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Save a short PowerShell script, then point a Windows shortcut at PowerShell with the script’s -File option. In the script, Read-Host displays an editable console prompt, stores what the user types in a variable, and lets the next command use that value.
$text = Read-Host 'Enter your text'
# Replace this command with the task that should use $text.
Write-Output $textA Windows PowerShell shortcut target normally looks like this:
%SystemRoot%System32WindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe -NoProfile -File "C:PathToPrompt.ps1"Replace the script path with your real file location. This creates a command-line prompt, not a separate graphical text box.
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The shortcut starts a PowerShell process. PowerShell runs a .ps1 file, pauses at Read-Host, and waits for a line of keyboard input. The returned string is assigned to $text; the command that follows can substitute $text wherever the entered value is needed.
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Microsoft describes the behavior precisely: “The Read-Host cmdlet reads a line of input from the console.” The prompt accepts normal keyboard editing before you press Enter. It is therefore suitable when a user needs to change a value each time a shortcut is launched, while still working in a console window.
The shortcut does not contain the prompt logic itself. It contains an executable, a few PowerShell options, and the path to the script. That separation makes the script easier to read, test, and revise without rebuilding the shortcut every time the task changes.
Before you start
- Have a plain-text editor such as Notepad.
- Choose a folder for the script and note its complete path.
- Decide whether the shortcut should use Windows PowerShell or PowerShell 7.
- Confirm that a console window is acceptable.
Read-Hostis not a graphical text-entry control.
The downstream command is task-specific, so the examples deliberately use Write-Output as a visible placeholder. Replace that statement with the command your own workflow requires; do not remove the variable reference from that command.
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Step 1: create the PowerShell script
Open a text editor
Open Notepad or another plain-text editor. Do not create a formatted Word document; PowerShell needs the file to contain text only.
Enter the prompt code
$text = Read-Host 'Enter your text'
# Replace this line with the command that should use $text.
Write-Output $textThe first line displays Enter your text and assigns the entered line to $text. The sample Write-Output $text simply writes the value back so you can see that the shortcut worked. Replace that line with the command for your own task. Keep $text in the command wherever the user’s response belongs.
Variable names are case-insensitive in PowerShell, but spelling still matters. If you assign the response to $text, use $text in the following command rather than accidentally referring to another variable. If a command needs a different representation, convert or validate the string in the script before passing it on.
Save with a .ps1 extension
- Choose File > Save As in the editor.
- Set Save as type to All files, if that option is available.
- Give the file a name such as
Prompt.ps1. - Save it in a folder whose full path you can identify, for example
C:ScriptsPrompt.ps1.
Using All files prevents the editor from silently adding .txt to the name. If the file becomes Prompt.ps1.txt, the shortcut will not be pointing to a PowerShell script. In File Explorer, turn on file-name extensions when checking the result so the final extension is visible.
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- Right-click an empty area of the desktop or a folder, choose New > Shortcut.
- In Type the location of the item, enter the PowerShell executable followed by
-NoProfileand-File. For Windows PowerShell, use:
%SystemRoot%System32WindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe -NoProfile -File "C:ScriptsPrompt.ps1"- Change
C:ScriptsPrompt.ps1to the actual path of your file. Keep quotation marks around a path containing spaces, such as"C:UsersAlex MorganDocumentsPrompt.ps1". - Select Next, enter a shortcut name such as Prompt input, and select Finish.
-NoProfile starts PowerShell without loading the user’s PowerShell profile, making the shortcut’s startup independent of profile customizations. -File tells PowerShell to run the script at the path that follows it. The script path should be the final PowerShell command-line parameter. Do not append unrelated options after the script path when composing this target.
Understand the target line
The target has three functional parts: the executable path, the startup option, and the script option plus path. %SystemRoot% resolves to the Windows directory, so the standard Windows PowerShell location does not depend on a particular drive letter. The path after -File must point to the actual file, not merely to its containing folder.
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Check the shortcut properties
Right-click the new shortcut and choose Properties. The Target field should contain the executable, its options, and the quoted script path on one line. The Start in field is separate; it does not replace the script path in Target. If you later move the script, edit the target to the new location. A shortcut stores path text and does not automatically follow a moved file.
Use the prompt and edit its input
Double-click the shortcut. A console window opens and displays the prompt text. Type a value, move the cursor with the arrow keys, use Backspace or Delete to correct it, and press Enter when the line is ready. PowerShell then assigns the complete line to $text and runs the next statement.
