Powershell

Effectively Use PowerShell to Get a Registry Value

PowerShell is a tool that has the power to perform all the toughest tasks in Windows. Whether it is performing administration tasks or managing system files. It has covered Windows from head to toe when it comes to performing tasks that a normal GUI interface cannot do. In the same manner, PowerShell can manage “Registry Editor” operations, such as getting a registry value by executing specific commands in PowerShell.

This write-up will discuss several methods to get the registry value.

How to Get a Registry Value Effectively in PowerShell?

These are the methods that can be utilized to get a registry value:

Method 1: Get a Registry Value Effectively in PowerShell Using the “Get-ItemProperty” Cmdlet

The “Get-ItemProperty” cmdlet is utilized to retrieve the properties of the specified item. This specific cmdlet will help us to get the registry value of the “Registry Editor”.

For a better understanding overview, the mentioned example below.

Example
Now, run the “Get-ItemProperty” command with the specified path to retrieve the respective registry value:

Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU"

Method 2: Using the “Get-ChildItem” Cmdlet Get a Registry Value Effectively in PowerShell

The “Get-ChildItem” cmdlet retrieves the item located in mentioned directories. If the item is located inside the container, it can be restored from the container. In our case, it will help to get the registry value from a Registry Editor.

Example
This example will get the registry value with the help of the “Get-ChildItem” cmdlet:

Get-ChildItem "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate"

Method 3: Get a Registry Value Effectively in PowerShell Using the “Get-ItemPropertyValue” Cmdlet

The “Get-ItemPropertyValue” cmdlet is used to retrieve the current value of the property specified by the user. It displays the information only associated with the query specified by the user and not any information.

Example
This example will illustrate the procedure to get the registry value using the “Get-ItemPropertyValue” cmdlet:

Get-ItemPropertyValue "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion" "ProgramFilesPath"

That was all about getting registry values in PowerShell.

Conclusion

The registry value of the Registry Editor can be retrieved in PowerShell using several methods. These methods include “Get-ItemProperty”, “Get-ChildItem”, or “Get-ItemPropertyValue” commands. All the methods only show the information related to the query specified by the user. This write-up has discussed several methods to get the registry value effectively using PowerShell.

About the author

Muhammad Farhan

I am a Computer Science graduate and now a technical writer who loves to provide the easiest solutions to the most difficult problems related to Windows, Linux, and Web designing. My love for Computer Science emerges every day because of its ease in our everyday life.