PowerShell Remove-Item
last modified February 15, 2025
In this article, we will cover the Remove-Item cmdlet in
PowerShell. This cmdlet deletes files, folders, registry keys, and other
items from various providers.
Remove-Item basics
The Remove-Item cmdlet deletes one or more items from a
PowerShell provider location. It works with the file system, registry,
certificate store, and other providers. The cmdlet can delete files,
directories, registry keys, and variables. It supports wildcards for
pattern matching and has safety features.
Basic Remove-Item usage
The simplest way to use Remove-Item is to specify a file
path. This permanently deletes the specified file. The cmdlet does not
ask for confirmation by default. Be careful as deleted files don't go to
the Recycle Bin.
Remove-Item -Path "C:\temp\oldfile.txt"
This command deletes the file "oldfile.txt" from the C:\temp directory. If the file doesn't exist, PowerShell will display an error message.
Deleting a directory
To delete a directory, specify the directory path. By default, the cmdlet only removes empty directories. Use the -Recurse parameter to delete directories with content. This is a powerful operation that should be used carefully.
Remove-Item -Path "C:\temp\oldfolder" -Recurse
This command deletes the "oldfolder" directory and all its contents. The -Recurse parameter enables deletion of non-empty directories.
Using wildcards for pattern matching
The Remove-Item cmdlet supports wildcards for pattern
matching. The asterisk (*) matches any characters, while the question
mark (?) matches a single character. This allows batch deletion of
files matching a pattern.
Remove-Item -Path "C:\temp\*.bak"
This command deletes all files with the .bak extension in C:\temp. The wildcard (*) matches any filename before the extension.
Using the -WhatIf parameter
The -WhatIf parameter shows what would happen without actually deleting anything. This is useful for testing commands before execution. It helps prevent accidental deletions by showing the impact of the command.
Remove-Item -Path "C:\temp\*" -Recurse -WhatIf
This command shows what would be deleted if the command ran without -WhatIf. The output lists all files and folders that would be removed.
Using -Confirm for interactive deletion
The -Confirm parameter prompts for confirmation before each deletion. This adds a safety layer when deleting important files. PowerShell shows each item and asks for confirmation before proceeding.
Remove-Item -Path "C:\temp\important.txt" -Confirm
This command prompts for confirmation before deleting important.txt. You must respond with "Y" or "A" to proceed with the deletion.
Deleting read-only files
By default, Remove-Item won't delete read-only files.
Use the -Force parameter to override this behavior. This parameter
also suppresses confirmation prompts and can delete hidden files.
Remove-Item -Path "C:\temp\readonly.txt" -Force
This command forcefully deletes readonly.txt regardless of its read-only attribute. Use -Force carefully as it bypasses protections.
Deleting registry keys
Remove-Item can delete registry keys when working with
the registry provider. Specify the full registry path and use -Recurse
for keys with subkeys. Always back up the registry before making changes.
Remove-Item -Path "HKLM:\Software\MyOldApp" -Recurse
This command deletes the MyOldApp registry key and all its subkeys. Registry operations require elevated privileges (Run as Administrator).
Source
In this article, we have covered the Remove-Item cmdlet in PowerShell.
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