{"id":8122,"date":"2025-07-03T15:55:57","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T15:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/?p=8122"},"modified":"2025-07-03T15:55:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T15:55:57","slug":"show-powershell-version","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/show-powershell-version\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Knowing Your PowerShell Version Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ever asked yourself, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat version of PowerShell do I have?\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You\u2019re not alone. Whether you\u2019re running scripts, managing servers, or deploying enterprise configurations, knowing your exact PowerShell version is crucial.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide shows you <\/span><b>how to show PowerShell version<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> using various methods\u2014from basic commands to cross-platform checks. Designed for cybersecurity professionals, IT managers, and developers, this walkthrough ensures your scripts run smoothly and securely across all systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Is PowerShell, and Why Does Version Matter?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>PowerShell<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a command-line shell and scripting language built for task automation and configuration management. With every new version, Microsoft introduces powerful features, security updates, and cross-platform support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing your PowerShell version helps you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure <\/span><b>script compatibility<\/b><b>\n<p><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access <\/span><b>new cmdlets and features<\/b><b>\n<p><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay up to date with <\/span><b>security patches<\/b><b>\n<p><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Troubleshoot environment-specific issues<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u26a0\ufe0f Some modules require a <\/span><b>minimum version of PowerShell<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to function properly\u2014especially in enterprise automation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Show PowerShell Version (4 Reliable Methods)<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>Method 1: Using <\/b><b>$PSVersionTable<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the most direct and widely-used method.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Steps:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open PowerShell.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type the following command:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> powershell<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CopyEdit<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$PSVersionTable<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This displays a detailed table with:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>PSVersion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (your actual PowerShell version)<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>PSEdition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Desktop or Core)<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>CLRVersion<\/b><b>\n<p><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>OS<\/b><b>\n<p><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2705 This method is compatible with both Windows PowerShell and PowerShell Core.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Method 2: Get Only the Version Number<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need just the version number:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">powershell<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CopyEdit<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$PSVersionTable.PSVersion<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This returns a clean version string like <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5.1.19041.2364<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udd0d Ideal for scripts or documentation where you only need the version field.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Method 3: Using <\/b><b>Get-Host<\/b><b> Command<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another way to <\/span><b>check PowerShell version<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is via host information:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">powershell<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CopyEdit<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get-Host | Select-Object Version<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This returns the version of the host application, which often aligns with your PowerShell version.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udccc Use this in environments where <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$PSVersionTable<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is restricted or overridden.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Method 4: PowerShell Version Check via Script<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To automate version checks across devices:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">powershell<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CopyEdit<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if ($PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major -lt 5) {<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0Write-Output &#8220;Please upgrade PowerShell to version 5 or later.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">} else {<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0Write-Output &#8220;PowerShell version is up to date.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">}<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83e\udd16 Great for IT admins managing large enterprise networks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Windows PowerShell vs. PowerShell Core<\/b><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Feature<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Windows PowerShell<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>PowerShell Core<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Default Version<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5.1<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6.0+<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OS Support<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows only<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows, macOS, Linux<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open Source<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Future Development<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deprecated<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Actively updated<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best For<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legacy systems<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern, cross-platform environments<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udca1 If you\u2019re running cross-platform scripts or working in hybrid cloud environments, PowerShell Core is the way forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Checking PowerShell Version on Different Platforms<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>On macOS\/Linux<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open your terminal and type:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bash<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CopyEdit<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pwsh<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, in PowerShell:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">powershell<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CopyEdit<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$PSVersionTable<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PowerShell Core (v6+) is required on non-Windows platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>On Windows via Command Prompt<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Command Prompt<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, type:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cmd<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CopyEdit<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">powershell -command &#8220;$PSVersionTable.PSVersion&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Useful for remote checks or when scripting across environments.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>When Should You Upgrade PowerShell?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upgrading to the latest version is essential when:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;re running scripts that fail due to missing cmdlets<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You require better security and encryption standards<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;re working with cloud-based services like Azure or Microsoft 365<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\ud83d\udee0\ufe0f PowerShell 7+ supports improved error handling, pipeline parallelism, and native compatibility with SSH.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>FAQs About PowerShell Version Checks<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>Q1: <\/b><b><i>What version of PowerShell do I have by default in Windows 10\/11?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows 10 and 11 usually ship with <\/span><b>PowerShell 5.1<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Newer systems may have PowerShell 7 if installed manually.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q2: <\/b><b><i>Is PowerShell Core the same as Windows PowerShell?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. PowerShell Core is cross-platform and open-source. Windows PowerShell is legacy and Windows-only.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q3: <\/b><b><i>Can I have multiple PowerShell versions installed?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. PowerShell Core installs side-by-side with Windows PowerShell without conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q4: <\/b><b><i>What is the difference between <\/i><\/b><b><i>$PSVersionTable<\/i><\/b><b><i> and <\/i><\/b><b><i>Get-Host<\/i><\/b><b><i>?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$PSVersionTable<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides complete environment info. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get-Host<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shows the host shell&#8217;s version, which might differ in embedded systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q5: <\/b><b><i>How do I upgrade PowerShell safely?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit the official<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/PowerShell\/PowerShell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GitHub PowerShell releases<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> page or use the Windows Package Manager (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">winget<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) to install the latest version.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Final Thoughts: Stay Ahead with the Right PowerShell Version<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding how to <\/span><b>show PowerShell version<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> isn\u2019t just about tech specs\u2014it\u2019s about security, reliability, and compatibility. As automation and scripting continue to dominate IT workflows, using the correct version helps prevent errors and enhances productivity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to simplify system diagnostics, software updates, and device management at scale?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \ud83d\udc49<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/signup\/\"> <b>Start using Itarian for FREE<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to monitor systems, automate patching, and manage scripts across your entire organization.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever asked yourself, \u201cWhat version of PowerShell do I have?\u201d You\u2019re not alone. Whether you\u2019re running scripts, managing servers, or deploying enterprise configurations, knowing your exact PowerShell version is crucial. This guide shows you how to show PowerShell version using various methods\u2014from basic commands to cross-platform checks. Designed for cybersecurity professionals, IT managers, and developers,&hellip; <span class=\"readmore\"><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":8132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ticketing-system","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8122"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8142,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8122\/revisions\/8142"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itarian.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}