The New-Item cmdlet creates a new item and sets its value. The types of items that can be created depend on the
location of the item. For example, in the file system, New-Item creates files and folders. In the registry,
New-Item creates registry keys and entries. New-Item can also set the value of the items that it creates. For
example, when it creates a new file, New-Item can add initial content to the file.
PARAMETERS
-Confirm []
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value 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, this cmdlet prompts you for a password.
This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with Windows PowerShell.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Force []
Forces this cmdlet to create an item that writes over an existing read-only item. Implementation varies from
provider to provider. For more information, see about_Providers. Even using the Force parameter, the cmdlet
cannot override security restrictions.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-ItemType
Specifies the provider-specified type of the new item. Starting in Windows PowerShell 5.0, you can create
symbolic links by specifying SymbolicLink as the value of this parameter.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Name
Specifies the name of the new item.
You can specify the name of the new item in the Name or Path parameter value, and you can specify the path of
the new item in Name or Path value.
Required? true
Position? named
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Path
Specifies the path of the location of the new item. Wildcard characters are permitted.
You can specify the name of the new item in Name , or include it in Path .
Required? true
Position? 0
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName)
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 Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid
only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Value
Specifies the value of the new item. You can also pipe a value to New-Item .
Required? false
Position? named
Default value None
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: Verbose, Debug,
ErrorAction, ErrorVariable, WarningAction, WarningVariable,
OutBuffer, PipelineVariable, and OutVariable. For more information, see
about_CommonParameters (https:/go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113216).
INPUTS
System.Object
You can pipe a value for the new item to this cmdlet.
OUTPUTS
System.Object
This cmdlet returns the item that it creates.
NOTES
New-Item * 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.
*
Example 1: Create a file in the current directory
PS C:\>New-Item -Path . -Name "testfile1.txt" -ItemType "file" -Value "This is a text string."
This command creates a text file that is named testfile1.txt in the current directory. The dot (.) in the value of
the Path parameter indicates the current directory. The quoted text that follows the Value parameter is added to
the file as content.
This command creates a directory named Logfiles in the C: drive. The ItemType parameter specifies that the new
item is a directory, not a file or other file system object.
This command creates a Windows PowerShell profile in the path that is specified by the $profile variable.
You can use profiles to customize Windows PowerShell. $Profile is an automatic (built-in) variable that stores the
path and file name of the CurrentUser/CurrentHost profile. By default, the profile does not exist, even though
Windows PowerShell stores a path and file name for it.
In this command, the $profile variable represents the path of the file. ItemType parameter specifies that the
command creates a file. The Force parameter lets you create a file in the profile path, even when the directories
in the path do not exist. Windows PowerShell creates them.
After you use this command to create a profile, you can enter aliases, functions, and scripts in the profile to
customize your shell.
For more information, see about_Automatic_Variables and about_Profiles.
Example 4: Create a directory in a different directory