How to Check PowerShell Version in Windows [2026] 🖥️

Need your PowerShell version? Open PowerShell and run $PSVersionTable.PSVersion. That's usually all you need. If you also want to know whether you're in the older built-in Windows PowerShell 5.1 or the newer PowerShell 7, look at the PSEdition value as well. Both are covered below.

As you may know, Command Prompt is a useful built-in tool in Windows to run commands and manage your system more easily. However, it lacked the necessary features to automate tasks in the device and make better use of it. That’s why in 2006, Microsoft introduced PowerShell as a more advanced version of Command Prompt. If you want to see how they differ in practice, this PowerShell vs CMD comparison covers the main trade-offs.

It’s a fantastic tool with more than 200 cmdlets that allow you to automate tasks and manage your system to its full potential. In addition, you can use its .NET framework to customize it in a useful way and save a lot of time during important tasks.

In this guide, we’ll lay out how to check the PowerShell version in Windows 11 or earlier, when each version was released, what versions of Windows they support, and more useful tips about this amazing tool.

Quick answer: Run $PSVersionTable. If PSVersion starts with 5.1 and PSEdition says Desktop, you're on Windows PowerShell. If it starts with 7 and says Core, you're on PowerShell 7.

📂 How to find PowerShell in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7

Windows PowerShell is installed by default in Windows 7 or later. However, if you want to use PowerShell 7 or newer versions, you’ll need to install it manually from Microsoft's official website.

However, if you are looking for Windows PowerShell or PowerShell ISE (Integrated Scripting Environment) version, you first need to go to the tool. Locating Windows PowerShell might be a bit confusing in Windows as its location is different in each version of the operating system.

To find Windows PowerShell or PowerShell ISE in Windows 7, 10, and 11, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard to open the search tool.
2. Type PowerShell and hit the Enter key to open Windows PowerShell. (Similarly, search for ISE and press Enter if you want to open PowerShell ISE.)

In Windows 11, you can also find Windows PowerShell by right-clicking the Start menu.

In Windows 8.1, go through the following to open PowerShell:

• If you are on the start screen, search for PowerShell (or ISE) to find and open it.
• However, on the desktop, you’ll need to click the Start menu at the screen's bottom left corner. Then, type PowerShell (or ISE) to search for and open it.

On the other hand, if you are using Windows Server Core editions (without a graphical user interface), go through the following steps to open PowerShell:

1. Log in to the server to open the command prompt window automatically.
2. Type PowerShell all in lowercase then hit the Enter key.
3. PowerShell will then start inside the cmd. After you finish it, run the exit command to close it.

🔍 How to check the PowerShell version in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7

You can use several commands within PowerShell to check its version, even from a remote computer! In addition, you can use Registry Editor to check the PowerShell version in Windows 10 and 11 without opening the tool itself.

Check the PowerShell version within the tool

1. Open PowerShell as instructed or by using the Windows key + R and searching for it.
2. Type one of these commands without the quotation mark and hit the Enter key:
1. “$PSVersionTable”
2. “get-host|Select-Object”
3. “$host.version”

The first command will show you the PowerShell version, its edition, compatible versions, build version, serialization version, and more.

The second command displays PowerShell instance Id, UI, current culture, private data, debugger status, and its version.

The last command will only show the PowerShell version. However, it uses a different format to show the numbers. Instead of separating version numbers with points, it will show each as major, minor, build, and revision. For instance, if your PowerShell version is 5.1.22000.1335, the third command will display it as:

• Major: 5
• Minor: 1
• Build: 2200
• Revision: 1335

⚡ The Fastest PowerShell Version Check Commands

Use $PSVersionTable.PSVersion

This gives you only the version number. It's the right choice when a script says "requires 5.1 or later" and you just want a yes or no.

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

Major  Minor  Build  Revision
-----  -----  -----  --------
5      1      22621  4391

Use $PSVersionTable for full details

I use this one by default. It shows PSVersion, PSEdition, OS details and compatible versions in one go. According to Microsoft, multiple PowerShell editions exist starting with PowerShell 5.1, and each one runs on a different .NET runtime.

$PSVersionTable

Use Get-Host | Select-Object Version

This one works, but be careful with it. It returns the host version, not the engine version. In the console the two usually match. In other hosts, like VS Code's integrated console, they often don't.

Get-Host | Select-Object Version

🖥️ Windows PowerShell 5.1 vs PowerShell 7: Which One Are You Running?

This is where most confusion comes from. They're two separate products, and Windows 11 still opens 5.1 when you type "PowerShell" in Start, unless you've installed 7.

