Use PowerShell to Get a Registry Value

Originally published at https://www.virtualizationhowto.com on July 25, 2023.

The Windows Registry and registry editor have long been tools Windows admins have used to resolve issues, apply settings, etc. However, PowerShell makes automating registry changes or programmatically getting registry keys and their values very easy. PowerShell can interact with registry keys and easily get registry values.

What is PowerShell?

Most are familiar with PowerShell. However, just as a refresher, Windows PowerShell is a task automation and configuration management framework from Microsoft, consisting of a command-line shell and scripting language.

Unlike the Command Prompt, PowerShell commands, or “cmdlets,” can manage the file system, the Registry, and other aspects of the Windows environment. This makes it an excellent tool for system administrators and advanced users.

In Windows 11, you can launch PowerShell using the Windows Terminal. Below is the PowerShell Core terminal.

You can also launch the older Windows PowerShell from the drop-down menu. Either will work for interacting with the Windows registry.