Read-Host

Read a line of input from the console. Prompt the user for input.

Syntax
      Read-Host [[-prompt] Object] [-asSecureString] [CommonParameters]

Key
   -prompt Object
       The string that will become the prompt object. If the prompt 
       string includes spaces, it must be surrounded by quotes.
        
   -asSecureString 
       If set to true, the input will be echoed as star characters (*). 
       The output will then be a Securestring object.

   CommonParameters:
       -Verbose, -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -WarningAction, -WarningVariable,
       -OutBuffer -OutVariable.

Password data should never be stored as a regular string, as it would be visible in memory.
A SecureString is a type of string that PowerShell (and .Net) keep encrypted in memory.

An alternative method is to call some Visual Basic that will popup a graphical input box:

$input = $(
      Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic
      [Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::InputBox('Enter your city','Titlebar Text', 'Default new york')
     )
$input

Examples

Present the string "Please enter your name:" as a prompt. When a value is entered and the Enter key is pressed, that value is stored in the $myname variable:

PS C:\> $myname = read-host "Please enter your name:"

Presents the string "Enter a Password:" as a prompt. When a password is entered and the Enter key is pressed, the value is stored as a SecureString:

PS C:\> $secure_password = read-host "Enter a Password:" -assecurestring

Now convert the Secure password into a string (that is still encrypted) but can be easily saved:

$SecureStringAsPlainText = $secure_password | ConvertFrom-SecureString

Convert a 'SecureString saved as Text' back into a SecureString:

$secure_password = $SecureStringAsPlainText | ConvertTo-SecureString

Extracting a plain text password from a SecureString is possible, but should rarely be required:

$BSTR = `
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($secure_password) $PlainPassword = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto($BSTR)

A function to prompt for a user name (using '[string]' guarantees the function will return a string even if '123' is entered):

function getUsername {
Param ([string]$name=(Read-Host "Enter a user name"))
write-host "You entered $name"
}

“There is no off position on the genius switch” - David Letterman

Related PowerShell Cmdlets:

Clear-Host - Clear the screen.
ConvertFrom-SecureString - Convert a secure string into an encrypted standard string.
Get-Host - Get host information.
Out-Host - Send the pipelined output to the host.
Write-Host - Display objects through the host user interface.
::IsKeyDown - Key press detection via WPF.
Equivalent bash command: read - Read a line from standard input.