Set-Content
SYNOPSIS
Writes new content or replaces existing content in a file.
SYNTAX
Path (Default)
Set-Content [-Value] <Object[]> [-PassThru] [-Path] <String[]> [-Filter <String>] [-Include <String[]>]
[-Exclude <String[]>] [-Force] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [-NoNewline]
[-Encoding <Encoding>] [-AsByteStream] [-Stream <String>] [<CommonParameters>]
LiteralPath
Set-Content [-Value] <Object[]> [-PassThru] -LiteralPath <String[]> [-Filter <String>] [-Include <String[]>]
[-Exclude <String[]>] [-Force] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [-NoNewline]
[-Encoding <Encoding>] [-AsByteStream] [-Stream <String>] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
`Set-Content` is a string-processing cmdlet that writes new content or replaces the content in a file. `Set-Content` replaces the existing content and differs from the `Add-Content` cmdlet that appends content to a file. To send content to `Set-Content` you can use the Value parameter on the command line or send content through the pipeline.
If you need to create files or directories for the following examples, see New-Item (New-Item.md).
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Replace the contents of multiple files in a directory
Get-ChildItem -Path .\Test*.txt
Test1.txt
Test2.txt
Test3.txt
Set-Content -Path .\Test*.txt -Value 'Hello, World'
Get-Content -Path .\Test*.txt
Hello, World
Hello, World
Hello, World
The `Get-ChildItem` cmdlet uses the Path parameter to list .txt files that begin with `Test ` in the current directory. The `Set-Content` cmdlet uses the Path * parameter to specify the `Test .txt` files. The Value parameter provides the text string Hello, World * that replaces the existing content in each file. The `Get-Content` cmdlet uses the Path parameter to specify the `Test*.txt` files and displays each file's content in the PowerShell console.
Example 2: Create a new file and write content
Set-Content -Path .\DateTime.txt -Value (Get-Date)
Get-Content -Path .\DateTime.txt
1/30/2019 09:55:08
`Set-Content` uses the Path and Value parameters to create a new file named DateTime.txt in the current directory. The Value parameter uses `Get-Date` to get the current date and time. `Set-Content` writes the DateTime object to the file as a string. The `Get-Content` cmdlet uses the Path parameter to display the content of DateTime.txt in the PowerShell console.
Example 3: Replace text in a file
Get-Content -Path .\Notice.txt
Warning
Replace Warning with a new word.
The word Warning was replaced.
(Get-Content -Path .\Notice.txt) |
ForEach-Object {$_ -Replace 'Warning', 'Caution'} |
Set-Content -Path .\Notice.txt
Get-Content -Path .\Notice.txt
Caution
Replace Caution with a new word.
The word Caution was replaced.
The `Get-Content` cmdlet uses the Path parameter to specify the Notice.txt file in the current directory. The `Get-Content` command is wrapped with parentheses so that the command finishes before being sent down the pipeline.
The contents of the Notice.txt file are sent down the pipeline to the `ForEach-Object` cmdlet. `ForEach-Object` uses the automatic variable `$_` and replaces each occurrence of Warning with Caution . The objects are sent down the pipeline to the `Set-Content` cmdlet. `Set-Content` uses the Path parameter to specify the Notice.txt file and writes the updated content to the file.
The last `Get-Content` cmdlet displays the updated file content in the PowerShell console.
Example 4: Use Filters with Set-Content
Set-Content -Path C:\Temp\* -Filter *.txt -Value "Empty"
PARAMETERS
-AsByteStream
Specifies that the content should be read as a stream of bytes. This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 6.0.
A warning occurs when you use the AsByteStream parameter with the Encoding parameter. The AsByteStream parameter ignores any encoding and the output is returned as a stream of bytes.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Credential
> [!NOTE] > This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with PowerShell. > To impersonate another user, or elevate your credentials when running this cmdlet, > use Invoke-Command (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/Invoke-Command.md).
Type: System.Management.Automation.PSCredential
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Encoding
Specifies the type of encoding for the target file. The default value is `utf8NoBOM`.
Encoding is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to `Set-Content`. This parameter works only in file system drives.
The acceptable values for this parameter are as follows:
- `ascii`: Uses the encoding for the ASCII (7-bit) character set.
