Can PowerShell be safely removed from Windows 11?
Asked by
MellowCedar42
I really dislike having PowerShell on my Windows 11 computer and would prefer to remove it. I have very little programming or technical experience, so if there is a safe, step-by-step method, please explain it clearly. If it cannot be removed without causing problems, I'd also like to know how to avoid using it and make Command Prompt the default instead.
Answers
Some newer PowerShell versions installed separately may appear under Settings > Apps > Installed apps and can be uninstalled there. That does not remove the built-in Windows PowerShell 5.1 component, though, so don’t try to delete files from the Windows or System32 folders.
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If you prefer Command Prompt, you can use that instead. In Windows Terminal, open Settings and choose Command Prompt as the default profile. You can also search for Command Prompt directly from the Start menu. This changes what opens by default without damaging any Windows components.
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PowerShell 5.1 is built into Windows 11, and there is no supported way to completely remove it. Deleting its files or changing system folders can break Windows and may cause the system to restore them anyway. The safest option is simply to leave it installed and not use it.
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MellowCedar42: Got it—I mainly wanted to avoid accidentally opening or using it, so leaving it installed sounds safer.