How to Open PowerShell on Windows 10? [Step by Step Guide]

Did you know that you can use Microsoft PowerShell to tackle various administrative tasks? With it, you can find out all sorts of information, such as how many USB devices are installed on your Windows 10 computer!

PowerShell is a powerful scripting language and command-line shell that surpasses the Command Prompt. It uses cmdlets (command-lets) to help automate Windows tasks, especially when launching certain apps. Since Windows 10, PowerShell has been the default choice, and there are several ways to open it. Let's look at these methods!

What is PowerShell?

In this part, we will discuss what PowerShell is, its features, extensions, and so on. However, PowerShell is one of Microsoft's best task automation and configuration management frameworks, which comes built-in with Windows 10.

=>

PowerShell is an open-source command-line interface (CLI) tool that enables IT administrators, web developers, and DevOps professionals to automate tasks and configurations using code. However, various versions, file extensions, and features of PowerShell include:

File Extension

• .ps1 (script file)
• .ps1xml (XML document)
• .psc1 (console file)
• .psd1 (data file)
• .psm1 (script module)
• .pssc (session configuration file)
• .psrc (role capability file)
• .cdxml (Cmdlet definition XML document)

Version

• Windows PowerShell 1.0
• Windows PowerShell 2.0
• Windows PowerShell 3.0
• Windows PowerShell 4.0
• Windows PowerShell 5.0
• Windows PowerShell 5.1
• PowerShell Core 6
• PowerShell 7
• PowerShell 7.2

Feature

Let's examine the main features of the PowerShell scripting language:

• Error handling: Similar to .NET languages, Windows PowerShell provides a Try{ }, Catch { }, and Finally {} blocks for error handling.
• Tab completion: Pressing the Tab key once invokes tab completion (a form of auto-completion) that completes cmdlet, property, and parameter names.
• Desired State Configuration: As an advanced feature of PowerShell, DSC provides a set of resources, language extensions, and cmdlets for declaratively configuring software.

How to Open PowerShell? [Top 5 Ways!]

Want to know how to open PowerShell in Windows 10? We've listed the top 5 methods to help you access PowerShell in Windows 10. Here they are.

• Solution 1: Using Start Menu Search
• Solution 2: Scrolling through All Apps in the Start Menu
• Solution 3: Using the Power User Menu
• Solution 4: Using the Run Box
• Solution 5: Using File Explorer

Method 1: Through the Start Menu Search

One quick way to open PowerShell in Windows is through the Search feature in the Start menu. You can follow these steps: 1. **Press the Windows key**: Located at the bottom left of your keyboard, this key will open the Start menu. 2. **Start typing "PowerShell"**: As you type, the search bar will display matching results. 3. **Select "Windows PowerShell"**: It should appear as an app option with a blue icon that resembles a console window. Alternatively, if you have Windows 10 version 1809 or later, you might also see "Windows Terminal" or "PowerShell (preview)." Both are acceptable options. 4. **Click on it**: This will launch the PowerShell console. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut: - Press `Win + X` to open the Quick Link menu. - Choose `A` or `P` to select PowerShell, depending on your layout. Now you have PowerShell open and ready to use.

Just click the Start or Search icon, type “PowerShell” in the search box, and press Enter.

Type "PowerShell" in the search bar

Step 2. Next, you must click “Run as administrator” or “Open” to launch PowerShell with admin privileges.

Method 2: Scroll through the All Apps list in the Start menu

Since PowerShell is the default program in Windows 10, you can find its icon in the “All Apps” section of the Start menu. Here's how:

Step 1: Click the "Start" icon, then choose "All apps" to see the full list of applications installed on your Windows computer.

Select all apps

Step 2. Scroll down, click on the “Windows PowerShell” folder, and then select Open.

Select the “Windows PowerShell” folder

Step 3. Right-click the icon, and from the context menu that opens, select “Run as administrator” to launch PowerShell with administrative privileges.

Select "Launch PowerShell"

Method 3: Using the “Advanced User Menu”

Windows 10 has a hidden menu, called the WinX menu, designed for advanced users. You can open the Power Users menu by pressing the Windows + X keyboard shortcut and selecting Windows PowerShell to launch it. To run Windows PowerShell as an administrator, you need to choose Windows PowerShell (Admin). Also, if you're dealing with the issue of Windows PowerShell keeps popping up, we've got solutions for that too.

Method 4: Use the “Run” Box

Press Windows + R to open the "Run" dialog, then type PowerShell into the text box. Click "OK" or hit "Enter" to open a regular PowerShell window. If you want an elevated PowerShell window, hold Ctrl + Shift while pressing "Enter."

Type "PowerShell" in the text box

Method 5: Through File Explorer

Do you need to open a PowerShell instance with a specific folder on your computer? If so, you can start the process from within File Explorer while in that directory. First, open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where you want to open the PowerShell window. Then, choose one of these options to proceed: 1. Right-click on the folder and select "Open Windows PowerShell window here" from the context menu. 2. In the address bar at the top of the folder window, type "powershell" and press Enter. 3. If you're using Windows 10 or later, click the "Home" tab in the top-left corner of the folder window, then find and click "Open Windows PowerShell" in the toolbar. Each of these methods will open a new PowerShell instance with the current folder selected.

• Open Windows PowerShell as an administrator.
• Open Windows PowerShell.

