How to create permanent PowerShell Aliases

Question

I want to create an alias of a cmdlet that doesn't expire after I close the current session of PowerShell. Let's say I have this alias:

cd C:\Users\Aymen
New-Alias Goto Set-Location

This perfectly creates the Goto alias, but I want to use it even after I close the current session. How can I achieve that?

Note:

The PowerShell Help system suggests that I can export the aliases I create, and import them next time I open a new session. Actually, that's not really what I'm looking for. Is there a direct clear way to keep having a alias after I create it through different sessions?

• masterxilo: IMO you're much better off putting scripts into the PATH. That way, the command will be available instantly to all your open shells and if you change it, the change will propagate to all subsequent uses without having to reload $profile or something.
• nikhil swami: one liner: echo "Set-Alias bun pnpm" >> $profile && . $profile , full answer somewhere below.

Answer 1

UPDATED - January 2021

It's possible to store in a profile.ps1 file any PowerShell code to be executed each time PowerShell starts. There are at least 6 different paths where to store the code depending on which user has to execute it. We will consider only 2 of them: the "all users" and the "only your user" paths (follow the previous link for further options).

To answer your question, you only have to create a profile.ps1 file containing the code you want to be executed, that is:

New-Alias Goto Set-Location

and save it in the proper path:

• "$Home\Documents" (usually C:\Users\<yourname>\Documents): only your user will execute the code. This is the recommended location You can quickly find your profile location by running echo $profile in PowerShell
• $PsHome (C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0): every user will execute this code

IMPORTANT: remember you need to restart your PowerShell instances to apply the changes.

TIPS

• If both paths contain a profile.ps1 file, the all-users one is executed first, then the user-specific one. This means the user-specific commands will overwrite variables in case of duplicates or conflicts.

• Always put the code in the user-specific profile if there is no need to extend its execution to every user. This is safer because you don't pollute other users' space (usually, you don't want to do that).
  Another advantage is that you don't need administrator rights to add the file to your user-space (you do for anything in C:\Windows\System32).

• If you really need to execute the profile code for every user, mind that the $PsHome path is different for 32bit and 64bit instances of PowerShell. You should consider both environments if you want to always execute the profile code.

  The paths are:

  • C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0 for the 64bit environment
  • C:\Windows\SysWow64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0 for the 32bit one (Yeah I know, the folder naming is counterintuitive, but it's correct).

• user1752532: no error it just did not work, i am not sure if this is a permissions issue. I did actually get it to work ( i should i commented earlier ) . I had to create the folder \Users\{ME}\Documents\WindowsPowerShell and then add Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 non of the other paths works for me.
• Naigel: According to linked article using "$HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell" and naming Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 restrict the scope to non-ISE and to current host, but shouldn't be a matter of permissions (same of "$Home\Documents\profile.ps1" should apply). Maybe it's not really so, I will give it a try, thank you for the information
• Eagle: Hi @Naigel, I must use this approach to make it work: superuser.com/questions/516700/… so the final solution for me was create the file for profile: New-Item -path $profile -type file -force that created the folder and file Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
• Rahul Jha: The best way to get the profile location might be to run "echo $profile" in your powershell window.
• gooleem: Remember to make a backup of your profile.ps1 file, as Windows Creators Update seems to clear the file at its default location!!

Answer 2

It's not a good idea to add this kind of thing directly to your $env:WINDIR PowerShell folders, unless you truly want your alias to be global.
The recommended way is to add it to your personal profile:

cd $env:USERPROFILE\Documents
md WindowsPowerShell -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
cd WindowsPowerShell
New-Item Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 -ItemType "file" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
powershell_ise.exe .\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

Now add your alias to the Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 file that is now opened:

function Do-ActualThing {
 # Do the actual thing
}
Set-Alias MyAlias Do-ActualThing

Then save it, and refresh the current session with:

. $profile

Note: Just in case, if you get permission issue like

CategoryInfo : SecurityError: (:) [], PSSecurityException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnauthorizedAccess

Try the below command and refresh the session again.

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

• JustinB: Great comment. Very clear, although my powershell doesn't have touch.
• zombat: In order to allow the execution of my profile script, I had to do one extra step. Run Powershell as an Administrator, and execute Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser. The -Scope option makes it a bit more secure.
• Automatico: This is a great method! Please not that the function itself also becomes available in the shell, so you don't really need the Set-Alias part. Just call the function MyAlias. Also, to pass on arguments, use @Args, eg function gs { git status @Args }
• Chase Florell: @Automatico I like being explicit about the Set-Alias because I like to name my methods using the appropriate PS conventions with the appropriate Verbs. But yes, if you're not picky, you can just name your method whatever you intend to invoke.
• jawad mansoor: @zombat This is exactly I was struggling with, for hours. Thank you, I am done now.

