Are you wondering how you can start PowerShell ISE in Windows 10? This post is for you.

Even though Microsoft significantly improved the shell interface of PowerShell in Windows 10, I still prefer PowerShell ISE for most command-line tasks. For some reason, Microsoft hid this nifty Integrated Development Environment (IDE) even better in Windows 10. If you type “PowerShell” in the Start menu search box, PowerShell ISE is missing. In this post, I will explain how you can change this behavior in Windows 10.

PowerShell ISE missing in Start search

PowerShell ISE missing in Start search

However, if you just want to place the icon on your desktop, you don’t need this procedure. You can just right-click the Start button, launch the Control Panel from the WINX menu, and start typing “Administrative Tools.” In the Administrative Tools folders, you should be able to locate PowerShell ISE.

PowerShell ISE in Administrative Tools

PowerShell ISE in Administrative Tools

If you prefer to start PowerShell ISE through the Start menu or Start screen, you have to enable the Show Administrative Tools feature.

If you enabled the Start screen, you have to change the tile settings. In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, you had to open the Charms menu for this purpose. In Windows 10, you can just right-click the Start screen and then select Settings.

Settings on Start screen

Settings on Start screen

In the Settings menu that pops up in the right sidebar, click Tiles.

Tiles Setting

Tiles settings

Now, you have to enable Show administrative tools.

Show Administrative Tools

Showing Administrative Tools

From now on, PowerShell ISE should pop up when you start typing “PowerShell” on the Start screen.

PowerShell ISE in Search

PowerShell ISE in Search

To be honest, I didn’t figure out by myself how to enable the Administrative Tools in Windows 10 in Start menu mode. Fortunately, Martin Goyer told me how. You have to right-click the Taskbar or an empty space in the Start menu and then select Properties. Then, you have to click the Customize button on the Start Menu tab.

Customize Start menu

Customize the Start menu

Scroll down to the end of the list and select System administrative tools.

Showing system administrative tools in Windows 10 Start menu

Showing system administrative tools in Windows 10 Start menu

I have to admit, I don’t understand why Microsoft has hidden PowerShell ISE. If end users are not supposed to be bothered with administrative tools, why not also hide the PowerShell console?

The fact that you have to enable this feature in two completely different ways depending on whether you have enabled the Start menu or the Start screen is another good example of how incoherent the Windows 10 user interface is. Microsoft really has to make up its mind what kind of UI is best for Windows. Taking one step forward and two steps back with regard to the new UI will further hurt the Windows brand.

8 Comments
  1. Günther 8 years ago

    PowerShell ISE is reenabled in build 10130 🙂

  2. Ali 8 years ago

    I can not see powershell in windows 10 administrative tools. You have alot of things in administrative tools as you have in snapshot above but on my system there are just few things. Please tell me how I can enable all things in administrative tools.

    Regards

  3. Microsoft moved PowerShell ISE in the final release to C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell. You should also see it if you just start typing “powershell” in the Start search.

  4. Laura Hess 7 years ago

    I don’t see the windows powershell in my windows 10 version. I tried many of the suggestions but can’t find it.

  5. Author

    Laura, paste the following line into the address bar in File Explorer: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell

  6. Sihle Mkhize 7 years ago

    Thanks Michael….much easier to find with the file path

  7. abrogard 4 years ago

    three years later here I am learning about the existence of this powershell ise and thinking it might be great because I can’t read the font in powershell – but I can’t find it!

    All the clues above don’t work… my windows 10 isn’t the same as your was, I think…

    anyone still watching …?

     

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