Remove-Variable

Use Remove-Variable to delete a variable and its value from the session; -Force also clears read-only variables.

Command 1 min read Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7

Documentation: Microsoft Learn — Remove-Variable

Written and tested by Dhrub Bharali · Updated 02 October 2026

Syntax

1PS> Remove-Variable [-Name] <String[]> [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Force] [-Scope <String>] [-WhatIf] [<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.

Remove-Variable [-Name] <String[]> [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Force] [-Scope <String>] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]

Stage 1Remove-Variable-Name -Include -Exclude -Force -Scope -WhatIf

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

Set-Variable -Name temp

1PS> Set-Variable -Name temp -Value 'value'; Remove-Variable -Name temp

Show reference output

Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

Get-Variable : Cannot find a variable with the name 'temp'. Check the name and try again.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-Variable -Name temp
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (temp:String) [Get-Variable], ItemNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : VariableNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetVariableCommand

Set-Variable -Name locked

1PS> Set-Variable -Name locked -Value 1 -Option ReadOnly; Remove-Variable -Name locked -Force

Show reference output

Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

Name                           Value
----                           -----
ConfirmPreference              High
DebugPreference                SilentlyContinue
ErrorActionPreference          Continue
MaximumHistoryCount            4096

Parameters

Parameter definitions:

-Name
-Include
-Exclude
-Force
-Scope
-WhatIf

Remove-Variable on Microsoft Learn

Practical use and troubleshooting

Practical scenario: Use Remove-Variable when you need to delete a variable and its value from the session; -Force also clears read-only variables. 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 missing-variable error may be expected during repeated cleanup. Check the intended scope and remove only the binding that belongs to the current operation. 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-Variable. Remove-Variable removes a variable binding; Get-Variable inspects it. Removing a name is different from assigning an empty string or null to its value. Read the linked command before substituting it; similar names do not imply identical inputs or output.

Remove-Variable reference on Microsoft Learn

Recap

Remove-Variable Use Remove-Variable to delete a variable and its value from the session; -Force also clears read-only variables.

Next: Get-Variable