Open with File Explorer

Conclusions

On Windows 10, you can quickly open PowerShell by right-clicking the Start button. But it pays to know other ways to launch PowerShell, so you'll never be without an option. Hopefully, the five methods above for opening PowerShell on Windows 10 were helpful!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some detailed FAQs to help you get a better grip on PowerShell:

1. Is PowerShell the same as Python?

A: No, PowerShell and Python are not the same thing. PowerShell is a command-line interface for Windows systems, often used as part of the development environment for Python programmers.

PowerShell is a significant evolution of the shell concept. Moreover, PowerShell provides a scripting environment for Windows that is a better choice if you decide to automate processes on that platform. Python, by contrast, is a high-level interpreted programming language.

2. How to write PowerShell scripts? Writing PowerShell scripts involves understanding the PowerShell syntax and commands. Here are some basic steps: 1. **Open an editor**: Use any text editor (like Notepad, Visual Studio Code, or PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)) to write your PowerShell script. 2. **Add header**: At the beginning of your script, add a `#requires` line to specify the required PowerShell version and other dependencies. For example: ```powershell #requires -Version 5.1 ``` 3. **Define variables**: Use the `$` symbol to define variables, like this: ```powershell $variableName = "Hello, World!" ``` 4. **Use commands**: PowerShell uses cmdlets, which follow a verb-noun structure, such as `Get-Process`. Append parameters after the command for more specificity, e.g.: ```powershell Get-Process -Name explorer ``` 5. **Control flow statements**: Use statements like `if`, `else`, `for`, `foreach`, and `switch` for conditional checks and loops, for instance: ```powershell if ($variableName -eq "Hello, World!") { Write-Host "The variable matches!" } else { Write-Host "The variable does not match." } ``` 6. **Functions**: Create custom functions to encapsulate code: ```powershell function HelloWorld { Write-Host "Hello, World!" } HelloWorld ``` 7. **Save the file**: Save your script with a `.ps1` extension, e.g., `myscript.ps1`. 8. **Execute the script**: In the PowerShell prompt, run the script using the `.\` prefix: ```powershell .\myscript.ps1 ``` 9. **Security warning**: Since PowerShell scripts can contain potentially dangerous commands, you may encounter a security warning when running them. To change the execution policy, use: ```powershell Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned ``` However, be aware that this might increase security risks, so do this only in a test environment. Make sure to learn the basics and best practices of PowerShell to write more complex scripts. Refer to Microsoft's PowerShell documentation or online tutorials for additional information.

A: To write or create a PowerShell script on Windows 10, follow these steps: 1. Open PowerShell: Click on the search box on the taskbar, type "PowerShell," and select "Windows PowerShell" or "PowerShell" from the search results (depending on your system version). 2. If you want to run PowerShell with administrator privileges, right-click the PowerShell icon in the search results and choose "Run as administrator." 3. Make sure the PowerShell window is open. You can directly type PowerShell commands for testing here or write your script and then save and run it. 4. Create a new text file to write your script: - Open Notepad or another text editor like Visual Studio Code. - Enter your PowerShell commands or script code. For example, a simple script might be `"Hello, World!"`. - Save the file with a `.ps1` extension. For instance, name it `myscript.ps1`. 5. Run the PowerShell script: - In the PowerShell window, use the `cd` command to navigate to the folder containing your script. For instance, if your script is on the desktop, type `cd Desktop`. - Type `.\myscript.ps1` to run the script. Note that due to security reasons, Windows may block executing unsigned scripts. In this case, you'll need to change the PowerShell execution policy. Type `Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned` and press Enter. This will allow running signed scripts on your local computer. 6. After you're done, remember to revert the execution policy back to the default setting for system security. Input `Set-ExecutionPolicy Default` to restore the original state. Exercise caution, especially when changing execution policies, as this could impact system security. When writing PowerShell scripts, ensure you understand the commands you're running.

1. Click the Start button. 2. Search for Notepad, then click the top result to open it. 3. Paste your script into the text file or write a new one.

3. How do I run a file in PowerShell? The steps to run a file in PowerShell depend on the type of file. Here's how you can run common file types: 1. **Batch files (.bat or .cmd)**: - Type the full path of the file in the command line, like: `C:\path\to\file.bat`, then press Enter. 2. **PowerShell scripts (.ps1)**: - By default, PowerShell might block running .ps1 scripts for security reasons. First, you need to change the execution policy. In PowerShell, enter: `Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned` or `Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass` (not recommended for production, only for testing). - Then, run the script by typing its full path, like: `& 'C:\path\to\script.ps1'`. 3. **Executable files (.exe)**: - Simply type the filename and extension, or use the full path, e.g., `notepad.exe` or `C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe`. 4. **Other programs or scripts**: - For scripts in languages like Python or JavaScript, ensure the appropriate interpreter or runtime environment is installed. Run them as you would an executable file, for example: `python C:\path\to\script.py`. Make sure to replace "C:\path\to\file" in the examples above with the actual path of your file.

A: Please follow these steps:

1. Click the Start menu. 2. Right-click the top result, and select "Run as administrator" to find PowerShell. 3. Type the following command to allow script execution, then press "Enter": `Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned`. 4. If prompted, type **A** and press "Enter". 5. To run the script, type the following command and press "Enter": `& "C:\PATH\TO\SCRIPT\first_script.ps1"` (replace `C:\PATH\TO\SCRIPT\first_script.ps1` with the actual path of your script).