---
title: How to Use Get-ChildItem in Powershell
slug: get-childitem-powershell
published: 2025-05-29T02:45:18.000Z
updated: 2025-05-29T02:45:18.000Z
feature_image: /blog/images/get-childitem-powershell/get-childitem-syntax-microsoft-learn.1600.webp
feature_image_alt: Microsoft Learn documentation for the Get-ChildItem cmdlet showing its PowerShell syntax
author: James Futhey
author_slug: james
meta_description: Master the PowerShell Get-ChildItem cmdlet with step-by-step examples to list files, filter by extension, use wildcards, show hidden items, and more.
status: published
---

The **Get-ChildItem cmdlet** is one of the **most frequently used commands** in PowerShell. It allows users to retrieve the contents of a folder, registry hive, or certificate store, making it essential for file system **navigation and automation tasks.**

Whether you're **listing files in a directory**, filtering for specific attributes, or working with registry keys, understanding how this cmdlet works is foundational for any PowerShell user.

## What is the Get-ChildItem Cmdlet?

The Get-ChildItem cmdlet retrieves the child items - such as **files and subdirectories** - within a specified container. It works across multiple providers, including the file system, registry, and certificate store.

This cmdlet is often used to list files in a directory, recursively search for items, or filter results based on attributes like hidden, read-only, or system files.

### Key Parameters of the Get-ChildItem Cmdlet

Below is an overview of **key parameters** used with the Get-ChildItem cmdlet. These parameters control **what is listed, how deep** the listing goes, and **how outputs are filtered or formatted.**

| Parameter | Description |
| --- | --- |
| -Path | Specifies the location to search. Accepts a string or string array. You can use wildcard characters. The Path parameter is optional if used in the current location. Example: -Path "C:Test Folder" |
| -Recurse | Searches all child containers recursively. Used for walking a directory tree or registry key hierarchy. |
| -Directory | Limits results to directories only. Works with the file system provider. |
| -File | Limits results to files only. Excludes directories and containers. |
| -Name | Returns only the names of items, not full object details. Useful for scripts needing plain output. |
| -Force | Includes hidden and system items in the output. Without this, hidden files or folders are excluded. |
| -Attributes | Filters results by file or folder attributes. Example: -Attributes !ReadOnly,HidDen to exclude read-only and hidden items. |
| -Include | Filters output by a specific string pattern within the specified -Path . Must be used with -Recurse in some scenarios. |
| -Exclude | Omits matching items based on a filter string. Can use wildcard characters. |
| -Filter | Applies a search string at the provider level. Generally faster than -Include or -Exclude . |
| -Depth | Limits how many levels of subdirectories to search when using -Recurse . Introduced in PowerShell 7.1. |
| -Hidden | Returns only hidden items. Functions similarly to using -Attributes Hidden . |
| -CodeSigningCert | Used with the Certificate provider to list certificates with the CodeSigningCert attribute. |
| Common Parameters | Includes -Verbose , -ErrorAction , and others shared across most cmdlets. |

Each of these parameters is context-sensitive. For example, -File and -Directory only apply to the FileSystem provider. Other providers, such as Registry or Certificate, support a different set of parameters, which may include -CodeSigningCert, or dynamic parameters available only at runtime.

Using combinations of these parameters allows you to tailor the output precisely - for instance, listing all non-hidden items recursively from a target location up to a certain depth:

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Project" -Recurse -Depth 2 -File -Attributes !Hidden

This command gets all non-hidden files up to two levels deep from the directory "C:Project".

