Install-Module

Module:

PowerShellGet

Downloads one or more modules from a repository, and installs them on the local computer.

Syntax

Install-Module
       [-Name] <String[]>
       [-MinimumVersion <String>]
       [-MaximumVersion <String>]
       [-RequiredVersion <String>]
       [-Repository <String[]>]
       [-Credential <PSCredential>]
       [-Scope <String>]
       [-Proxy <Uri>]
       [-ProxyCredential <PSCredential>]
       [-AllowClobber]
       [-SkipPublisherCheck]
       [-Force]
       [-AllowPrerelease]
       [-AcceptLicense]
       [-PassThru]
       [-WhatIf]
       [-Confirm]
       [<CommonParameters>]

Install-Module
       [-InputObject] <PSObject[]>
       [-Credential <PSCredential>]
       [-Scope <String>]
       [-Proxy <Uri>]
       [-ProxyCredential <PSCredential>]
       [-AllowClobber]
       [-SkipPublisherCheck]
       [-Force]
       [-AcceptLicense]
       [-PassThru]
       [-WhatIf]
       [-Confirm]
       [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Install-Module cmdlet gets one or more modules that meet specified criteria from an online repository. The cmdlet verifies that search results are valid modules and copies the module folders to the installation location. Installed modules aren't automatically imported after installation. You can filter which module is installed based on the minimum, maximum, and exact versions of specified modules.

If the module being installed has the same name or version, or contains commands in an existing module, warning messages are displayed. After you confirm that you want to install the module and override the warnings, use the -Force and -AllowClobber parameters. Dependent upon your repository settings, you might need to answer a prompt for the module installation to continue.

The parameters that take module version numbers expect strings formatted as version numbers.

• Standard version numbers have a format of x.y.z where x, y, and z are numbers
• Prerelease versions have a format of x.y.z-<prerelease_label> where the <prerelease_label> is arbitrary string assigned to that release.

These examples use the PowerShell Gallery as the only registered repository. Get-PSRepository displays the registered repositories. If you have multiple registered repositories, use the -Repository parameter to specify the repository's name.

Examples

Example 1: Find and install a module

This example finds a module in the repository and installs the module.

Find-Module -Name PowerShellGet | Install-Module

The Find-Module uses the Name parameter to specify the PowerShellGet module. By default, the newest version of the module is downloaded from the repository. The object is sent down the pipeline to the Install-Module cmdlet. Install-Module installs the module for all users in $env:ProgramFiles\PowerShell\Modules.

Example 2: Install a module by name

In this example, the newest version of the PowerShellGet module is installed.

Install-Module -Name PowerShellGet

The Install-Module uses the Name parameter to specify the PowerShellGet module. By default, the newest version of the module is downloaded from the repository and installed.

Example 3: Install a module using its minimum version

In this example, the minimum version of the PowerShellGet module is installed. The MinimumVersion parameter specifies the lowest version of the module that should be installed. If a newer version of the module is available, that version is downloaded and installed for all users.

Install-Module -Name PowerShellGet -MinimumVersion 2.0.1

The Install-Module uses the Name parameter to specify the PowerShellGet module. The MinimumVersion parameter specifies that version 2.0.1 is downloaded from the repository and installed. Because version 2.0.4 is available, that version is downloaded and installed for all users.

Example 4: Install a specific version of a module

In this example, a specific version of the PowerShellGet module is installed.

Install-Module -Name PowerShellGet -RequiredVersion 2.0.0

The Install-Module uses the Name parameter to specify the PowerShellGet module. The RequiredVersion parameter specifies that version 2.0.0 is downloaded and installed for all users.

Example 5: Install a module only for the current user

This example downloads and installs the newest version of a module, only for the current user.

Install-Module -Name PowerShellGet -Scope CurrentUser

The Install-Module uses the Name parameter to specify the PowerShellGet module. Install-Module downloads and installs the newest version of PowerShellGet into the current user's directory, $HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Modules.

Example 6: Install the latest prerelease version of a module

This example shows how to install the latest version of a module when that version is a prerelease version. Installing a prerelease version requires the AllowPrerelease parameter.

Install-Module -Name Microsoft.PowerShell.Crescendo -AllowPrerelease

Using this method you get the latest version available. If the latest version isn't a prerelease, you get the latest stable version of the module.

Example 7: Install a specific prerelease version of a module

This example shows how to install a specific prerelease version of a module. The Find-Module cmdlet can be used to find prerelease versions of modules in the PowerShell Gallery.

Prerelease versions have a format of <version_number>-<prerelease_label>.

Find-Module PSReadLine -AllVersions -AllowPrerelease | Select-Object -First 5

Version        Name             Repository       Description
-------        ----             ----------       -----------
2.2.6          PSReadLine       PSGallery        Great command line editing in the PowerS…
2.2.5          PSReadLine       PSGallery        Great command line editing in the PowerS…
2.2.4-beta1    PSReadLine       PSGallery        Great command line editing in the PowerS…
2.2.3          PSReadLine       PSGallery        Great command line editing in the PowerS…
2.2.2          PSReadLine       PSGallery        Great command line editing in the PowerS…

Install-Module -Name PSReadLine -RequiredVersion 2.2.4-beta1 -AllowPrerelease

Use the version shown in the PowerShell Gallery for the value of the RequiredVersion parameter.

Parameters

-AcceptLicense

For modules that require a license, AcceptLicense automatically accepts the license agreement during installation. For more information, see Modules Requiring License Acceptance.

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

-AllowClobber

Overrides warning messages about installation conflicts about existing commands on a computer. Overwrites existing commands that have the same name as commands being installed by a module. AllowClobber and Force can be used together in an Install-Module command.