Check the PSEdition value

Run $PSEdition. Desktop means Windows PowerShell, which runs on .NET Framework. Core means PowerShell 6 or later, which runs on modern .NET.

Check powershell.exe vs pwsh

Windows PowerShell's executable is powershell.exe. PowerShell 7's is pwsh.exe. If typing pwsh gives you "not recognized," PowerShell 7 isn't installed or isn't on your PATH.

Check the install path

Run $PSHOME. A result of C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0 means 5.1. A result of C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7 means PowerShell 7.

🧠 Version vs Edition: Why It Matters

The version is the release number. The edition tells you which runtime sits underneath. That runtime is what decides whether a module works. Microsoft says the edition is the primary indicator of .NET API and module compatibility. Some older modules built for .NET Framework still only load properly on Desktop.

You'll see this a lot in production. An admin writes a script in PowerShell 7 using ForEach-Object -Parallel, a scheduled task runs it with powershell.exe, and it fails. To stop that from happening, add a #Requires -Version 7.0 line at the top of the script so it fails early with a clear error.

This matters even more when you're automating directory tasks. Active Directory modules built for .NET Framework often refuse to load on PowerShell 7 Core until they're updated. If your scripts manage users, computers, or Group Policy, check the module's edition support before upgrading your default shell. See this guide to Windows Server Active Directory for the module landscape in AD environments.

Check the PowerShell version using the Registry Editor

It’s possible to obtain the PowerShell version without opening the tool itself. If you don’t want to use the PowerShell tool, you’ll need to Open and use Windows Register Editor.

Here’s how to use Registry Editor to check the PowerShell version:

1. Hit the Start menu and search for the Registry Editor app.
2. Double click to open the app. (Windows will ask you whether you want to allow the app to make changes to your device, hit yes to continue the steps.)
3. In the left pane, find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHIN and click to expand it.
4. In the drop-down list, expand SOFTWARE, then expand Microsoft to see a list of Microsoft apps and tools.
5. The drop-down list is in alphabetical order, find the letter P and search for PowerShell.
6. Expand the PowerShell folder, click on folder 3, and select PowerShell Engine.
7. On the right side of the window, you can see a list of information about PowerShell, including its version.

From Command Prompt

powershell -NoProfile -Command "$PSVersionTable.PSVersion"
pwsh -Version

The first line checks Windows PowerShell. The second prints something like PowerShell 7.6.6 if version 7 is installed.

From Registry Editor (advanced)

Open regedit and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PowerShell\3\PowerShellEngine

The PowerShellVersion value shows the Windows PowerShell version. Keep in mind this only covers Windows PowerShell, not PowerShell 7.

From Windows Terminal

Windows Terminal lists every shell it detects in its dropdown menu. If you see a "PowerShell" profile next to "Windows PowerShell," version 7 is installed. Open that tab and run $PSVersionTable to confirm.

Check the PowerShell version using a remote computer

Knowing your PC’s name and credentials allows you to check its PowerShell version even from a remote computer. All you need to do is use the Computer’s PowerShell to enter the following command:

Invoke-Command -ComputerName SRV01 -ScriptBlock { $PSVersionTable.PSVersion }

# Several servers at once
Invoke-Command -ComputerName SRV01,SRV02,SRV03 -ScriptBlock {
  $PSVersionTable.PSVersion
} | Select-Object PSComputerName, Major, Minor

For this to work, the target machines need WinRM running (Enable-PSRemoting), the firewall has to allow it, and you need admin credentials. One catch: by default, remoting connects to the Windows PowerShell 5.1 endpoint. So you'll get 5.1 back even when PowerShell 7 is installed on the target. To check 7, add -ConfigurationName PowerShell.7, which only works after remoting has been enabled from within pwsh.

When remote checks fail with port or endpoint errors, it's often not PowerShell at all — it's the same class of problem behind RPC server unavailable errors on Windows Server. Check WinRM, port 5985, and firewall rules before assuming a shell problem. If you're managing several remote hosts, running these checks from a Windows VPS keeps the diagnostic environment consistent and under your control.

💡 Why should I know the PowerShell version anyway?

Each PowerShell version comes with a set of new features that hugely affect your experience with this advanced tool. In 2006, the first version of PowerShell was released, which was only supported by Windows XP and Vista.

Then PowerShell 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 were released during the upcoming years until 2017, when the latest version of the tool came out, PowerShell 5.1.

As each version operates differently and doesn’t offer the same features, knowing which version is installed on your PC can help you run the compatible tasks and use it to its full potential.

