PowerShell Genie

Resolve-Path

Use Resolve-Path to turn a relative path or a wildcard into one or more full paths, failing if nothing matches.

Command 1 min read Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7

Documentation: Microsoft Learn — Resolve-Path

Written and tested by Dhrub Bharali · Updated

Syntax

1PS> Resolve-Path [-Path] <String[]> [-Relative] [-Force] [<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.

Resolve-Path [-Path] <String[]> [-Relative] [-Force] [<CommonParameters>]
  1. Stage 1Resolve-Path-Path -Relative -Force

    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.

    Interactive simulation · fictional data

    Examples

    Run Resolve-Path

    1PS> Resolve-Path 'C:\Scripts\*.ps1'
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    Path
----
C:\Scripts\Backup-Files.ps1
C:\Scripts\Health-Check.ps1

    Run Resolve-Path (2)

    1PS> Resolve-Path 'C:\Scripts'
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    Path
----
C:\Scripts

    Resolve-Path -Relative

    1PS> Resolve-Path 'C:\Scripts\Archive' -Relative
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    .\Archive

    Parameters

    Parameter definitions:

    • -Path
    • -Relative
    • -Force

    Resolve-Path on Microsoft Learn

    Practical use and troubleshooting

    Practical scenario: Use Resolve-Path when you need to turn a relative path or a wildcard into one or more full paths, failing if nothing matches. 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: Resolve-Path fails for paths that do not exist. Use Test-Path first when absence is expected; resolve only an existing item rather than using resolution to construct a future filename. 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: Test-Path. Test-Path answers whether a path exists; Resolve-Path returns matching resolved paths. A false existence check is different from obtaining a canonical location. Read the linked command before substituting it; similar names do not imply identical inputs or output.

    Resolve-Path reference on Microsoft Learn

    Recap

    Resolve-Path Use Resolve-Path to turn a relative path or a wildcard into one or more full paths, failing if nothing matches.

    Next: Join-Path
    Genie guideResolve-Path

    Use Resolve-Path to turn a relative path or a wildcard into one or more full paths, failing if nothing matches. The console below is pre-loaded — run it, then change a value and run it again.

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