To change the wallpaper with PowerShell, call the Windows SystemParametersInfo function with the image path. Add-Type makes it available, and the change shows right away without signing out: It returns True when Windows accepts the image, affects only the signed-in user and needs no admin rights. Below I set the fit style, wrap it in … Read more
To set the default browser for users with PowerShell, create a default associations XML file for the browser and apply it with the Set a default associations configuration file policy. Windows applies it when the user signs in. You can’t just change a registry value, which is what most scripts online try. Below I show … Read more
To set a local user’s password to never expire, run Set-LocalUser with -PasswordNeverExpires $true in PowerShell as administrator: It works in PowerShell 7 and Windows PowerShell 5.1. Below I check which accounts already never expire, preview the change, show two other ways and cover domain accounts. I didn’t change any accounts on my PC. Check … Read more
To set the default printer using PowerShell, get the printer from Win32_Printer and call its SetDefaultPrinter method with Invoke-CimMethod: It works for the current user and doesn’t need admin rights. Below I list printers, check the default, preview the change with -WhatIf and stop Windows from switching it back. My own default stayed untouched. List … Read more
To get your IP address using PowerShell, run Get-NetIPConfiguration and read the IPv4 address of the adapter that has a default gateway. That’s the address your PC uses on the network: Below I list every address, get the main one with its gateway, return just the address for scripts, and check remote PCs and your … Read more
To set the time zone in Windows with PowerShell, run Set-TimeZone with the zone’s Id. This switches the PC to Pacific Time: The trick is knowing the exact Id. Below I show how to check the current zone, find the right Id, preview the change, convert times between zones and set the zone on remote … Read more
To update PowerShell on Windows 11, run winget upgrade for the PowerShell package. It installs the newest PowerShell 7 release over your current one: Before you run it, check which version you have and how it was installed, because Microsoft recommends upgrading with the same method. I walk through both checks below, plus the MSI, … Read more
To install RSAT in Windows 11 using PowerShell, open PowerShell as administrator and run Add-WindowsCapability with the name of the tool you need. RSAT is built into Windows 11 as optional features, so there’s nothing to download: That line adds the Active Directory tools, including the ActiveDirectory PowerShell module. Below I cover the checks to … Read more
To check for Windows updates using PowerShell, ask the built-in Windows Update Agent to search. It needs no extra module and no admin rights: Below I list what’s waiting with KB numbers, show when Windows last checked, find where updates come from and check other PCs. I ran each check in PowerShell 7.6 and Windows … Read more
To disable Windows Defender real-time protection using PowerShell, run Set-MpPreference in an elevated window, after turning off Tamper Protection in Windows Security: Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the current name for Windows Defender. Turning it off leaves the PC unprotected, so do it only briefly while troubleshooting. Below I cover checking the status, why the command … Read more