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Explore the most useful PowerShell commands for system admins and find out how they work. Discover how Level automates PowerShell scripting.
Level
Friday, May 23, 2025
PowerShell is a must-have tool for system administrators who manage endpoints in Microsoft Windows. It can run commands, write scripts, and manage complex IT systems without clicking through countless menus.
If you want to keep servers stable, user accounts active, and remote systems secure, knowing how to use PowerShell can save time and reduce manual errors.
In this article, we’ll discuss the most useful PowerShell commands for system admins you should know. But first, let's discuss the importance of Windows PowerShell.
PowerShell helps automate routine processes that would otherwise waste valuable time. Popular examples include user account creation, folder permission changes, File History retention, or system cleanup. These tasks can be turned into repeatable scripts, which can reduce errors and improve consistency across machines.
Another reason to use PowerShell is to simplify system administration and remote management. Instead of clicking through dozens of settings, you can manage services, scheduled tasks, or firewall rules with just a few lines of code. You get more control with less effort.
Managing processes in real time is also possible with PowerShell commands. Whether you need to kill a memory-hogging app or check CPU usage across multiple machines, PowerShell makes that possible instantly from one console.
PowerShell can even troubleshoot issues faster by pulling system logs, testing network paths, or checking service status across systems in seconds.
Finally, PowerShell commands provide the same results no matter which remote machine you run them on. These can standardize workflows like software deployment, user provisioning, or patch management.
Here are the most useful PowerShell commands that Windows administrators can apply in their daily work:
If you're new to PowerShell or unsure how a command prompt works, Get-Help is where you begin.
This command (also known as a cmdlet) gives you detailed information about any other command, including what it does, how to use it, and examples to help you get started.
It also breaks down syntax, parameters, aliases, and other related topics to help you understand commands and execute them properly.
Think of Get-Help as a manual to all available PowerShell commands at your disposal.
Get-Command is another useful PowerShell command for beginners. It helps you find available commands across your IT system. These include PowerShell modules, scripts, functions, and applications.
By default, running the Get-Command cmdlet will show all the commands installed on your computer. It can be overwhelming and time-consuming to browse through these commands, especially if you need something done quickly.
Fortunately, you can apply filters like Get-Command Get-Service to retrieve objects that represent the services on a computer.
You can also filter by module or parameter name for more precise results. This helps you create scripts with the right syntax, without switching to a browser.
The Get-Process cmdlet gives you real-time visibility into all running processes on a local or remote device. It breaks down all active processes, including their name, ID, CPU usage, and memory consumption.
Without parameters, this PowerShell command gets all processes on your Windows computer. However, it also lets you filter a specific process by using the process name or the process ID (PID). Alternatively, it allows you to pipe a System.Diagnostics.Process object to this cmdlet.
Get-Process helps you troubleshoot slow systems and monitor high-usage applications without opening Windows Task Manager.
Get-EventLog can pull detailed event logs from local or remote machines, making it one of the most useful PowerShell commands for diagnosing computer issues.
By default, running the Get-EventLog cmdlet retrieves event logs from local devices. If you manage remote computers, you can use the ComputerName parameter.
You can also filter logs by a specific date using the Get-Date cmdlet. For example, you can use the Get-EventLog -After <DateTime> command to obtain events after a specified date and time.
To further narrow down results, you can modify your query by adding filters like -EntryType <String[]> to the Get-EventLog cmdlet.
For more advanced filtering and access to newer event logs, consider using the newer Get-WinEvent cmdlet, which supports both classic and modern logs.
Test-Connection lets you check network availability and latency between your system and a remote device.
It works by sending ICMP echo request packets (also known as pings) to one or more computers. Then, it returns rich object data that you can log, filter, or use in conditional PowerShell scripts.
You can also test multiple endpoints simultaneously and control packet size, timeout, and repeat count. Doing this displays an array of Boolean values.
If the target computers respond positively and return a value of $true, you can create a PowerShell session. Simply use the New-PSSession cmdlet to establish a stable connection to the remote computer.
Out-File sends PowerShell command output directly into a raw text file that you can open in Notepad, Word, or any text file processor. It is useful for tasks that require logs or audits.
The Out-File cmdlet works by using PowerShell's formatting system to write to the file. The file displays the same representation as the terminal. This means that the output may not be applied to programmatic processing unless all input objects are strings.
A popular application of the Out-File cmdlet is a list of all running services in text format. You can use Get-Service | Out-File C:\Windows\Temp\services.txt for this task.
You can also select objects to be written to the file by using the InputObject parameter.
Export-Csv is a powerful PowerShell command that converts objects into a structured CSV file. You can open this document in Excel for data reporting or analysis.