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

-AllowPrerelease

Allows you to install a module marked as a pre-release.

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

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the Install-Module cmdlet.

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

-Credential

Specifies a user account that has rights to install a module for a specified package provider or source.

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

-Force

Installs a module and overrides warning messages about module installation conflicts. If a module with the same name already exists on the computer, Force allows for multiple versions to be installed. If there is an existing module with the same name and version, Force overwrites that version. Force and AllowClobber can be used together in an Install-Module command.

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

-InputObject

Used for pipeline input. An error is thrown if a value supplied directly to InputObject. Use the pipeline to pass objects with the InputObject parameter.

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

-MaximumVersion

Specifies the maximum version of a single module to install. The version installed must be less than or equal to MaximumVersion. If you want to install multiple modules, you can't use MaximumVersion. MaximumVersion and RequiredVersion can't be used in the same Install-Module command.

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

-MinimumVersion

Specifies the minimum version of a single module to install. The version installed must be greater than or equal to MinimumVersion. If there is a newer version of the module available, the newer version is installed. If you want to install multiple modules, you can't use MinimumVersion. MinimumVersion and RequiredVersion can't be used in the same Install-Module command.

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

-Name

Specifies the exact names of modules to install from the online gallery. A comma-separated list of module names is accepted. The module name must match the module name in the repository. Use Find-Module to get a list of module names.

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

-PassThru

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

-Proxy

Specifies a proxy server for the request, rather than connecting directly to the Internet resource.

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

-ProxyCredential

Specifies a user account that has permission to use the proxy server that's specified by the Proxy parameter.

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

-Repository

Use the Repository parameter to specify the name of repository from which to download and install a module. Used when multiple repositories are registered. Specifies the name of a registered repository in the Install-Module command. To register a repository, use Register-PSRepository. To display registered repositories, use Get-PSRepository.

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

-RequiredVersion

Specifies the exact version of a single module to install. If there is no match in the repository for the specified version, an error is displayed. If you want to install multiple modules, you can't use RequiredVersion. RequiredVersion can't be used in the same Install-Module command as MinimumVersion or MaximumVersion.

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

-Scope

Specifies the installation scope of the module. The acceptable values for this parameter are AllUsers and CurrentUser.

The AllUsers scope installs modules in a location that's accessible to all users of the computer:

$env:ProgramFiles\PowerShell\Modules

The CurrentUser installs modules in a location that's accessible only to the current user of the computer. For example:

$HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Modules

When no Scope is defined, the default is set based on the PowerShellGet version.

• In PowerShellGet 1.x versions, the default is AllUsers, which requires elevation for install.
• For PowerShellGet versions 2.0.0 and above in PowerShell 6 or higher:
  • The default is CurrentUser, which doesn't require elevation for install.
  • If you are running in an elevated session, the default is AllUsers.

Type:	String
Accepted values:	CurrentUser, AllUsers
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-SkipPublisherCheck

Allows you to install a newer version of a module that already exists on your computer. For example, when an existing module is digitally signed by a trusted publisher but the new version isn't digitally signed by a trusted publisher.

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

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if an Install-Module command was run. The cmdlet isn't run.

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

Inputs

PSRepositoryItemInfo

Find-Module creates PSRepositoryItemInfo objects that can be sent down the pipeline to Install-Module.

String[]

PSObject[]

String

PSCredential

Uri

Outputs

Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.PSRepositoryItemInfo

When using the PassThru parameter, Install-Module outputs a PSRepositoryItemInfo object for the module. This is the same information that you get from the Find-Module cmdlet.

Notes

PowerShell includes the following aliases for Install-Module:

• All platforms:
  • inmo

Install-Module runs on PowerShell 5.0 or later releases, on Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 and later releases of Windows.

Important

As of April 2020, the PowerShell Gallery no longer supports Transport Layer Security (TLS) versions 1.0 and 1.1. If you aren't using TLS 1.2 or higher, you will receive an error when trying to access the PowerShell Gallery. Use the following command to ensure you are using TLS 1.2:

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12

For more information, see the announcement in the PowerShell blog.

As a security best practice, evaluate a module's code before running any cmdlets or functions for the first time. To prevent running modules that contain malicious code, installed modules aren't automatically imported after installation.

If the module name specified by the Name parameter doesn't exist in the repository, Install-Module returns an error.

To install multiple modules, use the Name parameter and specify a comma-separated array of module names. If you specify multiple module names, you can't use MinimumVersion, MaximumVersion, or RequiredVersion. Find-Module creates PSRepositoryItemInfo objects that can be sent down the pipeline to Install-Module. The pipeline is another way to specify multiple modules to install in a single command.

By default, modules for the scope of AllUsers are installed in $env:ProgramFiles\PowerShell\Modules. The default prevents confusion when you install PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) resources.

A module installation fails and can't be imported if it doesn't have a .psm1, .psd1, or .dll of the same name within the folder. Use the Force parameter to install the module.

If an existing module's version matches the name specified by the Name parameter, and the MinimumVersion or RequiredVersion parameter aren't used, Install-Module silently continues but doesn't install the module.

If an existing module's version is greater than the value of the MinimumVersion parameter, or equal to the value of the RequiredVersion parameter, Install-Module silently continues but doesn't install the module.

If the existing module doesn't match the values specified by the MinimumVersion or RequiredVersion parameters, an error occurs in the Install-Module command. For example, if the version of the existing installed module is lower than the MinimumVersion value or not equal to the RequiredVersion value.

Install-Module also installs any dependent modules specified as required by the module publisher. The publisher lists the required modules and their versions in the module manifest.

Related Links

• Find-Module
• Get-PSRepository
• Import-Module
• Publish-Module
• Register-PSRepository
• Uninstall-Module
• Update-Module
• about_Module