ForEach-Object

Use ForEach-Object to perform an operation on each item in a collection of input objects. See Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility module requirements and examples.

Command 1 min read Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7

Documentation: Microsoft Learn — ForEach-Object

Written and tested by Dhrub Bharali · Updated 02 October 2026

Syntax

1PS> ForEach-Object [-Process] <ScriptBlock> [<CommonParameters>]

See the command anatomy

Inspect this authored example with fictional data in the bounded browser model. The numbered stages show how its objects change.

Get-Service | ForEach-Object { $_.DisplayName }

Stage 1Get-ServicePositional values or no named parameters
Stage 2ForEach-ObjectPositional values or no named parameters

Try it

Windows PowerShell

PowerShell example · browser support is limited.

Execution scope: The full example below requires PowerShell outside this browser. You can edit this runner to use the supported practice commands; unsupported syntax returns an explanation.

Command

Interactive simulation · fictional data

Examples

Run ForEach-Object

1PS> 1 .. 5 | ForEach-Object { $_ * 2 }

Show reference output

Illustrative output · values vary by environment

List all with Get-Service

1PS> Get-Service | ForEach-Object { $_.DisplayName }

Show reference output

Illustrative output · values vary by environment

Background Intelligent Transfer Service
DNS Client
Windows Event Log
Print Spooler
Windows Time
Windows Remote Management
Windows Update

Parameters

Parameter definitions:

-Process

ForEach-Object on Microsoft Learn

Practical use and troubleshooting

Practical scenario: Use ForEach-Object when you need to perform an operation on each item in a collection of input objects. Start with one identified target and inspect the returned values before extending the operation to a list. Keep the identity in your report so you can trace each result back to the object or path that produced it.

Common error and fix: A function-like script block returning incidental text can pollute the result. Keep only the transformed value on the success stream and use a diagnostic stream for explanatory messages. In an unattended script, capture this failure with its original error record and record which target failed. An empty result and an unsuccessful query must remain distinguishable in the final report.

See also: Measure-Object. Measure-Object calculates supported aggregates; ForEach-Object processes each input object with a script block. A count or sum is different from returning one transformed result per input. Read the linked command before substituting it; similar names do not imply identical inputs or output.

ForEach-Object reference on Microsoft Learn

Recap

ForEach-Object Use ForEach-Object to perform an operation on each item in a collection of input objects. See Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility module requirements and examples.

Next: Where-Object