
close
close
In this Ask the Admin, I’ll show you how to use Windows PowerShell to delete one or multiple folders from the command line. If you would like to move files using PowerShell instead, check out How Can I Move a File or Folder from the Command Line Using Windows PowerShell? on Petri.
Table of Contents
The information in this article applies to Windows PowerShell, and PowerShell 7 and later versions on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11, and all supported versions of Windows Server.
advertisment
Let’s start by using the Remote-Item command to delete a single file or folder. Make sure you are logged in to the server or PC with an account that has full access to the objects you want to delete.
The –recurse parameter will allow PowerShell to remove any child items without asking for permission. Additionally, the –force parameter can be added to delete hidden or read-only files.
For more information on how to manage file and folder permissions using PowerShell, check out How to Use PowerShell to Manage Folder Permissions on Petri.
In the PowerShell prompt, type Remove-Item –path c:\testfolder\ remove-item * -include *.mp3 –recurse and press Enter. This command removes all MP3 files from the testfolder directory and any subdirectories.
advertisment
It’s also possible to include a filter, like this:
Remove-Item –path c:\* -Filter *test* -whatif
Any folder in the root of the C drive with the word test in its name will be deleted. The –whatif parameter tests the command and lets you see the results, so you can be sure you won’t delete anything important. To actually run the delete operation, just remove the –whatif parameter.
Remove-Item –path c:\testfolder\* -include *.txt
The above command will remove all .txt files in the testfolder directory. There is also an –exclude parameter, which comes in handy when used in combination with filters. Finally, to specify the current directory as shown in the PowerShell prompt, just replace the –path parameter with a wildcard symbol as follows:
advertisment
Remove-Item * -Filter *test*
Related articles
More from Russell Smith
advertisment
Petri Newsletters
Whether it’s Security or Cloud Computing, we have the know-how for you. Sign up for our newsletters here.
advertisment
More in PowerShell
Microsoft’s New PowerShell Crescendo Tool Facilitates Native Command-Line Wraps
Mar 21, 2022 | Rabia Noureen
Most popular on petri
Log in to save content to your profile.
Article saved!
Access saved content from your profile page. View Saved
Join The Conversation
Create a free account today to participate in forum conversations, comment on posts and more.
Copyright ©2019 BWW Media Group