Microsoft will take away PowerShell 2.0 from Home windows beginning in August, eight years after saying its deprecation and holding it round as an non-compulsory characteristic.
The 14-year-old command processor launched with Home windows 7 was already eliminated for Home windows Insiders as of July 2025, with the discharge of Home windows 11 Insider Preview Construct 27891 to the Canary Channel.
As detailed in a help doc revealed on Monday, Microsoft will completely take away PowerShell 2.0 from Home windows 11 model 24H2, beginning in August, and from Home windows Server 2025 in September.
“For many customers and organizations, this alteration will probably be uneventful – newer variations of PowerShell reminiscent of PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7.x proceed to be obtainable and supported. Nevertheless, if in case you have legacy scripts or software program that explicitly will depend on PowerShell 2.0, you’ll need to take motion and replace them or use a workaround to forestall any disruptions,” Microsoft stated.
“PowerShell 2.0 will probably be eliminated in a later launch beginning in August 2025 for Home windows 11, model 24H2 and a September 2025 launch for Home windows Server 2025. All later releases for Home windows 11 and Home windows Server 2025 is not going to embrace PowerShell 2.0.”
This transfer is a part of a broader effort to take away legacy code, decreasing system complexity, and bettering Home windows safety, in response to Microsoft.
Removing impacts prospects utilizing legacy scripts and software program
Microsoft prospects who use legacy purposes, together with older Microsoft server merchandise reminiscent of Trade, SharePoint, and SQL Server, that depend on PowerShell 2.0 scripting, will probably be instantly impacted by this alteration.
Though legacy scripts trying to launch PowerShell 2.0 will routinely default to PowerShell 5.1, which is backward-compatible for many instructions and modules, these utilizing such instruments are suggested to replace their techniques to forestall disruptions.
The corporate added that prospects ought to migrate their scripts and instruments to PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell 7 and change outdated software program that can’t perform with out PowerShell 2.0 help, since some older third-party installers could fail on newer Home windows variations when trying to allow PowerShell 2.0 throughout setup.
“By utilizing the newer and supported PowerShell 7 or PowerShell 5.1, you possibly can assist be sure that scripts run safer,” Microsoft added in a brand new message middle put up.
“In case you have legacy scripts or software program that explicitly depend upon PowerShell 2.0, you may have to both replace them or use a workaround to forestall disruptions.”
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