15 Essential PowerShell Commands Every Windows 11 User Should Know (With Examples)

PowerShell is one of the most powerful tools built into Windows 11. It lets you automate tasks, manage your system, fix problems, and control Windows more efficiently than using the graphical interface alone.

Whether you're a beginner or an advanced user, these 15 essential PowerShell commands will help you understand your system better and work faster. Each command comes with a clear description and an example you can try instantly.

1. Check Your Windows 11 Version

• This command shows your Windows edition, version, and build number — useful for troubleshooting or checking compatibility.

Get-ComputerInfo | Select OsName, OsVersion, WindowsVersion

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2. List All Running Services

• Displays every Windows service and whether it's running or stopped.

Get-Service

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Use Case: Check if Bluetooth, Windows Update, or Print Spooler is running.

3. Start a Service

If a feature stops working, you can restart its service manually.

Start-Service -Name "wuauserv"

• Example: Starts the Windows Update service.

4. Stop a Service

Stops any service that is causing issues or needs resetting.

Stop-Service -Name "Spooler"

Example: Stops the Print Spooler when printer jobs are stuck.

5. List All Installed Programs

• Shows all applications currently installed on your PC.

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Select-Object Name

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Use Case: Helpful for cleanup, auditing, or removing unwanted apps.

• 6. Check Disk Space Usage

Displays free and used space on all connected drives.

Get-PSDrive -PSProvider FileSystem

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Use Case: Quickly spot if your C: drive is running low.

7. Create a New Folder

Create folders instantly for organization or automation purposes.

New-Item -Path "C:\Reports2025" -ItemType Directory

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8. Create a New File

Useful for logs, notes, or placeholder files.

New-Item -Path "C:\Reports2025\log.txt" -ItemType File

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9. Copy a File

Copies any file from one location to another.

Copy-Item "C:\source\photo.jpg" "C:\backup\"

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10. Delete a File

Removes unwanted or temporary files.

Remove-Item "C:\Reports2025\log.txt"

11. Display Your IP Address and Network Info

Shows network adapters, IPs, and gateway information.

Get-NetIPAddress

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Use Case: Perfect for diagnosing connection problems.

12. View All Running Processes

Lists all active programs and background processes.

Get-Process

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Use Case: Identify apps using too much CPU or memory.

13. Kill a Frozen Process

Force-close any unresponsive app instantly.

Stop-Process -Name "chrome" -Force

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14. Update All PowerShell Modules

Keeps your automation tools and scripts up to date.

Update-Module

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15. Restart Your Computer

A quick restart command, useful when the GUI freezes.

Restart-Computer

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