Moreover, although Windows PowerShell is a native tool to Windows OS, you can use PowerShell Core versions on any OS, including macOS and Linux. In 2016, Microsoft released PowerShell Core as an open-source tool to allow developers to use it without limitation and customize it based on their needs.

PowerShell Core 7.2 is the newest version of the tool with added features like automatic typing predictive. Unlike version 6.0, you can install updates using the Microsoft Update services with PowerShell 7.2. This feature was available in the earlier versions. However, it went missing after v6.0 and came back with the latest version.

💻 Which Windows Versions Include PowerShell 5.1?

Windows PowerShell 5.1 comes preinstalled on Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server 2016 and newer. PowerShell 7 isn't included on any of them, Windows 11 included. Windows 7 SP1, 8.1, Server 2008 R2 and Server 2012 R2 could be upgraded to 5.1 through WMF 5.1, but those systems are legacy and largely out of support. If you're still managing them, don't expect modern modules to work.

🖥️ Which versions of PowerShell does my PC support?

Each version of PowerShell comes pre-installed in computers using Windows OS. However, if you want to update your version, you must ensure your OS supports a newer version. In the following, we’ll list Windows 11 to 7 and explain which versions of PS they support.

• Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022: Support PowerShell 5.0 or earlier.
• Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016: PowerShell 5.0 comes pre-installed with the OS. However, they support PS 5.1 as well. Windows update will automatically update the PS version.
• Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012: Support PS version 3.0 or earlier.
• Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1: Support v2.0 or 1.0 of PowerShell.

⬆️ How to update the PowerShell version?

Microsoft offers multiple methods to update or install a newer version of PowerShell in Windows. Each way is suitable for different needs. Below, we’ll list all possible methods and explain how each can be helpful based on your OS version and needs:

• Microsoft Store: If you use Windows 10 or 11, your PC has a built-in Microsoft Store. Use that to search for PowerShell and get a newer version if available.
• Winget: You can run the “Winget show PowerShell” command in Winget without quotation marks to see the version and get a URL to download it.
• .NET Global tool: If you are a .NET developer, it’s probably the best option for you. However, it would be best to have .NET Core SDK installed on your device to use PowerShell as a .NET Global tool.
• PowerShell binary ZIP Package: If you want to install multiple versions of PowerShell and use advanced deployment features.
• MSI Package: The MSI package may be a good method to update the PowerShell version for devices using Windows Servers. It is also the best choice for enterprise deployment scenarios.

🚀 How to Install or Upgrade to PowerShell 7

At the time of writing, Microsoft's lifecycle page lists the current Stable release as PowerShell 7.5.11 and the current LTS as 7.6.6. Check that page before you standardize on a version, because the numbers change often.

• winget, which Microsoft recommends for Windows clients: winget install --id Microsoft.PowerShell --source winget
• Microsoft Store: the easiest route for casual users, and it updates itself.
• MSI: the best choice for Windows Servers and enterprise deployments.

Will this replace 5.1? No. PowerShell 7 installs side by side with it. Windows depends on 5.1, so leave it in place. You'll simply have two shells. On a new server, remember to set your hostname before you start rolling out PowerShell-based automation — if you need a walkthrough, this guide on how to change hostname in Windows covers both the GUI and the Rename-Computer approach in PowerShell. Once you're set up, a quick test script is the fastest way to confirm everything works — for example, learning how to create a file in PowerShell gives you a safe first task to validate the new shell.

⚠️ Common Problems

• $PSEdition is blank: You're on PowerShell 5.0 or older. The variable was added in 5.1.
• Wrong shell: You installed 7 but opened "Windows PowerShell." Launch "PowerShell" or run pwsh.
• Remote check fails: WinRM isn't enabled, the firewall is blocking port 5985, or your credentials lack admin rights.
• Script says it needs a newer version: Read its #Requires line, then run it with pwsh instead of powershell.

🎯 The takeaway

Learning how to check the PowerShell version on Windows helps you save a lot of time. How? If you work with the PowerShell tool daily, you know the fantastic features it offers. As a result, using the latest version is essential to get the most out of the tool.

To recap, run $PSVersionTable and check two lines: PSVersion for the number and PSEdition for the product. That clears up most "why won't my script run" problems in under ten seconds.

Checking its version will help you know whether you are using the latest version. If not, you can use the methods and resources we recommended to install the latest version of PS. Of course, before that, ensure your OS supports the PS version you want to install.

If you're still working only in 5.1, install PowerShell 7 alongside it. You keep full compatibility with 5.1 and get access to the modern features as well.

Running PowerShell automation in production? A Windows dedicated server gives you full Administrator access, NVMe storage, and 10 Gbps networking — the right foundation for scripts, scheduled tasks, and remote management.

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