Download and install the newest PowerShell help files on your computer.
Syntax
Update-Help [[-Module] String[]] [-LiteralPath String[]]
[[-UICulture] CultureInfo[]] [-Credential PSCredential] [-UseDefaultCredentials]
[-FullyQualifiedModule ModuleSpecification[]]
[-Force] [-Recurse] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [CommonParameters]
Update-Help [[-Module] String[]] [[-SourcePath] String[]]
[[-UICulture] CultureInfo[]] [-Credential PSCredential] [-UseDefaultCredentials]
[-FullyQualifiedModule ModuleSpecification[]]
[-Recurse] [-Force] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [CommonParameters]
Key
-Credential PSCredential
Specify credentials of a user who has permission to access the file system location specified by -SourcePath.
This parameter is valid only when the -SourcePath or -LiteralPath parameter is used in the command.
This parameter enables you to run Update-Help commands that have -SourcePath on remote computers. By providing
explicit credentials, you can run the command on a remote computer and access a file share on a third computer
without encountering an access denied error or using CredSSP authentication to delegate credentials.
-Force
Indicates that this cmdlet does not follow the once-per-day limitation, skips version checking, and downloads
files that exceed the 1 GB limit.
Without this parameter, Update-Help runs only once in each 24-hour period, downloads are limited to 1 GB of
uncompressed content per module and help files are installed only when they are newer than the files on the
computer.
The once-per-day limit protects the servers that host the help files and makes it practical for you to add an
Update-Help command to your Windows PowerShell profile without incurring the resource cost of repeated
connections or downloads.
To update help for a module in multiple UI cultures without the Force parameter, include all UI cultures in
the same command, such as: `Update-Help -Module PSScheduledJobs -UICulture en-US, fr-FR, pt-BR`
-FullyQualifiedModule ModuleSpecification[]
Specifies modules with names that are specified in the form of ModuleSpecification objects. These are
described in the Remarks section of Module Specification Constructor
(Hashtable)http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/jj136290(v=vs.85).aspx
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/jj136290(v=vs.85).aspx) in the Microsoft Developer Network
(MSDN). For example, the FullyQualifiedModule parameter accepts a module name that is specified in the format
@{ModuleName = "modulename"; ModuleVersion = "version_number"} or @{ModuleName = "modulename"; ModuleVersion =
"version_number"; Guid = "GUID"}. ModuleName and ModuleVersion are required, but Guid is optional.
You cannot specify the FullyQualifiedModule parameter in the same command as a Module parameter.
-LiteralPath String[]
Specifies the folder for updated help files instead of downloading them from the Internet. Use this parameter
or SourcePath if you have used the Save-Help cmdlet to download help files to a directory.
You can also pipe a directory object, such as one from the Get-Item or Get-ChildItem cmdlets, to Update-Help .
Unlike the value of SourcePath , the value of LiteralPath is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are
interpreted as wildcard characters. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation
marks. Single quotation marks tell Windows PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.
-Module String[]
Specifies modules for which this cmdlet updates help. Enter one or more module names or name patters in a
comma-separated list, or specify a file that lists one module name on each line. Wildcard characters are
permitted. You can also pipe modules from the Get-Module cmdlet, to the Update-Help cmdlet.
The modules that you specify must be installed on the computer, but they do not have to be imported into the
current session. You can specify any module in the session or any module that is installed in a location
listed in the PSModulePath environment variable.
A value of * (all) attempts to update help for all modules that are installed on the computer. This includes
modules that do not support Updatable Help. This value might generate errors when the command encounters
modules that do not support Updatable Help. Instead, run Update-Help without parameters.
The Module parameter of the Update-Help cmdlet does not accept the full path of a module file or module
manifest file. To update help for a module that is not in a PSModulePath location, import the module into the
current session before you run the Update-Help command.
-Recurse
Search recursively for help files in the specified directory. This parameter is valid only when -SourcePath
is used in the command.
-SourcePath String[]
Specifies a file system folder from which this cmdlet gets updated help files, instead of downloading them
from the Internet. Enter the path of a folder. Do not specify a file name or file name extension. You can also
pipe a folder, such as one from the Get-Item or Get-ChildItem cmdlets, to Update-Help .
By default, Update-Help downloads updated help files from the Internet. Use this parameter when you have used
the Save-Help cmdlet to download updated help files to a directory.
