
Aliases:	PSPath, LP
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	True
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Path

Specifies the path to an item where Get-Content gets the content. Wildcard characters are permitted. The paths must be paths to items, not to containers. For example, you must specify a path to one or more files, not a path to a directory.

Type:	String[]
Position:	0
Default value:	None
Required:	True
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	True

-Raw

Ignores newline characters and returns the entire contents of a file in one string with the newlines preserved. By default, newline characters in a file are used as delimiters to separate the input into an array of strings. This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 3.0.

Raw is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Get-Content cmdlet This parameter works only in file system drives.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-ReadCount

Specifies how many lines of content are sent through the pipeline at a time. The default value is 1. A value of 0 (zero) or negative numbers sends all the content at one time.

This parameter doesn't change the content displayed, but it does affect the time it takes to display the content. As the value of ReadCount increases, the time it takes to return the first line increases, but the total time for the operation decreases. This can make a perceptible difference in large items.

Type:	Int64
Position:	Named
Default value:	1
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Stream

Note

This Parameter is only available on Windows.

Gets the contents of the specified alternate NTFS file stream from the file. Enter the stream name. Wildcards aren't supported.

Stream is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Get-Content cmdlet. This parameter works only in file system drives on Windows systems.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0. In PowerShell 7.2, Get-Content can retrieve the content of alternative data streams from directories as well as files.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Tail

Specifies the number of lines from the end of a file or other item. You can use the Tail parameter name or its alias, Last. A value of 0 returns no lines. Negative values cause an error.

This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 3.0.

Type:	Int32
Aliases:	Last
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-TotalCount

Specifies the number of lines from the beginning of a file or other item. A value of 0 returns no lines. Negative values cause an error.

You can use the TotalCount parameter name or its aliases, First or Head.

Type:	Int64
Aliases:	First, Head
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Wait

Causes the cmdlet to wait indefinitely, keeping the file open, until interrupted. While waiting, Get-Content checks the file once per second and outputs new lines if present. When used with the TotalCount parameter, Get-Content waits until the specified number of lines are available in the specified file. For example, if you specify a TotalCount of 10 and the file already has 10 or more lines, Get-Content returns the 10 lines and exits. If the file has fewer than 10 lines, Get-Content outputs each line as it arrives, but waits until the tenth line arrives before exiting.

You can interrupt Wait by pressing Ctrl+C. Deleting the file causes a non-terminating error that also interrupts the waiting.

Wait is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Get-Content cmdlet. This parameter works only in file system drives. Wait can't be combined with Raw.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Inputs

Int64

You can pipe the read count or total count to this cmdlet.

String[]

You can pipe paths to this cmdlet.

PSCredential

You can pipe credentials to this cmdlet.

Outputs

Byte

When you use the AsByteStream parameter, this cmdlet returns the content as bytes.

String

By default, this cmdlet returns the content as an array of strings, one per line. When you use the Raw parameter, it returns a single string containing every line in the file.

Notes

PowerShell includes the following aliases for Get-Content:

All platforms:
- gc
- type
Windows:
- cat

The Get-Content cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To get the providers in your session, use the Get-PSProvider cmdlet. For more information, see about_Providers.

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Get-Content

Syntax

Description

Examples

Example 1: Get the content of a text file

Example 2: Limit the number of lines Get-Content returns

Example 3: Get a specific line of content from a text file

Example 4: Get the last line of a text file

Example 5: Get the content of an alternate data stream

Example 6: Get raw content

Example 7: Use Filters with Get-Content

Example 8: Get file contents as a byte array

Parameters

-AsByteStream

-Credential

-Delimiter

-Encoding

-Exclude

-Filter

-Force

-Include

-LiteralPath

-Path

-Raw

-ReadCount

-Stream

-Tail

-TotalCount

-Wait

Inputs

Outputs

Notes

Additional resources

Share via

Get-Content

Syntax

Description

Examples

Example 1: Get the content of a text file

Example 2: Limit the number of lines Get-Content returns

Example 3: Get a specific line of content from a text file

Example 4: Get the last line of a text file

Example 5: Get the content of an alternate data stream

Example 6: Get raw content

Example 7: Use Filters with Get-Content

Example 8: Get file contents as a byte array

Parameters

-AsByteStream

-Credential

-Delimiter

-Encoding

-Exclude

-Filter

-Force

-Include

-LiteralPath

-Path

-Raw

-ReadCount

-Stream

-Tail

-TotalCount

-Wait

Inputs

Outputs

Notes

Related Links

Additional resources