Get-Content

Use Get-Content to get the content of an item at the specified location, most commonly a text file.

Command 1 min read Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7

Documentation: Microsoft Learn — Get-Content

Written and tested by Dhrub Bharali · Updated 02 October 2026

Syntax

1PS> Get-Content [-Path] <String[]> [-ReadCount <Int64>] [-TotalCount <Int64>] [-Tail <Int32>] [-Raw] [-Wait] [<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-Content [-Path] <String[]> [-ReadCount <Int64>] [-TotalCount <Int64>] [-Tail <Int32>] [-Raw] [-Wait] [<CommonParameters>]

Stage 1Get-Content-Path -ReadCount -TotalCount -Tail -Raw -Wait

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.

Command

Interactive simulation · fictional data

Examples

Get-Content -Tail 50

1PS> Get-Content C:\Logs\app.log -Tail 50

Show reference output

Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

2026-09-10 23:41:02 INFO  Backup started
2026-09-10 23:41:07 INFO  42 files copied
2026-09-10 23:41:08 INFO  Backup completed

Get-Content -Raw |

1PS> Get-Content C:\Config\settings.json -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json

Show reference output

Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

Name      Status   Port
----      ------   ----
Server01  Healthy  443

Parameters

Parameter definitions:

-Path
-ReadCount
-TotalCount
-Tail
-Raw
-Wait

Get-Content on Microsoft Learn

Practical use and troubleshooting

Practical scenario: Use Get-Content when you need to get the content of an item at the specified location, most commonly a text file. 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 path-not-found error means the file cannot be resolved from the current location. Check Test-Path and use a full -LiteralPath when the name contains brackets. 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-Item. Get-Content reads the contents of a file; Get-Item returns the file object and its metadata. A file object is not the text stored inside it. Read the linked command before substituting it; similar names do not imply identical inputs or output.

Get-Content reference on Microsoft Learn

Put this command to work

Choose a task

Read the supplied test file

Read C:\Lab\services.Tests.ps1. This immutable fixture contains the lab assertions.

Review the lesson

Recap

Get-Content Use Get-Content to get the content of an item at the specified location, most commonly a text file.

Next: Add-Content