Administrators can use the Set the default source path for Update-Help Group Policy setting under Computer
Configuration to specify a default value for SourcePath . This Group Policy setting prevents users from using
Update-Help to download help files from the Internet. For more information, see about_Group_Policy_Settings
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=251696).
-UICulture CultureInfo[]
Specifies UI culture values for which this cmdlet gets updated help files. Enter one or more language codes,
such as es-ES, a variable that contains culture objects, or a command that gets culture objects, such as a
Get-Culture or Get-UICulture command. Wildcard characters are not permitted and you cannot submit a partial
language code, such as "de".
By default, Update-Help gets help files in the UI culture set for Windows or its fallback culture. If you
specify the UICulture parameter, Update-Help looks for help only for the specified UI culture, not in any
fallback culture.
Commands that use the UICulture parameter succeed only when the module provides help files for the specified
UI culture. If the command fails because the specified UI culture is not supported, the error message includes
a list of UI cultures that the module supports.
-UseDefaultCredentials
Indicates that this cmdlet runs the command, including the Internet download, by using the credentials of the
current user. By default, the command runs without explicit credentials.
This parameter is effective only when the Web download uses NTLM, negotiate, or Kerberos-based authentication.
-confirm
Prompt for confirmation before executing the command.
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
CommonParameters:
-Verbose, -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -WarningAction, -WarningVariable,
-OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable -OutVariable.
Update-Help downloads the newest help files for PowerShell modules and installs them on your computer. You can use the Get-Help cmdlet to view the new help files immediately.
To download or update the help files for modules in the PowerShell installation directory ($pshome\Modules), including the PowerShell Core modules, start PowerShell using the Run as administrator option. You must be a member of the Administrators group on the computer to update the help files for these modules.
You do not have to restart PowerShell to make the change effective. This feature enables you to install help files for modules that do not include them and to update help files on your computer so that they never become obsolete.
Update-Help checks the version of the help files on your computer. If you do not have help files for a module or do not have the newest help files for a module, Update-Help downloads the newest help files from the Internet or a file share and installs them on your computer in the correct module folder.
Without parameters, Update-Help updates the help for modules in the session and for all installed modules, in a -PSModulePath location, that support Updatable Help, even if the module is not in the current session. You can also use the -Module parameter to update help for a particular module and use the -UICulture parameter to download help files in multiple languages and locales.
You can use Update-Help even on computers that are not connected to the Internet. Use the Save-Help cmdlet to download help files from the Internet and save them in a file system location, such as a shared folder or file system directory. Then use the -SourcePath parameter of Update-Help to get the updated help files from a file system location and install them on the computer.
You can even automate the running of Update-Help by adding an Update-Help command to your PowerShell profile. By default, Update-Help runs only one time per day on each computer. To override the once-per-day limit, use the - Force parameter.
You can also update help files by using the Update Windows PowerShell Help menu item in PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE). This runs an Update-Help command without parameters. To update help for modules in the $PSHome directory, start Windows PowerShell ISE by using the Run as administrator option.
Update failures like: update-help : Failed to update Help for the module(s)... this typically means there is currently no updated help file available from Microsoft.com, and can be safely ignored. Use the -verbose switch to see more details about the failure.
The downloadable help files for version 5.1 and older are no longer being updated, however the content has been updated on the Microsoft Docs site. And, since the documentation is open source, you can build the updated help content locally and install it on any machine you want.
This cmdlet was introduced in PowerShell 3.0.
Examples
Update help for all modules:
<ADMIN> PS C:\> Update-Help
Update help for all modules and ignore any errors:
<ADMIN> PS C:\> Update-Help -force -erroraction silentlycontinue
Update help for specified modules:
<ADMIN> PS C:\> Update-Help -Module ServerManager, Microsoft.PowerShell*
Update help in different languages:
<ADMIN> PS C:\> Update-Help -UICulture ja-JP, en-US
Update-Help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'ServerManager' with UI culture(s) {ja-JP} :
The specified culture is not supported: ja-JP. Specify a culture from the following list: {en-US}.
If a module currently does not provide help files for the specified UI culture, the error message lists the UI cultures that the module supports. In this example, the error message indicates that the ServerManager module currently provides help files only in en-US.
“When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way, But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured, Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors” ~ The Beatles 'Help'
Related PowerShell Cmdlets:
Get-Help - Open a help file.
Save-Help - Save a help file.