Answer 3

Open a Windows PowerShell window and type:

notepad $profile

Then create a function, such as:

function goSomewhereThenOpenGoogleThenDeleteSomething {
 cd C:\Users\
 Start-Process -FilePath "http://www.google.com"
 rm fileName.txt
}

Then type this under the function name:

Set-Alias google goSomewhereThenOpenGoogleThenDeleteSomething

Now you can type the word "google" into Windows PowerShell and have it execute the code within your function!

• wordsforthewise: $profile doesn't seem to be a default environment variable in windows 10. What is it supposed to be pointing to?
• Sterling Bourne: @wordsforthewise - The $PROFILE automatic variable stores the paths to the PowerShell profiles that are available in the current session. It is included in Windows PowerShell.
• Phill: This was bar none the simplest solution provided.
• RockyK: I had to enable 'Enable PowerShell Scripts' (in another answer) to get this to work. Seriously super simple!
• yooloobooy: Great solution, worth noting that the file under $profile may not exist yet. Can be manually created though.

Answer 4

2018, Windows 10

You can link to any file or directory with the help of a simple PowerShell script.

Writing a file shortcut script

Open Windows PowerShell ISE. In the script pane write:

New-Alias ${shortcutName} ${fullFileLocation}

Then head to the command-line pane. Find your PowerShell user profile address with echo $profile. Save the script in this address.

enter image description here

The script in PowerShell's profile address will run each time you open powershell. The shortcut should work with every new PowerShell window.

Writing a directory shortcut script

It requires another line in our script.

function ${nameOfFunction} {set-location ${directory_location}}
New-Alias ${shortcut} ${nameOfFunction} 

The rest is exactly the same.

enter image description here

Enable PowerShell Scripts

By default PowerShell scripts are blocked. To enable them, open settings -> Update & Security -> For developers. Select Developer Mode (might require restart). Selecting Developer Mode Windows 10.

Scroll down to the PowerShell section, tick the "Change execution policy ..." option, and apply.

Enabling PowerShell scripts

• Pedro Martins Timóteo da Costa: echo $profile is an awesome tip for helping finding the correct location to add the file. Thank you for the comprehensive answer
• LangerNZ: To update for Win11, it is System > For developers. Developer Mode > On, Powershell (dropdown) > "Change execution policy..." > On.

Answer 5

I found that I can run this command:

notepad $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts

and it opens my default powershell profile (for Current User, All Hosts). I found that here.

Then add an alias. For example, here is my alias of jn for jupyter notebook (I hate typing out the cumbersome jupyter notebook every time):

Set-Alias -Name jn -Value C:\Users\words\Anaconda3\Scripts\jupyter-notebook.exe

Answer 6

Just to add to this list of possible locations...

This didn't work for me: \Users\{ME}\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

However this did: \Users\{ME}\OneDrive\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

If you don't have a profile or you're looking to set one up, run the following command, it will create the folder/files necessary and even tell you where it lives! New-Item -path $profile -type file -force

• Carlos: that last command worked for me. I didn't have any of the previous directories mentioned
• Martin_W: For me, with PowerShell core v.7.4.2 on Windows 11, the C:\Users\{me}\OneDrive\OneDriveDocuments\PowerShell\profile.ps1 path is what worked. (Rant: How pushy of Microsoft to force OneDrive upon us!)

Answer 7

To create the profile1.psl file, type in the following command:

New-Item $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts -ItemType file -Force

To access the file, type in the following command:

ise $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts

Note: If you haven't done this before, you will see that you will not be able to run the script because of your execution policy, which you need to change to Unrestricted from Restricted (default).

To do that, close the script and then type this command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser

Then:

RemoteSigned

Then this command again:

ise $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts

Then finally type your aliases in the script, save it, and they should run every time you run PowerShell, even after restarting your computer.

• PhilT: You probably want: Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned. Don't go recommending Unrestricted. Source: itprotoday.com/management-mobility/…

Answer 8

This is a little bit fancy... but it works:

Step 1: Create a Powershell Profile:

FILE: install_profile.ps1
# THIS SCRIPT BLOWS AWAY YOUR DEFAULT POWERSHELL PROFILE SCRIPT
# AND INSTALLS A POINTER TO A GLOBAL POWERSHELL PROFILE
$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
function print ([string]$msg)
{
 Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green $msg
}
print ""
# User's Powershell Profile
$psdir = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\WindowsPowerShell"
$psfile = $psdir + "\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1"
print "Creating Directory: $psdir"
md $psdir -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | out-null
# this is your auto-generated powershell profile to be installed
$content = @(
 "",
 ". ~/Documents/tools/profile.ps1",
 ""
)
print "Creating File: $psfile"
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllLines($psfile, $content)
print ""
# Make sure Powershell profile is readable
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser Unrestricted

Step 2: then in tools ~/Documents/tools/profile.ps1:

function Do-ActualThing {
 # do actual thing
}
Set-Alias MyAlias Do-ActualThing

Step 3:

$ Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser Unrestricted $ . ./install_profile.ps1

Answer 9

It's a matter of personal taste, but I prefer to store my aliases together in a separate file and call Import-Alias in the profile.

