Skip to content
PowerShell Commands

Set-Location

Set-Location -LiteralPath* <String> [-PassThru] [-UseTransaction] [<CommonParameters>]
Set-Location [[-Path] <String>] [-PassThru] [-UseTransaction] [<CommonParameters>]
Set-Location [-PassThru] [-StackName <String>] [-UseTransaction] [<CommonParameters>]

The Set-Location cmdlet sets the working location to a specified location. That location could be a directory, a sub-directory, a registry location, or any provider path.

You can also use the StackName parameter of to make a named location stack the current location stack. For more information about location stacks, see the Notes.

Parameters

-LiteralPath <String>

  • This value is required
  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies a path of the location. The value of the LiteralPath parameter is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcard characters. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell Windows PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.

-PassThru [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Returns a System.Management.Automation.PathInfo object that represents the location. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

-Path <String>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specify the path of a new working location.

-StackName <String>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies the location stack name that this cmdlet makes the current location stack. Enter a location stack name. To indicate the unnamed default location stack, type $Null" or an empty string ("").

The Location cmdlets act on the current stack unless you use the StackName parameter to specify a different stack.

-UseTransaction [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress.

<CommonParameters>

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: Verbose, Debug,ErrorAction, ErrorVariable, WarningAction, WarningVariable,OutBuffer, PipelineVariable, and OutVariable.

Inputs
System.String
You can pipe a string that contains a path, but not a literal path, to this cmdlet.
Outputs
None, System.Management.Automation.PathInfo, System.Management.Automation.PathInfoStack
This cmdlet generates a System.Management.Automation.PathInfo object that represents the location, if you specify the PassThru parameter. Otherwise, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
Examples
  1. Set the current location:
    PS C:\> Set-Location -Path "HKLM:"
    PS HKLM:\>
    

    This command sets the current location to the root of the HKLM: drive.

  2. Set the current location and display that location:
    PS C:\> Set-Location -Path "Env:" -PassThru
    
       Path
       ----
       Env:\
    
    PS Env:\>
    

    This command sets the current location to the root of the Env: drive. It uses the PassThru parameter to direct Windows PowerShell to return a PathInfo object that represents the Env: location.

  3. Set location to the C:
    PS C:\> Set-Location C:
    

    This command sets the current location C: drive in the file system provider.

  4. Set the current location to a named stack:
    PS C:\> Set-Location -StackName "WSManPaths"
    

    This command makes the WSManPaths location stack the current location stack.

    The location cmdlets use the current location stack unless a different location stack is specified in the command. For information about location stacks, see the Notes.

Additional Notes
 The Set-Location * cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers 
 available in your session, type `Get-PSProvider`. For more information, see about_Providers.

 A stack is a last-in, first-out list in which only the most recently added item can be accessed. You add items 
 to a stack in the order that you use them, and then retrieve them for use in the reverse order. Windows 
 PowerShell lets you store provider locations in location stacks. Windows PowerShell creates an unnamed default 
 location stack. You can create multiple named location stacks. If you do not specify a stack name, Windows 
 PowerShell uses the current location stack. By default, the unnamed default location is the current location 
 stack, but you can use the Set-Location cmdlet to change the current location stack.

 To manage location stacks, use the Windows PowerShell Location cmdlets, as follows:

 - To add a location to a location stack, use the Push-Location cmdlet.

 - To get a location from a location stack, use the Pop-Location cmdlet.

 - To display the locations in the current location stack, use the Stack parameter of the Get-Location cmdlet. 
 To display the locations in a named location stack, use the StackName parameter of Get-Location . - To create 
 a new location stack, use the StackName parameter of Push-Location . If you specify a stack that does not 
 exist, Push-Location creates the stack. - To make a location stack the current location stack, use the 
 StackName parameter of Set-Location .

 The unnamed default location stack is fully accessible only when it is the current location stack. If you make 
 a named location stack the current location stack, you cannot no longer use Push-Location or Pop-Location 
 cmdlets add or get items from the default stack or use Get-Location to display the locations in the unnamed 
 stack. To make the unnamed stack the current stack, use the StackName parameter of Set-Location with a value 
 of $Null or an empty string ("").

 *

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. It is attributed to Microsoft Corporation and can be found here.

PowerShell Commands