Remove-Module

Article
10/11/2011

Applies To: Windows PowerShell 2.0

Removes modules from the current session.

Syntax

Remove-Module [-ModuleInfo] <PSModuleInfo[]> [-Force] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]

Remove-Module [-Name] <string[]> [-Force] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Remove-Module cmdlet removes the members of a module, such as cmdlets and functions, from the current session.

If the module includes an assembly (.dll), all members that are implemented by the assembly are removed from the session, but the assembly is not unloaded.

This cmdlet does not uninstall the module or delete it from the computer. It only affects the current Windows PowerShell session.

Parameters

-Force

Removes modules even when their access mode is read-only.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-ModuleInfo <PSModuleInfo[]>

Specifies the module objects to remove. Enter a variable that contains a module object (PSModuleInfo) or a command that gets a module object, such as a Get-Module command. You can also pipe module objects to Remove-Module.

Required?	true
Position?	1
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByValue)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Name <string[]>

Specifies the names of modules to remove. Wildcards are permitted. You can also pipe name strings to Remove-Module.

Required?	true
Position?	1
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByValue)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	true

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before executing the command.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-WhatIf

Describes what would happen if you executed the command without actually executing the command.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

<CommonParameters>

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -OutBuffer, -OutVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

Inputs and Outputs

The input type is the type of the objects that you can pipe to the cmdlet. The return type is the type of the objects that the cmdlet returns.

Inputs

System.String, System.Management.Automation.PSModuleInfo

You can pipe module names (strings) and module objects to Remove-Module.

Outputs

None

Remove-Module does not generate any output.

Notes

You can also refer to Remove-Module by its alias, "rmo". For more information, see about_Aliases.

Example 1

C:\PS>remove-module -name BitsTransfer

Description
-----------
This command removes the BitsTransfer module from the current session.

Example 2

C:\PS>get-module | remove-module

Description
-----------
This command removes all modules from the current session.

Example 3

C:\PS>"FileTransfer", "PSDiagnostics" | remove-module -verbose

VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "filetransfer (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\f
iletransfer\filetransfer.psd1')".
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management (Path: 'C:\Windows\
assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management\1.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfe
r.Management.dll')".
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "psdiagnostics (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\
psdiagnostics\psdiagnostics.psd1')".
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Start-Trace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Stop-Trace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-WSManTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-WSManTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-PSWSManCombinedTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-PSWSManCombinedTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Set-LogProperties'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Get-LogProperties'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-PSTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-PSTrace'.
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "PSDiagnostics (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\
psdiagnostics\PSDiagnostics.psm1')".

Description
-----------
This command removes the FileTransfer and PSDiagnostics modules from the current session.

The command uses a pipeline operator (|) to send the module names to Remove-Module. It uses the Verbose common parameter to get detailed information about the members that are removed.

The Verbose messages show the items that are removed. The messages differ because the BitsTransfer module includes an assembly that implements its cmdlets and a nested module with its own assembly. The PSDiagnostics module includes a module script file (.psm1) that exports functions.

Example 4

C:\PS>$a = get-module BitsTransfer

C:\PS> remove-module -moduleInfo $a

Description
-----------
This command uses the ModuleInfo parameter to remove the BitsTransfer module.

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