$profileDir = Split-Path $PROFILE -Parent
$profileFile = Join-Path $profileDir profile.ps1
$aliasFile = Join-Path $profileDir aliases.csv
New-Alias -Name npp -Value "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" -Description "Notepad++"
Export-Alias -Name npp -Path $aliasFile -Append
ise $profileFile

Then in the ISE, put this line in your profile.ps1

Import-Alias -Path (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot aliases.csv)

Answer 10

For the one-liner bros:

echo "Set-Alias bun pnpm" >> $profile && . $profile

This will run pnpm if you type bun. The && . $profile will refresh the current session. It is useful if some frameworks depend on other underlying package managers, like you can also use to make ps1 and shell scripts compatible across OSes,

• also killing and restarting PowerShell => these aliases are guaranteed to persist, tested with a terminal and Visual Studio Code.

If you want to inspect and manually edit (requires Visual Studio Code):

code $profile

code is the CLI way to open Visual Studio Code if you didn't know. Use this for debugging if you mess up pipe append :)

Answer 11

To get a permanent alias, put it in your personal profile file. (There are other global profiles files, but aliases are personal preferences.) The profile is a script that is run every time you start PowerShell, unless you specify a noprofile flag on the command line. It can be used to set aliases and variables, load functions and libraries, set the start location, and do anything else you might do to make your environment work the way you like it.

The path of the profile is given in the $profile variable. If you have not created a profile, it usually won't exist, but the profile variable will exist. You can edit the profile file from the PS prompt like this

notepad.exe $profile

You will probably get an error because the the path to the file is not there. Use this command to create the full path and the file the first time.

New-Item -path $profile -ItemType File -Force # WARNING: This will overwrite!

Now edit your profile using Notepad as above. After updating and saving your profile, you can dot run it to reload it and test the change without restarting PowerShell.

. $profile

Most things that go in the profile can be done repeatedly, but if a repeat run breaks anything, add a test.

Bonus: One of the things I love in my profile is an alias to my preferred quick text editor so I can avoid notepad. I also generally add one line comment/reminder message when I do stuff in the profile:

'Notepad++ alias:npp'
Set-Alias -Name 'npp' -value 'C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe'

Going one step closer to full OCD, you could add a function in your profile to update your profile and reload it. (I'm not OCD; this is an example.)

'Profile updater, alias pup'
function Update-Profile {
 npp $profile
 pause
 . $profile
}
Set-Alias -Name 'pup' -Value 'Update-Profile'

Answer 12

Offering simplest solution:

1. Open powershell
2. Write to profile for all users: notepad $PsHome\Profile.ps1:

function Goto() {

#function name is alias, set of commands are the body

Set-Location

} 3. Save & exit notepad 4. Set powershell permissions: Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned 5. Restart powershell & write goto

Answer 13

echo "Set-Alias ll dir" >> $profile
. $profile

enter image description here

• Adam D.: Borked my $profile, had to open "C:\Users\adamd\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1" in notepad and changed it from s e t - ... to set-alias -name "unzip" -value "expand-archive".
• Leo: Strange I tested in both Powershell 5 and 7 without problem. Perhaps your format will be more standard.

Answer 14

If you have a PowerShell script named cd.ps1

 Param( 
 [Parameter(Mandatory, HelpMessage = "please provide a valid 
 path")]
 [string]
 $Path
 )
 Set-Location $Path 

To make it permanent you have to add your alias via a profile.

For Powershell 7.x this worked for me.

from a PowerShell prompt:

 Get-Variable profile | Format-List

the output under "Value" will tell you where to either look for your profile 'file' or create a profile 'file'

in my case:

 Name : PROFILE
 Description :
 Value : C:\Users\meUser\Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
 Visibility : Public
 Module :
 ModuleName :
 Options : None
 Attributes : {}

This tells you either where your profile is or where where you need to create one if one doesn't exist. In my case it is under a One Drive but it should tell you where you need to look.

Open or create the path and file Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

Edit the profile 'file' and add your alias

 New-Alias -Name goto -Value c:\myPSscripts\cd.ps1 -Force -Option AllScope

Close and reopen a PowerShell terminal

Give it a spin

 goto ../someOtherFolder