PowerShell Genie

Get-Alias

Use Get-Alias to list the aliases defined in the session, or resolve an alias to the command it points at.

Command 1 min read Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7

Documentation: Microsoft Learn — Get-Alias

Written and tested by Dhrub Bharali · Updated

Syntax

1PS> Get-Alias [[-Name] <string[]>] [-Definition <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Scope <String>] [<CommonParameters>]
See the command anatomy

Read the command and its supplied arguments. This example requires real PowerShell or its module; this diagram does not execute it.

Get-Alias [[-Name] <string[]>] [-Definition <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Scope <String>] [<CommonParameters>]
  1. Stage 1Get-Alias-Name -Definition -Exclude -Scope

    Try it

    Windows PowerShell

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    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.

    Interactive simulation · fictional data

    Examples

    Get-Alias -Definition Get-ChildItem

    1PS> Get-Alias -Definition Get-ChildItem | Select-Object Name, Definition
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    Name        Definition
----------  ----------
Archive
report.csv
app.log

    Get-Alias -Name gci

    1PS> Get-Alias -Name gci
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    CommandType  Name  Version  Source
-----------  ----  -------  ------
Alias        gci -> Get-ChildItem

    Select first 5

    1PS> Get-Alias | Select-Object -First 5 Name, Definition
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    Name  Definition
----  ----------
?     Where-Object
%     ForEach-Object
gci   Get-ChildItem
gps   Get-Process
gsv   Get-Service

    Parameters

    Parameter definitions:

    • -Name
    • -Definition
    • -Exclude
    • -Scope

    Get-Alias on Microsoft Learn

    Practical use and troubleshooting

    Practical scenario: Use Get-Alias when you need to list the aliases defined in the session, or resolve an alias to the command it points at. 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: An alias present in your profile may be missing in automation. Use the full command name in shared scripts and inspect Definition before relying on a shortened name. 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: Get-Command. Get-Alias reads command aliases; Get-Command discovers commands and their types. An alias is a name pointing to another command, not a saved function with extra arguments. Read the linked command before substituting it; similar names do not imply identical inputs or output.

    Get-Alias reference on Microsoft Learn

    Recap

    Get-Alias Use Get-Alias to list the aliases defined in the session, or resolve an alias to the command it points at.

    Next: Get-CimSession
    Genie guideGet-Alias

    Use Get-Alias to list the aliases defined in the session, or resolve an alias to the command it points at. The console below is pre-loaded — run it, then change a value and run it again.

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