## Key Differences: Get ChildItem vs Get-Item

| Feature | Get-ChildItem | Get-Item |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Output | Lists all child items in a container | Retrieves a single item |
| Recursive Search | Supports -Recurse and -Depth | No support for recursion |
| Filtering | Supports multiple filters and attributes | Limited filtering |
| Usage | Lists files, directories, registry keys | Gets a specific item object |
| Common Scenario | Listing folder contents or registry keys | Getting a single file or key |

## 3 Practical Use Cases for the Get-ChildItem Cmdlet in PowerShell

Here are three common scenarios where Get-ChildItem proves especially useful:

### 1\. Listing All Files in a Directory Tree

System administrators often need **a quick way to audit all files** under a given path, including subfolders. By combining Get-ChildItem with the -Recurse flag, they **can retrieve a complete list** of all files in a directory tree:

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:UsersJohnDoeDocuments" -Recurse

This helps when preparing for backups, scanning file types, or identifying large folders.

### 2\. Filtering Specific File Types or Attributes

When working with logs, scripts, or other targeted file types, the -Filter or -Include parameters **help limit output** to relevant items. For example, to find all .log files in a folder:

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Logs" -Filter \*.log

This is especially helpful for troubleshooting, cleaning up old files, or reviewing application outputs.

### 3\. Auditing Hidden or System Files

To **identify hidden or system-protected files**, administrators can use the -Attributes parameter. For instance, to list all hidden files in a directory:

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Temp" -Attributes Hidden

This is useful during **security audits,** forensic checks, or when verifying that system files are correctly placed and untouched.

## Prerequisites

Before using Get-ChildItem, ensure the following requirements are met:

**PowerShell Version:** The cmdlet works in Windows PowerShell 5.1 and in PowerShell 7.1 and above, including PowerShell Core on cross-platform systems.

**Module Availability:** Get-ChildItem is included in the Microsoft.PowerShell.Management module, which is loaded by default in most environments.

**Permissions:** You must have the necessary access rights for the resource you're querying. For example, reading from a secured directory, registry hive, or certificate store requires appropriate permissions.

**Supported Providers:** The behavior of Get-ChildItem changes depending on the provider (e.g., FileSystem, Registry, Certificate, Environment). Some parameters and outputs vary across providers.

**Check Providers:** Use the Get-PSProvider cmdlet to view available providers on your system and confirm compatibility with your target path:

## How to Use Get-ChildItem in Powershell: 6 Examples

### 1\. List Files in the Current Directory

If no -Path is specified, Get-ChildItem defaults to the current working directory. This command **lists all non-hidden files and folders** in that location. It’s the simplest way to **inspect** what's in your present directory.

Get-ChildItem

### 2\. List Files with Specific Extension

Use the -Filter parameter to **return only files matching a certain pattern** - in this case, files ending in .txt. It’s **more efficient** than using Where-Object because filtering happens at the provider level.

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Users" -Filter "\*.txt"

### 3\. Use Wildcard Characters for Flexible Matching

This matches any .log file that contains “2023” in the filename. You can use \* to match zero or more characters and ? to match a single character. Useful **for retrieving files with partial or uncertain names.**

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Logs\*2023\*.log"

### 4\. Get a List of Directories Only

Adding the -Directory switch **limits the output to only folders, excluding files**. This is ideal when you need to process or loop through folders only (e.g., for backups or batch operations).

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Projects" -Directory

The -Directory parameter filters the output to show only folder names.

### 5\. Include Hidden Items and System Files

By default, hidden files and system items are excluded. Use -Force to **include them in the results** - especially useful when working in protected directories like C:\\Windows where many items are hidden by design.

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Windows" -Force

The -Force parameter displays hidden items and system files not shown by default.

### 6\. Use Complex Combinations of Attributes

This command returns all files in C:\\Reports and its subdirectories (-Recurse) that are not read-only (!ReadOnly) and are marked as archive (Archive). It’s helpful **when managing files based on specific file system** attributes - common in automated cleanup or backup tasks.

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:Reports" -Attributes !ReadOnly,Archive -Recurse

**The Get-ChildItem cmdlet** is a versatile and essential command **for listing and filtering items** within containers in PowerShell. Whether working with directories, registry nodes, or certificates, knowing how to use its parameters like -Path, -Recurse, -Filter, and -Attributes makes it easier to generate **precise outputs**.

Mastering its use helps in tasks ranging from file system cleanup to registry analysis and automation.