Add-Content
Adds content to the specified items, such as adding words to a file.
Syntax
Add-Content
[-Path] <string[]>
[-Value] <Object[]>
[-PassThru]
[-Filter <string>]
[-Include <string[]>]
[-Exclude <string[]>]
[-Force]
[-Credential <pscredential>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[-UseTransaction]
[-NoNewline]
[-Encoding <FileSystemCmdletProviderEncoding>]
[-Stream <string>]
[<CommonParameters>]Add-Content
[-Value] <Object[]>
-LiteralPath <string[]>
[-PassThru]
[-Filter <string>]
[-Include <string[]>]
[-Exclude <string[]>]
[-Force]
[-Credential <pscredential>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[-UseTransaction]
[-NoNewline]
[-Encoding <FileSystemCmdletProviderEncoding>]
[-Stream <string>]
[<CommonParameters>]Description
The Add-Content cmdlet appends content to a specified item or file. You can specify the content
by typing the content in the command or by specifying an object that contains the content.
If you need to create files or directories for the following examples, see New-Item.
Examples
Example 1: Add a string to all text files with an exception
This example appends a value to text files in the current directory but excludes files based on their file name.
Add-Content -Path .\*.txt -Exclude help* -Value 'End of file'The Add-Content cmdlet uses the Path parameter to specify all .txt files in the current
directory. The Exclude parameter ignores file names that match the specified pattern. The
Value parameter specifies the text string that is written to the files.
Use Get-Content to display the contents of these files.
Example 2: Add a date to the end of the specified files
This example appends the date to files in the current directory and displays the date in the PowerShell console.
Add-Content -Path .\DateTimeFile1.log, .\DateTimeFile2.log -Value (Get-Date) -PassThru
Get-Content -Path .\DateTimeFile1.logThe Add-Content cmdlet uses the Path and Value parameters to create two new files in the
current directory. The Value parameter specifies the Get-Date cmdlet to get the date and
passes the date to Add-Content. The Add-Content cmdlet writes the date to each file. The
PassThru parameter passes an object that represents the date object. Because there is no other
cmdlet to receive the passed object, it is displayed in the PowerShell console. The Get-Content
cmdlet displays the updated file, DateTimeFile1.log.
Example 3: Add the contents of a specified file to another file
This example gets the content from a file and appends that content into another file.
Add-Content -Path .\CopyToFile.txt -Value (Get-Content -Path .\CopyFromFile.txt)
Get-Content -Path .\CopyToFile.txtThe Add-Content cmdlet uses the Path parameter to specify the new file in the current
directory, CopyToFile.txt. The Value parameter uses the Get-Content cmdlet to get the
contents of the file, CopyFromFile.txt. The parentheses around the Get-Content cmdlet ensure that
the command finishes before the Add-Content command begins. The Value parameter is passed to
Add-Content. The Add-Content cmdlet appends the data to the CopyToFile.txt file. The
Get-Content cmdlet displays the updated file, CopyToFile.txt.
Example 4: Use a variable to add the contents of a specified file to another file
This example gets the content from a file and stores the content in a variable. The variable is used to append the content into another file.
$From = Get-Content -Path .\CopyFromFile.txt
Add-Content -Path .\CopyToFile.txt -Value $From
Get-Content -Path .\CopyToFile.txtThe Get-Content cmdlet gets the contents of CopyFromFile.txt and stores the contents in the
$From variable. The Add-Content cmdlet uses the Path parameter to specify the
CopyToFile.txt file in the current directory. The Value parameter uses the $From variable and
passes the content to Add-Content. The Add-Content cmdlet updates the CopyToFile.txt file. The
Get-Content cmdlet displays CopyToFile.txt.
Example 5: Create a new file and copy content
This example creates a new file and copies an existing file's content into the new file.
Add-Content -Path .\NewFile.txt -Value (Get-Content -Path .\CopyFromFile.txt)
Get-Content -Path .\NewFile.txtThe Add-Content cmdlet uses the Path and Value parameters to create a new file in the
current directory. The Value parameter uses the Get-Content cmdlet to get the contents of an
existing file, CopyFromFile.txt. The parentheses around the Get-Content cmdlet ensure that the
command finishes before the Add-Content command begins. The Value parameter passes the
content to Add-Content which updates the NewFile.txt file. The Get-Content cmdlet displays the
contents of the new file, NewFile.txt.
Example 6: Add content to a read-only file
This command adds the value to the file even if the IsReadOnly file attribute is set to True. The steps to create a read-only file are included in the example.
