Windows PowerShell is a scripting engine that's embedded into multiple hosts. The most common hosts
you'll start are the interactive command-line powershell.exe and the Interactive Scripting
Environment powershell_ise.exe.
PowerShell has renamed binary
PowerShell version 6 and higher uses .NET Core. Supported versions are available on Windows, macOS,
and Linux.
Beginning in PowerShell 6, the PowerShell binary was renamed pwsh.exe for Windows and pwsh for
macOS and Linux. You can start PowerShell preview versions using pwsh-preview. For more
information, see About pwsh.
To find cmdlet reference and installation documentation for PowerShell 7, use the following links:
Open the Start menu, type Windows PowerShell, select Windows PowerShell, then select
Open.
At the Command Prompt
In Windows Command shell, Windows PowerShell, or Windows PowerShell ISE, to start Windows
PowerShell, type: PowerShell.
You can also use the parameters of the powershell.exe program to customize the session. For more
information, see PowerShell.exe Command-Line Help.
With Administrative privileges (Run as administrator)
Open the Start menu, type Windows PowerShell, select Windows PowerShell, and then
select Run as administrator.
How to Start Windows PowerShell ISE on Earlier Releases of Windows
Use any of the following methods to start Windows PowerShell ISE.
From the Start Menu
Open the Start menu, type ISE, select Windows PowerShell ISE, then select Open.
At the Command Prompt
In Windows Command shell, Windows PowerShell, or Windows PowerShell ISE, to start Windows
PowerShell, type: PowerShell_ISE. In Windows PowerShell, you can use the alias ise.
With Administrative privileges (Run as administrator)
Click Start, type ISE, right-click Windows PowerShell ISE, and then click Run as
administrator.
Starting the 32-Bit Version of Windows PowerShell
When using a 64-bit computer, Windows PowerShell (x86), a 32-bit version of Windows PowerShell
is installed in addition to the 64-bit version. When you run Windows PowerShell, the 64-bit version
runs by default.
However, you might occasionally need to run Windows PowerShell (x86), such as when you're using
a module that requires the 32-bit version or when you're connecting remotely to a 32-bit computer.
To start a 32-bit version of Windows PowerShell, use any of the following procedures.
Click Start, type Windows PowerShell, select Windows PowerShell (x86), then select
Open.
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This learning path introduces you to Windows PowerShell and provides an overview of the product’s functionality. It explains how to open and configure Windows PowerShell, run commands, and use its built-in Help system.