By default, Export-Csv exports all object property values. You can filter properties of an object and export them using the Select-Object cmdlet.
In addition to objects, Export-Csv can also convert hashtables to CSV (if you convert the hashtable to a custom object first using New-Object or Select-Object). This file will use the keys of the first hashtable as headers.
Set-ExecutionPolicy controls whether PowerShell scripts are allowed to run on Windows computers. This makes it an important command for preventing accidental script execution and increasing system security.
The default policy on most Windows client systems is Restricted. However, you can change this policy as long as you have administrator permissions in PowerShell. You can also define the scope.
For example, you can execute Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy AllSigned -Scope CurrentUser if you want to run locally created scripts and signed scripts for all users on the local machine.
Get-ADUser is a key PowerShell command for managing users in Microsoft Active Directory. To use it, make sure the Active Directory module (part of RSAT) is installed and that you’re connected to a domain-joined machine with appropriate permissions.
It lets you search, filter, and get member account details, such as login names, email addresses, or last logon dates. This command is especially useful for audits, access reviews, and onboarding remote employees.
To retrieve information from more than one user, you can apply Filter or LDAPFilter parameters. The former writes query strings for Active Directory using the PowerShell Expression Language. Meanwhile, the latter is suitable if you already have existing Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query strings.
After learning the most useful PowerShell commands, it's time to deploy them to save time with scripting and IT process automation. Below are some tips you can follow:
Start by listing the routine tasks you do every day or week, such as event logging, file backups, system restarts, and third-party app updates.
If you’re repeating the same actions on multiple systems, that’s a good sign that the task can be scripted in PowerShell.
After determining repetitive tasks, you can start building automated workflows that run without constant oversight. Use the PowerShell cmdlets you've learned and pair them with conditional logic and loops.
If-else conditions help scripts respond to different scenarios, whereas loops can process multiple items automatically. Both work together to automate routine tasks.
For example, a loop can check service status across ten servers. Meanwhile, if the system detects any servers that are down, logic rules can automatically restart them to fix the issue.
Before deploying any PowerShell script in your Windows systems, run it in a test environment. Even a small mistake can cause disruptions, especially if your script touches user accounts, services, or network settings.
You can also use virtual machines or non-critical systems to safely verify output. Include logging in your scripts so you can review the actions after the run.
Once your script is tested and working, you can schedule it using Task Scheduler or the Register-ScheduledTask cmdlet in PowerShell.
You can decide the frequency, whether hourly, daily, or on login. Set tasks to run with the correct user permissions and configure logging for success or failure events.
Scheduling tasks can reduce manual workload and increase IT efficiency. This allows you to focus on more important activities like achieving SOC 2 compliance.
If you manage a larger IT environment, consider using platforms like Level that support PowerShell scripting.
These tools usually include a built-in script library, remote monitoring, and real-time reporting from a central interface.
Instead of running scripts individually, you can execute them across multiple machines at once. It’s especially useful when applying software updates, checking compliance, or running incident response playbooks.
You can concentrate on bigger tasks while letting the PowerShell scripts handle the routine work.
Level's remote management software offers a powerful scripting engine and a library of pre-built scripts. This simplifies PowerShell automation for IT system administrators.
With Level, you can execute scripts across multiple devices simultaneously, schedule routine tasks, and respond to events with automated actions.
You can also create custom workflows by chaining PowerShell scripts and orchestrating a sequence of tasks based on specific events or schedules. This makes sure routine maintenance, updates, and other repetitive tasks are handled automatically without mistake.
Book a demo or sign up today for free!
With admin-level PowerShell access, you can make system-wide changes like managing services, creating users, editing the registry, and installing software. You can also run advanced scripts that require elevated permissions.
Admin mode gives you full control over the Windows system, which is necessary for many automation and configuration tasks.
Popular PowerShell commands include Get-Help, Get-Command, Get-Process, Set-ExecutionPolicy, and Get-EventLog. Many system admins also rely on Get-ChildItem to list items in one or more locations, such as a specified folder. These core commands are used daily for remote management and system administration.
To run PowerShell as an administrator, you can use the Start-Process cmdlet. Then, add the -Verb RunAs parameter. You can execute the command as Start-Process -FilePath "powershell" -Verb RunAs.
If you use administrator mode in PowerShell, you can run commands that require higher privileges. For example, restarting services, changing firewall rules, or installing updates won’t work in a standard session. Always confirm your session is elevated to avoid permission errors during script execution.
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Ready to revolutionize how your IT team works? Experience the power of managing a thousand devices as effortlessly as one. Start with Level today—sign up for a free trial or book a demo to see Level in action.
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