New-Item -Path .\IsReadOnlyTextFile.txt -ItemType File
Set-ItemProperty -Path .\IsReadOnlyTextFile.txt -Name IsReadOnly -Value $True
Get-ChildItem -Path .\IsReadOnlyTextFile.txt
Add-Content -Path .\IsReadOnlyTextFile.txt -Value 'Add value to read-only text file' -Force
Get-Content -Path .\IsReadOnlyTextFile.txt
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-ar--- 1/28/2019 13:35 0 IsReadOnlyTextFile.txtThe New-Item cmdlet uses the Path and ItemType parameters to create the file
IsReadOnlyTextFile.txt in the current directory. The Set-ItemProperty cmdlet uses the Name
and Value parameters to change the file's IsReadOnly property to True. The Get-ChildItem
cmdlet shows the file is empty (0) and has the read-only attribute (r). The Add-Content cmdlet
uses the Path parameter to specify the file. The Value parameter includes the text string
to append to the file. The Force parameter writes the text to the read-only file. The
Get-Content cmdlet uses the Path parameter to display the file's contents.
To remove the read-only attribute, use the Set-ItemProperty command with the Value parameter
set to False.
Parameters
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | cf |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Credential
Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current user.
Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01, or enter a PSCredential object,
such as one generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, you will be prompted
for a password.
Warning
This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with PowerShell.
| Type: | PSCredential |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Encoding
Specifies the type of encoding for the target file. The default value is Default.
The acceptable values for this parameter are as follows:
- ASCII Uses ASCII (7-bit) character set.
- BigEndianUnicode Uses UTF-16 with the big-endian byte order.
- BigEndianUTF32 Uses UTF-32 with the big-endian byte order.
- Byte Encodes a set of characters into a sequence of bytes.
- Default Uses the encoding that corresponds to the system's active code page (usually ANSI).
- OEM Uses the encoding that corresponds to the system's current OEM code page.
- String Same as Unicode.
- Unicode Uses UTF-16 with the little-endian byte order.
- Unknown Same as Unicode.
- UTF7 Uses UTF-7.
- UTF8 Uses UTF-8.
- UTF32 Uses UTF-32 with the little-endian byte order.
Encoding is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Add-Content cmdlet. This
parameter works only in file system drives.
| Type: | FileSystemCmdletProviderEncoding |
| Accepted values: | ASCII, BigEndianUnicode, BigEndianUTF32, Byte, Default, OEM, String, Unicode, Unknown, UTF7, UTF8, UTF32 |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | Default |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Exclude
Omits the specified items. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as *.txt. Wildcards are permitted.
| Type: | String[] |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Filter
Specifies a filter in the provider's format or language. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. The syntax of the filter, including the use of wildcards, depends on the provider. Filters are more efficient than other parameters because the provider applies filters when objects are retrieved. Otherwise, PowerShell processes filters after the objects are retrieved.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Force
Overrides the read-only attribute, allowing you to add content to a read-only file. For example, Force will override the read-only attribute or create directories to complete a file path, but it will not attempt to change file permissions.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Include
Adds only the specified items. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as *.txt. Wildcards are permitted.
| Type: | String[] |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-LiteralPath
Specifies the path to the items that receive the additional content. Unlike Path, 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.
| Type: | String[] |
| Aliases: | PSPath |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-NoNewline
Indicates that this cmdlet does not add a new line or carriage return to the content.
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: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-PassThru
Returns an object representing the added content. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Path
Specifies the path to the items that receive the additional content. Wildcards are permitted. If you specify multiple paths, use commas to separate the paths.
| Type: | String[] |
| Position: | 0 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Stream
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 Add-Content. This
parameter works only in file system drives.
You can use the Add-Content cmdlet to change the content of the Zone.Identifier alternate
data stream. 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: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-UseTransaction
Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see about_Transactions.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | usetx |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Value
Specifies the content to be added. Type a quoted string, such as This data is for internal use
only, or specify an object that contains content, such as the DateTime object that Get-Date
generates.
You cannot specify the contents of a file by typing its path, because the path is just a string.
You can use a Get-Content command to get the content and pass it to the Value parameter.
| Type: | Object[] |
| Position: | 1 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | wi |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
System.Object, System.Management.Automation.PSCredential
You can pipe values, paths, or credentials to Set-Content.
Outputs
None or System.String
When you use the PassThru parameter, Add-Content generates a System.String object that
represents the content. Otherwise, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
Notes
When you pipe an object to Add-Content, the object is converted to a string before it is added to
the item. The object type determines the string format, but the format might be different than the
default display of the object. To control the string format, use the formatting parameters of the
sending cmdlet.
You can also refer to Add-Content by its built-in alias, ac. For more information, see
about_Aliases.
The Add-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.