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Because Read-Host returns a string by default, numbers and other values arrive as text. The prompt itself does not validate content or enforce a format. If the command after the prompt requires a particular format, perform the needed conversion or validation in the script before using the variable. This also gives you a place to handle an empty response according to the needs of your task.
Test with visible output first
Leave Write-Output $text in place for the first run. It confirms that the script opened, accepted editing, and received the final line. Once that works, replace it with the real task command. If the replacement command finishes immediately, the console window may close as soon as the script ends, depending on how the shortcut was launched. During testing, temporarily retain a visible output statement or launch the script from an existing PowerShell window so errors remain readable.
Place the entered value in your command
The important pattern is assignment followed by variable use:
$text = Read-Host 'Enter your text'
# Your task-specific command goes here and refers to $text.
Write-Output $textDo not put the prompt itself in the shortcut target. Keeping the code in a script makes quoting, editing, and later changes manageable. The shortcut only needs to locate PowerShell and the script.
If the task requires several inputs, add another Read-Host line and store its result in a different variable. For example:
$name = Read-Host 'Enter a name'
$note = Read-Host 'Enter a note'
# Replace this line with the command that uses $name and $note.
Write-Output "Name: $name"
Write-Output "Note: $note"Give each prompt a clear label so the user knows what to enter. Every response remains console text unless your script explicitly converts or processes it. The documented limit applies to each line read by Read-Host; splitting a workflow into multiple prompts does not turn the input into a multiline editor.
Windows PowerShell and PowerShell 7
There are two commonly encountered PowerShell executables. The target shown above launches Windows PowerShell, whose executable is normally located under the Windows system directory. PowerShell 7 uses pwsh.exe instead. Do not assume that the Windows PowerShell path launches PowerShell 7.
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| Choice | Executable in the shortcut | When it fits | Path considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows PowerShell | %SystemRoot%System32WindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe |
The script is intended for the PowerShell included with Windows. | The system-directory path in the example is the standard Windows PowerShell target. |
| PowerShell 7 | pwsh.exe or the full path to the installed pwsh.exe |
You have PowerShell 7 installed and want that shell to run the script. | Use the executable path or alias available on that computer instead of assuming the Windows PowerShell location. |
The script syntax in this example is deliberately simple. If a script depends on a particular PowerShell edition, select that edition explicitly in the shortcut so the same shell is used every time. A shortcut that works on one computer may open a different edition on another if it relies on an unqualified executable name.
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PowerShell is the shell that interprets the script. Windows Terminal is a host application that can host PowerShell and Command Prompt. They are different components, so the window that appears depends on the Windows version and the configured default console host.
On Windows 11 version 22H2, Microsoft changed the default host for console windows to Windows Terminal after the October 2022 update. A user can select Windows Console Host instead in Windows Settings or Windows Terminal settings. Consequently, two computers using the same shortcut can display different-looking windows while running the same PowerShell script.
For a basic prompt, launching the PowerShell executable directly is the simpler arrangement. Add a wt command only when you specifically need Windows Terminal behavior such as a selected profile, tab, or window arrangement. Windows Terminal has its own command-line interface and an execution alias that is normally available; if wt cannot be found, check the Windows Settings entry for execution aliases. Wrapping the script in wt is optional and does not change what Read-Host does: it still reads from the console supplied by the host.
Input limits and interface boundaries
Maximum line length
Microsoft’s Read-Host documentation specifies a maximum input length of 1022 characters. That limit applies to the line read by the cmdlet. If users must enter longer material, this console-prompt pattern is not suitable as-is; use a file, a different input mechanism, or a design that collects multiple lines.
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Console prompt versus graphical dialog
Read-Host is a console input command. It does not create a standalone Windows dialog with a text box, buttons, or mouse-oriented controls. If the requirement is specifically a graphical window, choose a GUI implementation instead of treating Read-Host as one. The shortcut can still launch that alternative script, but the code and user experience are different.
This distinction also affects deployment decisions. A console prompt is lightweight and already available with the selected PowerShell shell, while a graphical design requires additional interface code. Do not choose the console method merely because the shortcut must be easy to create if users need visual controls or input longer than one line.
Troubleshoot a shortcut that does not work
The shortcut says the path cannot be found
- Open the script’s folder and confirm the exact filename, including the
.ps1extension. - Compare that full path with the value after
-Filein the shortcut’s Target field. - Put quotation marks around the entire script path when any folder or filename contains spaces.
- Verify that the executable path is spelled correctly and that the environment variable begins with
%SystemRoot%. - Check that the path after
-Fileis the final parameter and has not been truncated when pasted into the shortcut dialog.
