How to List Files in PowerShell: Simple Commands and Examples

Use the Get-ChildItem cmdlet in PowerShell to list files in a directory. For example, Get-ChildItem lists all files and folders in the current directory, while Get-ChildItem -File lists only files.

Syntax

The basic command to list files and folders is Get-ChildItem. You can add parameters to filter results:

• -Path: Specify the folder to list files from.
• -File: Show only files, excluding folders.
• -Directory: Show only folders.
• -Recurse: List items in all subfolders recursively.

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Get-ChildItem [-Path <string>] [-File] [-Directory] [-Recurse]

Example

This example lists all files in the current folder, showing only files (no folders):

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Get-ChildItem -File

Output

Mode                LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                -------------         ------ ----
-a----        2024-06-01     10:00           1234 example.txt
-a----        2024-05-30     15:45           5678 report.pdf
-a----        2024-06-02     09:20           4321 image.png

Common Pitfalls

Beginners often forget that Get-ChildItem lists both files and folders by default, which can be confusing. To list only files, use the -File parameter. Also, specifying a path incorrectly or forgetting to use quotes for paths with spaces can cause errors.

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Get-ChildItem C:\"My Documents"

# Correct way with quotes:
Get-ChildItem "C:\My Documents" -File

Quick Reference

Command	Description
Get-ChildItem	Lists files and folders in current directory
Get-ChildItem -File	Lists only files
Get-ChildItem -Directory	Lists only folders
Get-ChildItem -Recurse	Lists all files and folders recursively
Get-ChildItem -Path	Lists items in specified folder

Key Takeaways

Use Get-ChildItem to list files and folders in PowerShell.

Add -File to list only files, excluding folders.

Use quotes around paths with spaces to avoid errors.

Use -Recurse to list files in all subfolders.

By default, Get-ChildItem shows both files and folders.