- `bigendianunicode`: Encodes in UTF-16 format using the big-endian byte order.
- `bigendianutf32`: Encodes in UTF-32 format using the big-endian byte order.
- `oem`: Uses the default encoding for MS-DOS and console programs.
- `unicode`: Encodes in UTF-16 format using the little-endian byte order.
- `utf7`: Encodes in UTF-7 format.
- `utf8`: Encodes in UTF-8 format.
- `utf8BOM`: Encodes in UTF-8 format with Byte Order Mark (BOM)
- `utf8NoBOM`: Encodes in UTF-8 format without Byte Order Mark (BOM)
- `utf32`: Encodes in UTF-32 format.
Beginning with PowerShell 6.2, the Encoding parameter also allows numeric IDs of registered code pages (like `-Encoding 1251`) or string names of registered code pages (like `-Encoding "windows-1251"`). For more information, see the .NET documentation for Encoding.CodePage (/dotnet/api/system.text.encoding.codepage?view=netcore-2.2).
> [!NOTE] > UTF-7 * is no longer recommended to use. As of PowerShell 7.1, a warning is written if you > specify `utf7` for the Encoding parameter.
Type: System.Text.Encoding
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Accepted values: ASCII, BigEndianUnicode, BigEndianUTF32, OEM, Unicode, UTF7, UTF8, UTF8BOM, UTF8NoBOM, UTF32
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: UTF8NoBOM
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Exclude
Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet excludes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as ` .txt`. Wildcard characters are permitted. The Exclude * parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as `C:\Windows*`, where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the `C:\Windows` directory.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Filter
Specifies a filter to qualify the Path parameter. The FileSystem (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_FileSystem_Provider.md)provider is the only installed PowerShell provider that supports the use of filters. You can find the syntax for the FileSystem filter language in about_Wildcards (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Wildcards.md). Filters are more efficient than other parameters, because the provider applies them when the cmdlet gets the objects rather than having PowerShell filter the objects after they are retrieved.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Force
Forces the cmdlet to set the contents of a file, even if the file is read-only. Implementation varies from provider to provider. For more information, see about_Providers (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Providers.md). The Force parameter does not override security restrictions.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Include
Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet includes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as `" .txt"`. Wildcard characters are permitted. The Include * parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as `C:\Windows*`, where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the `C:\Windows` directory.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-LiteralPath
Specifies a path to one or more locations. The value of LiteralPath 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 tell PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.
For more information, see about_Quoting_Rules (../Microsoft.Powershell.Core/About/about_Quoting_Rules.md).
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: LiteralPath
Aliases: PSPath, LP
Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-NoNewline
The string representations of the input objects are concatenated to form the output. No spaces or newlines are inserted between the output strings. No newline is added after the last output string.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-PassThru
Returns an object that represents the content. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Path
Specifies the path of the item that receives the content. Wildcard characters are permitted.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: Path
Aliases:
Required: True
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Stream
> [!NOTE] > This Parameter is only available on Windows.
Specifies an alternative data stream for content. If the stream does not exist, this cmdlet creates it. Wildcard characters are not supported. Stream is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to `Set-Content`. This parameter works only in file system drives.
You can use the `Set-Content` cmdlet to create or update the content of any alternate data stream, such as `Zone.Identifier`. However, we do not recommend this as a way to eliminate security checks that block files that are downloaded from the Internet. If you verify that a downloaded file is safe, use the `Unblock-File` cmdlet.
This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 3.0.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Value
Specifies the new content for the item.
Type: System.Object[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: True
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
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
System.Object
You can pipe an object that contains the new value for the item to `Set-Content`.
OUTPUTS
None or System.String
When you use the PassThru parameter, `Set-Content` generates a System.String object that represents the content. Otherwise, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
NOTES
- You can also refer to `Set-Content` by its built-in alias, `sc`. For more information, see about_Aliases (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Aliases.md). - `Set-Content` is designed for string processing. If you pipe non-string objects to `Set-Content`, it converts the object to a string before writing it. To write objects to files, use `Out-File`. - The `Set-Content` cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers available in your session, type `Get-PsProvider`. For more information, see about_Providers (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Providers.md).