PowerShell 2.0 removed from Windows 11 and Windows Server from August 2025
Windows without PowerShell 2.0: Microsoft removes the version still included for compatibility for good. It has long been considered obsolete.
(Image: iX)
PowerShell 2.0 is finally history: The version of the shell program introduced with Windows 7 will be removed from Windows 11 version 24H2 from August 2025 and from Windows Server 2025 from September 2025. The decision comes after a long phase of discontinuation that began back in 2017, when Microsoft officially declared PowerShell 2.0 to be obsolete. Microsoft had already announced that it would be removed from Windows – but without a specific timetable.
Part of Microsoft's security strategy
PowerShell 2.0 was once a milestone for Microsoft with over 240 cmdlets and important functions such as remoting, background jobs and an integrated scripting environment (ISE) – and was continued for a long time for compatibility reasons. In particular, older versions of important Microsoft products such as Exchange Server, SQL Server or SharePoint still relied on this version. The removal is part of a broader strategy by Microsoft to remove outdated legacy code, reduce the complexity of PowerShell and improve the overall security of Windows.
For users and especially IT administrators, the move means that all scripts that explicitly target version 2.0 will be automatically redirected to PowerShell 5.1 in the future. This version is largely backwards-compatible, so most scripts should continue to work. Nevertheless, Microsoft strongly recommends updating existing scripts to remove any special features or dependencies that only existed in version 2.0.
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Outlook and review
Overall, the removal of PowerShell 2.0 is a logical step towards modernization and security. Microsoft encourages users to migrate to the latest PowerShell versions such as 5.1 or the cross-platform PowerShell 7 –, which offer new features, increased performance and, above all, the latest updates and support. Further information can be found in the announcement.
Nevertheless, this marks the end of a 17-year chapter in Windows administration. It was significantly shaped by PowerShell 2.0 and paved the way for Microsoft's modernized shell.
(fo)
