How to check the Powershell version you’re using?

What is Windows PowerShell?

Windows PowerShell is a command-line shell and scripting language built on the .NET Framework. It was designed to help automate administrative tasks and manage systems more efficiently. With PowerShell, you can run complex commands, write scripts, and automate repetitive tasks across both local and remote systems.

Why should you know which PowerShell version you are using?

Knowing your PowerShell version is not just a technical detail; it directly impacts how smoothly your scripts and commands will run. Each version comes with different features, improvements, and compatibility levels, which means your workflow can vary depending on what is installed.

Here are the key reasons:

• Newer versions of PowerShell include advanced cmdlets, better error handling, and performance improvements. If you are on an older version, you may miss out on these capabilities.

• Scripts written for PowerShell 7 might not run in Windows PowerShell 5.1, and vice versa. Knowing your version ensures you can adapt or troubleshoot scripts correctly.

• PowerShell 7+ works across Windows, Linux, and macOS, while older Windows PowerShell versions are limited to Windows only.

• Microsoft is no longer actively developing Windows PowerShell, but PowerShell 7 receives regular updates, bug fixes, and security patches.

• When seeking help online or from IT teams, version info is often the first thing you’ll be asked. Many solutions are version-specific.

Which PowerShell version is supported by which Windows OS?

Here is a table that will give you a quick overview of the different Powershell releases and what versions of PowerShell come pre-installed with your Windows operating system.

How to check your PowerShell version?

First, let’s launch PowerShell, and then look at each of the below commands one by one. 

It's straightforward, just look for Windows Powershell using the Search bar and click on the app. A black will window will open up where you can type in your commands. 

1. The Get-Host command

You can type in the Get-Host command to find out the version of PowerShell you’re using. This is known to be the primary command in Powershell. 

Before we find out what’s the version number, let’s quickly understand what is a host in the Get-Host command. In Powershell, a host is a program hosting the PowerShell engine. So, ideally, the Get-host command returns the version of the host. It’s not the version of PowerShell. That’s why this command is said to be inaccurate. Oftentimes, it happens that the version of Powershell matches the version of these Hosts. 

This command also displays information such as the name of the host, current culture, and UI culture.

Another point to note here is that this cmdlet does not work remotely. It always returns version 1.0.0.0. Even on Windows Server 2022

The version mentioned in the below screenshot is 5.1.22621.608

2. The $host.Version command

If you run (Get-Host).Version, you will see that it returns a number similar to the one we got with the Get-Host command.

3. The $PSVersionTable command

This is known to be the most reliable method to identify the PowerShell version running in your system. It's simple just type in $PSVersionTable in your command prompt and press Enter. You’ll see a list of information displayed as shown in the below screenshot. The first on the list will show you the PowerShell version. In this case, it is 5.1

The $PSVersionTable is a read-only automatic variable that returns information specifically about the PowerShell engine version. It also displays the edition—Core or Desktop, defining the edition of PowerShell that is running on your system. You can use this automatic variable on a remote computer as well.

4. The registry 

As the name suggests, you can use the Registry Editor to find the version of the PowerShell on your system. There are certain times when this method comes in handy. There are two ways in which you can do that. One is to type in a particular command which uses the ‘Get-ItemProperty’ and the other is to open the Registry Editor app and find the PowerShell version.

Let’s check out the first one. It is quick and easy. Just type in the below-given command.

(Get-ItemProperty -Path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ PowerShell\3\PowerShellEngine -Name 'PowerShellVersion').PowerShellVersion

For the next method, you need to open the Registry Editor app. You will then be prompted as to whether you want to allow the editor to make changes to your machine. Click on Yes. Now a Window will appear where you have to search for PowerShell under the Software folder. This is how you can do that.

1. First, click on software under HKEY-LOCAL-MACHINE, or HKLM folder.

2. Next, scroll down and search for Microsoft in the list of software vendors.

3. Click on the Microsoft folder and search for PowerShell.

4. There’ll be two folders(1 and 3) under PowerShell, click on 3.

5. Then click on PowerShell Engine. 

6. On the right-hand side, you’ll see a list of information including the PowerShell version number.

How to check your PowerShell version on a remote computer?

You can again use the $PSVersionTable automatic variable to determine the PowerShell version on a remote computer. You need to use the below-given Invoke-Command cmdlet where you can edit the ComputerName with your specific computer name.

Invoke-Command -ComputerName incorp-eu-101 -ScriptBlock {$PSVersionTable.PSVersion}

How to check the PowerShell version on Linux?

PowerShell is not limited to Windows anymore; with PowerShell 6+, it became cross-platform and works on Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora, and more. If you are using PowerShell on Linux, the version-checking methods are almost identical to Windows.

Method 1: Using $PSVersionTable

The most accurate way is to use the $PSVersionTable automatic variable:

$PSVersionTable

Example output:

Name                           Value

----                                 -----

PSVersion                    7.3.6

PSEdition                     Core

GitCommitId               7.3.6

OS                                   Linux 5.15.0-84-generic #93-Ubuntu SMP

Platform                       Unix

Method 2: Using $Host.Version

For a quicker check, you can run:

$Host.Version

This gives you the host version in a structured format:

Major  Minor  Build  Revision

-----  -----  -----  --------

7      3      6      0

Method 3: Using pwsh --version

Since PowerShell is installed as a separate application (pwsh) on Linux, you can check its version directly from the Linux shell (outside of PowerShell):

pwsh --version

Example output:

PowerShell 7.3.6

Pro Tip: If you are managing multiple environments, using $PSVersionTable inside PowerShell is the most reliable approach, while pwsh --version is great for quick checks at the system level.

How to check the PowerShell version on macOS?

Just like on Linux, PowerShell 6 and later versions are available on macOS thanks to .NET Core. If you have installed PowerShell on your Mac (via Homebrew, direct download, or pkg installer), you can check the version in a few simple ways.

The most reliable way to check your PowerShell version is inside a PowerShell session using $PSVersionTable, which displays detailed information, including the PSVersion, edition, and platform. You can also use $Host.Version for a quicker host-specific version check.

How can I install the latest version of PowerShell?

There are a few ways in which you can upgrade to the latest version of PowerShell. You need to choose the one that works best with your work scenario. 

Which versions of PowerShell come preinstalled with Windows OS?

Windows has included PowerShell by default since Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, but the preinstalled version depends on the OS edition and release:

• Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008 R2: PowerShell 2.0

• Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012: PowerShell 3.0

• Windows 8.1 / Windows Server 2012 R2: PowerShell 4.0

• Windows 10 / Windows Server 2016: PowerShell 5.0 or 5.1 (most editions shipped with 5.1 after updates)

• Windows 11 / Windows Server 2022: PowerShell 5.1

Note: These are the built-in Windows PowerShell versions (tied to the .NET Framework). If you want to use PowerShell 7+, you must install it separately, as it runs side-by-side with Windows PowerShell.

What are the differences between Windows PowerShell and PowerShell Core?

PowerShell has evolved into two main editions: Windows PowerShell and PowerShell Core (6+). While they share the same basic syntax and cmdlets, there are important differences that affect compatibility, platform support, and features.