I'm not very experienced with computers and was trying to run a small script for a video game. Command Prompt accepts my typing normally, but when I open Windows PowerShell, it only displays the welcome message and never shows the usual prompt such as `PS C:Usersusername>`. I also can't type commands into the window.
I tried opening it as administrator, pressing Escape, and using Ctrl+C, but nothing helped. I wasn't sure which PowerShell version was installed. The issue may have been related to a broken PowerShell profile containing an unmatched quotation mark, although I don't know how to check or edit profiles.
The problem was eventually fixed by repairing PowerShell, restarting the computer, and launching it from Command Prompt with `powershell -noprofile`. PowerShell 7 still had the problem, so I reinstalled it and the prompt returned.
4 Answers
A PowerShell profile runs automatically when the shell starts. If it contains an unfinished quoted string, PowerShell may wait for more input instead of displaying the normal prompt. Removing or correcting the profile can fix it, but repairing or reinstalling PowerShell is safer if you aren’t comfortable locating those files.
Be careful with scripts copied from the internet, especially commands that download code and immediately execute it. Even if a tool is popular and has worked before, review the source and understand what it does before running it. A safer approach is to download the script, inspect it, and only then execute it.
Try opening Command Prompt and running `powershell -noprofile`. This starts PowerShell without loading your profile files, which can bypass a broken startup configuration. If that works, the issue is probably in one of the profile scripts.
Make sure the window isn’t stuck in selection mode. If the title bar shows something like “Select,” press Escape to leave that mode. Otherwise, the missing prompt usually points to a startup profile problem or a damaged installation rather than an execution-policy issue.
It didn’t work at first, but after repairing PowerShell and restarting, the command brought the prompt back. PowerShell 7 needed to be reinstalled separately.