PowerShell -NoNewWindow Parameter

last modified February 15, 2025

This tutorial covers the PowerShell -NoNewWindow parameter. It explains how to run processes in the current console window. The parameter is used with several process-related cmdlets. Examples show practical applications of this parameter.

Understanding -NoNewWindow

The -NoNewWindow parameter prevents PowerShell from opening a new window when starting a process. By default, some cmdlets launch processes in new windows. This parameter keeps the process output in the current console. It’s useful for scripting and output capture.

Basic usage with Start-Process

The most common use of -NoNewWindow is with Start-Process. Without it, Start-Process opens a new window for the application. With it, the process runs in the current console window. This example starts Notepad in the current window.

nonewwindow1.ps1

Start-Process notepad -NoNewWindow

This command launches Notepad without creating a new window. The output appears in the current PowerShell console. Note that GUI apps like Notepad may still create their own windows.

Running command-line tools

Command-line tools work particularly well with -NoNewWindow. Their output appears directly in the PowerShell console. This example runs the ipconfig command. The network configuration output appears immediately.

nonewwindow2.ps1

Start-Process ipconfig -NoNewWindow -Wait

The -Wait parameter ensures PowerShell waits for completion. Without it, the command would run asynchronously. The output appears in the current console window.

Capturing output with -NoNewWindow

Combining -NoNewWindow with redirection captures output. This example runs ping and saves results to a file. The command runs in the current console but output goes to the file.

nonewwindow3.ps1

Start-Process ping -ArgumentList “google.com” -NoNewWindow -Wait -RedirectStandardOutput ping_results.txt

The ping command output is saved to ping_results.txt. Without -NoNewWindow, this would create a separate window. The -RedirectStandardOutput parameter handles the file output.

Running PowerShell scripts

You can use -NoNewWindow to run PowerShell scripts. This keeps all output in the current console session. The example runs another script without spawning a new window. This maintains a cleaner workspace.

nonewwindow4.ps1

Start-Process powershell -ArgumentList “-File C:\scripts\test.ps1” -NoNewWindow -Wait

The script test.ps1 runs in the current console window. All its output appears in the same window as the parent script. The -Wait ensures sequential execution.

Combining with -PassThru

The -PassThru parameter returns process objects. Combined with -NoNewWindow, it allows process management. This example starts a process and stores its object. The object can then be used to monitor or stop the process.

nonewwindow5.ps1

$process = Start-Process notepad -NoNewWindow -PassThru $process | Get-Process

The process object is stored in $process. The second line displays information about it. This technique works well for process automation scripts.

Running hidden processes

-NoNewWindow can be combined with -WindowStyle Hidden. This runs processes without any visible window. The example starts a background PowerShell command. The command executes without any UI.

nonewwindow6.ps1

Start-Process powershell -ArgumentList “-Command Get-Date” -NoNewWindow -WindowStyle Hidden

The Get-Date command runs completely hidden. No console window appears during execution. This is useful for background tasks and scheduled jobs.

Using with Invoke-Command

-NoNewWindow also works with Invoke-Command for remote sessions. This keeps remote command output in the local console. The example runs a command on a remote computer. Results appear in the current window.

nonewwindow7.ps1

Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server01 -ScriptBlock { Get-Process } -NoNewWindow

The remote Get-Process output appears locally. Without -NoNewWindow, this might open separate windows. The parameter ensures a cleaner remote management experience.

Error handling with -NoNewWindow

Error streams can be captured when using -NoNewWindow. This example demonstrates error redirection. The command attempts to access a non-existent file. Errors are redirected to a log file.

nonewwindow8.ps1

Start-Process powershell -ArgumentList “-Command Get-Content nofile.txt” -NoNewWindow -Wait -RedirectStandardError errors.log

Error messages are saved to errors.log. The console shows no error output. This technique is useful for logging and debugging scripts.

Source

PowerShell documentation

This tutorial has covered the PowerShell -NoNewWindow parameter. The examples demonstrated various practical applications. This parameter is valuable for console-based process management.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

List all PowerShell tutorials.