Remove-Module
Removes modules from the current session.
Syntax
Remove-Module
[-Name] <String[]>
[-Force]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Remove-Module
[-FullyQualifiedName] <ModuleSpecification[]>
[-Force]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Remove-Module
[-ModuleInfo] <PSModuleInfo[]>
[-Force]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Remove-Module
cmdlet removes the members of a module, such as cmdlets and functions, from the
current session.
If the module includes an assembly (.dll
), all members that are implemented by the assembly are
removed, but the assembly isn't unloaded.
This cmdlet doesn't uninstall the module or delete it from the computer. It affects only the current PowerShell session.
Examples
Example 1: Remove a module
Remove-Module -Name "BitsTransfer"
This command removes the BitsTransfer module from the current session.
Example 2: Remove all modules
Get-Module | Remove-Module
This command removes all modules from the current session.
Example 3: Remove modules by using the pipeline
"FileTransfer", "PSDiagnostics" | Remove-Module -Verbose
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "filetransfer (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\filetransfer\filetransfer.psd1')".
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management (Path: 'C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management\1.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfe
r.Management.dll')".
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "psdiagnostics (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\psdiagnostics\psdiagnostics.psd1')".
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Start-Trace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Stop-Trace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-WSManTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-WSManTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-PSWSManCombinedTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-PSWSManCombinedTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Set-LogProperties'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Get-LogProperties'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-PSTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-PSTrace'.
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "PSDiagnostics (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\psdiagnostics\PSDiagnostics.psm1')".
This command removes the BitsTransfer and PSDiagnostics modules from the current session.
The command uses a pipeline operator (|
) to send the module names to Remove-Module
. It uses the
Verbose common parameter to get detailed information about the members that are removed.
The Verbose messages show the items that are removed. The messages differ because the
BitsTransfer module includes an assembly that implements its cmdlets and a nested module with its
own assembly. The PSDiagnostics module includes a module script file (.psm1
) that exports
functions.
Example 4: Remove a module using ModuleInfo
$a = Get-Module BitsTransfer
Remove-Module -ModuleInfo $a
This command uses the ModuleInfo parameter to remove the BitsTransfer module.
Example 5: Using the OnRemove event
When removing a module, there is an event trigger by the module that allows a module to react to being removed and perform some cleanup task, such as freeing resources.
$OnRemoveScript = {
# perform cleanup
$cachedSessions | Remove-PSSession
}
$ExecutionContext.SessionState.Module.OnRemove += $OnRemoveScript
$registerEngineEventSplat = @{
SourceIdentifier = ([System.Management.Automation.PsEngineEvent]::Exiting)
Action = $OnRemoveScript
}
Register-EngineEvent @registerEngineEventSplat
The $OnRemoveScript
variable contains the script block that cleans up the resources. You register
the script block by assigning it to $ExecutionContext.SessionState.Module.OnRemove
. You can also
use Register-EngineEvent
to have the script block execute when the PowerShell session ends.
For script-based modules, you would add this code to the .PSM1
file or put it in a startup script
that is listed in the ScriptsToProcess property of the module manifest.
Parameters
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | cf |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Force
Indicates that this cmdlet removes read-only modules. By default, Remove-Module
removes only
read-write modules.
The ReadOnly and ReadWrite values are stored in AccessMode property of a module.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-FullyQualifiedName
The value can be a module name, a full module specification, or a path to a module file.
When the value is a path, the path can be fully qualified or relative. A relative path is resolved relative to the script that contains the using statement.
When the value is a name or module specification, PowerShell searches the PSModulePath for the specified module.
A module specification is a hashtable that has the following keys.
ModuleName
- Required Specifies the module name.GUID
- Optional Specifies the GUID of the module.- It's also Required to specify at least one of the three below keys.
ModuleVersion
- Specifies a minimum acceptable version of the module.MaximumVersion
- Specifies the maximum acceptable version of the module.RequiredVersion
- Specifies an exact, required version of the module. This can't be used with the other Version keys.
Type: | ModuleSpecification[] |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ModuleInfo
Specifies the module objects to remove. Enter a variable that contains a PSModuleInfo object or
a command that gets a module object, such as a Get-Module
command. You can also pipe module
objects to Remove-Module
.
Type: | PSModuleInfo[] |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Name
Specifies the names of modules to remove. Wildcard characters are permitted. You can also pipe name
strings to Remove-Module
.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. 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
You can pipe a module name to this cmdlet.
You can pipe a module object to this cmdlet.
Outputs
None
This cmdlet returns no output.
Notes
Windows PowerShell includes the following aliases for Remove-Module
:
rmo
When you remove a module, there is an event is triggered that can be used to run some cleanup code. For more details, see Example 5.
Related Links
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