The editor saved a text file instead of a script
In File Explorer, enable file-name extensions and inspect the name. A file ending in .ps1.txt is a text file with the wrong extension. Save it again with Save as type set to All files, or rename it so the final extension is exactly .ps1.
The prompt appears, but the value is not used
Check the line after Read-Host. The response must be assigned to a variable, and the subsequent command must refer to that same variable. In the example, the variable is $text; using a different spelling in the command will not refer to the intended value. Keep the assignment and use in the same script while testing so it is clear where the value changes.
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The wrong PowerShell edition opens
Inspect the first part of the shortcut target. The Windows PowerShell path launches powershell.exe; PowerShell 7 requires pwsh.exe or its installed full path. Select one deliberately rather than relying on whichever executable happens to be associated with a file.
The console closes before you can read an error
Run the script from an already open PowerShell window, or temporarily keep the sample output statement after the task. This separates script errors from the normal behavior of a process that exits when its script has completed. Once the task is working, remove diagnostic output if it is no longer useful.
You expected a dialog box
That expectation conflicts with the implementation: this method reads from the console. Use a graphical input design if a window with a text field is a requirement.
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Give the shortcut a meaningful name
The shortcut name is independent of the script filename. Name it after the task users perform, while retaining a descriptive script filename for maintenance. Renaming the shortcut does not change the command in its Target field.
Keep the script portable within a folder
If you move the script, update the shortcut’s Target path. A shortcut stores the path text; it does not automatically follow a script moved to another directory. If you copy the shortcut and script to another computer, recheck both the executable choice and the script path there.
Run without user profile customizations
Keep -NoProfile when you want predictable startup that does not load profile commands. Remove it only when the script intentionally depends on functions or settings defined in the user’s profile. Using the option consistently also makes troubleshooting easier because profile startup code is not part of the shortcut’s execution path.
Choose a host intentionally
Most users should leave the shortcut pointed directly at PowerShell and let Windows select the configured console host. If a workflow specifically needs a Windows Terminal profile or tab arrangement, investigate the wt command-line interface and verify that its execution alias is available. This is a host choice, not a replacement for choosing the PowerShell executable that runs the script.
When this method is the right choice
- Choose it when a user needs to type or revise one line each time a shortcut runs.
- Choose it when a console window is acceptable and the task can consume a string variable.
- Choose Windows PowerShell or PowerShell 7 explicitly when script compatibility depends on the shell edition.
- Choose another implementation when the input must be graphical or longer than 1022 characters.
- Use multiple clearly labeled
Read-Hostcalls when a task needs several separate short responses.
The essential workflow remains short: save a .ps1 file, assign Read-Host to a variable, use that variable in the task command, and create a shortcut whose target invokes the chosen PowerShell executable with -NoProfile -File. Test first with visible output, quote paths containing spaces, and remember that the console host’s appearance may vary even though the PowerShell script is the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the shortcut prompt for input without opening Windows Terminal?
The shortcut can launch the PowerShell executable directly, as in the provided target. The visible host is determined by Windows and its console-host settings; PowerShell itself remains the shell running the script.
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What is the longest line that Read-Host accepts?
Microsoft documents a maximum input length of 1022 characters for Read-Host.
Does Read-Host create a graphical text box?
No. It reads an editable line from console input. A graphical dialog requires a different script and input implementation.
How do I launch PowerShell 7 instead of Windows PowerShell?
Use pwsh.exe, or the full path to the installed PowerShell 7 executable, in the shortcut target. The powershell.exe path shown in the example is for Windows PowerShell.
Why must I quote the script path?
Quote the complete path after -File whenever a folder or filename contains spaces. Without the quotes, the shortcut target can split the path into separate command-line arguments.
What does -NoProfile change?
It starts PowerShell without loading the user’s PowerShell profile. Keep it for predictable startup; remove it only when the script intentionally relies on profile-defined commands or settings.
Can I collect more than one answer?
Yes. Add additional Read-Host lines and assign each response to a separate variable, then use those variables in the task command. Each response is still console text.
Why does the window look different on two Windows computers?
PowerShell is the shell, while Windows Terminal or Windows Console Host is the host. Windows version and console-host settings determine the visible window, including the Windows 11 22H2 default-host change.
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Save the prompt as a .ps1 file, assign Read-Host to a variable, and point a shortcut at the chosen PowerShell executable with -NoProfile -File. Quote paths with spaces, test with visible output, and use a different implementation when you need a graphical dialog or input longer than 1022 characters.
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