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Add-Content

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

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.log

The 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.txt

The 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.txt

The 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.txt

The 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.txt

The 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.