Understanding PowerShell Execution Policies: A Simple Guide

 

Understanding PowerShell Execution Policies: A Simple Guide

PowerShell is a powerful tool in Windows that allows users to automate tasks, run scripts, and manage system settings. However, to prevent unauthorized or harmful scripts from running, Windows uses execution policies to control what scripts can be executed.

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What is Get-ExecutionPolicy?

The Get-ExecutionPolicy command is used to check the current execution policy of PowerShell.

🔹 How to check the policy?
Simply open PowerShell and type:

Get-ExecutionPolicy

This will display the current policy, which could be one of the following:

Execution Policy	Meaning
Restricted	No scripts are allowed to run (default for some Windows versions).
RemoteSigned	Only scripts created locally can run; downloaded scripts must be signed.
Unrestricted	All scripts can run, but warnings appear for downloaded ones.
Bypass	No restrictions—any script runs without warnings.
AllSigned	Only scripts signed by a trusted publisher can run.

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What is Set-ExecutionPolicy?

The Set-ExecutionPolicy command allows users to change the execution policy to enable or restrict running scripts.

🔹 How to change the policy?
For example, to allow locally created scripts but block unsigned external scripts, use:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

This applies the RemoteSigned policy only to the current user.

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Important Notes

✅ Security First: Be cautious when setting a less restrictive policy (e.g., Unrestricted or Bypass) as it can allow malicious scripts.
✅ Admin Access Required: Changing the execution policy for all users requires running PowerShell as an administrator.
✅ Temporary Change: To bypass restrictions for a single session, run PowerShell with -ExecutionPolicy Bypass, like this:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass

This will reset when you close PowerShell.

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How to Reset to Default?

If you ever want to reset PowerShell to its default settings, run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Restricted -Scope LocalMachine

or

Set-ExecutionPolicy Undefined -Scope LocalMachine

This restores the system’s default execution policy.

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Conclusion

PowerShell’s execution policies help protect your system by controlling which scripts can run. Use Get-ExecutionPolicy to check your current policy and Set-ExecutionPolicy to modify it as needed. Always choose the right setting for your needs while keeping security in mind!