Start-Transcript
SYNOPSIS
Creates a record of all or part of a PowerShell session to a text file.
SYNTAX
ByPath (Default)
Start-Transcript [[-Path] <String>] [-Append] [-Force] [-NoClobber] [-IncludeInvocationHeader]
[-UseMinimalHeader] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]
ByLiteralPath
Start-Transcript [[-LiteralPath] <String>] [-Append] [-Force] [-NoClobber] [-IncludeInvocationHeader]
[-UseMinimalHeader] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]
ByOutputDirectory
Start-Transcript [[-OutputDirectory] <String>] [-Append] [-Force] [-NoClobber] [-IncludeInvocationHeader]
[-UseMinimalHeader] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
The `Start-Transcript` cmdlet creates a record of all or part of a PowerShell session to a text file. The transcript includes all command that the user types and all output that appears on the console.
Starting in Windows PowerShell 5.0, `Start-Transcript` includes the hostname in the generated file name of all transcripts. This is especially useful when your enterprise's logging is centralized. Files that are created by the `Start-Transcript` cmdlet include random characters in names to prevent potential overwrites or duplication when two or more transcripts are started simultaneously. This also prevents unauthorized discovery of transcripts that are stored in a centralized file share.
When using the Append parameter, if the target file doesn't have a Byte Order Mark (BOM) `Start-Transcript` defaults to `ASCII` encoding in the target file. This behavior can result in improper encoding of mulitbyte characters in the transcript.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Start a transcript file with default settings
Start-Transcript
This command starts a transcript in the default file location.
Example 2: Start a transcript file at a specific location
Start-Transcript -Path "C:\transcripts\transcript0.txt" -NoClobber
This command starts a transcript in the `Transcript0.txt` file in `C:\transcripts`. Since the NoClobber parameter is used, the command prevents any existing files from being overwritten. If the `Transcript0.txt` file already exists, the command fails.
PARAMETERS
-Append
Indicates that this cmdlet adds the new transcript to the end of an existing file. Use the Path parameter to specify the file.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Force
Allows the cmdlet to append the transcript to an existing read-only file. When used on a read-only file, the cmdlet changes the file permission to read-write. The cmdlet cannot override security restrictions when this parameter is used.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-IncludeInvocationHeader
Indicates that this cmdlet logs the time stamp when commands are run.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-LiteralPath
Specifies a location to the transcript file. Unlike the Path parameter, the value of the LiteralPath parameter is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks inform PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: ByLiteralPath
Aliases: PSPath, LP
Required: False
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-NoClobber
Indicates that this cmdlet will not overwrite of an existing file. By default, if a transcript file exists in the specified path, `Start-Transcript` overwrites the file without warning.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: NoOverwrite
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-OutputDirectory
Specifies a specific path and folder in which to save a transcript. PowerShell automatically assigns the transcript name.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: ByOutputDirectory
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Path
Specifies a location to the transcript file. Enter a path to a `.txt` file. Wildcards are not permitted.
If you do not specify a path, `Start-Transcript` uses the path in the value of the `$Transcript` global variable. If you have not created this variable, `Start-Transcript` stores the transcripts in the `$Home\My Documents directory as \PowerShell_transcript.\<time-stamp>.txt` files.
If any of the directories in the path do not exist, the command fails.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: ByPath
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-UseMinimalHeader
Prepend a short header to the transcript, instead of the detailed header included by default. This parameter was added in PowerShell 6.2.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: cf
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: wi
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
INPUTS
None
You cannot pipe objects to this cmdlet.
OUTPUTS
System.String
This cmdlet returns a string that contains a confirmation message and the path to the output file.
NOTES
To stop a transcript, use the `Stop-Transcript` cmdlet.
To record an entire session, add the `Start-Transcript` command to your profile. For more information, see about_Profiles (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Profiles.md).