Installing the AWS Tools for PowerShell on Windows - AWS Tools for PowerShell
PrerequisitesInstall AWS.ToolsInstall AWSPowerShell.NetCoreInstall AWSPowerShellEnable Script ExecutionVersioningUpdating AWS Tools for PowerShell

Installing the AWS Tools for PowerShell on Windows

A Windows-based computer can run any of the AWS Tools for PowerShell package options:

  • AWS.Tools - The modularized version of AWS Tools for PowerShell. Each AWS service is supported by its own individual, small module, with shared support modules AWS.Tools.Common and AWS.Tools.Installer.

  • AWSPowerShell.NetCore - The single, large-module version of AWS Tools for PowerShell. All AWS services are supported by this single, large module.

    Note

    Be aware that the single module might be too large to use with AWS Lambda functions. Instead, use the modularized version shown above.

  • AWSPowerShell - The legacy Windows-specific, single, large-module version of AWS Tools for PowerShell. All AWS services are supported by this single, large module.

The package you choose depends on the release and edition of Windows that you're running.

Note

The Tools for Windows PowerShell (AWSPowerShell module) are installed by default on all Windows-based Amazon Machine Images (AMIs).

Setting up the AWS Tools for PowerShell involves the following high-level tasks, described in detail in this topic.

  1. Install the AWS Tools for PowerShell package option that's appropriate for your environment.

  2. Verify that script execution is enabled by running the Get-ExecutionPolicy cmdlet.

  3. Import the AWS Tools for PowerShell module into your PowerShell session.

Prerequisites

Newer versions of PowerShell, including PowerShell Core, are available as downloads from Microsoft at Installing various versions of PowerShell on Microsoft's Web site.

Install AWS.Tools on Windows

You can install the modularized version of AWS Tools for PowerShell on computers that are running Windows with Windows PowerShell 5.1, or PowerShell Core 6.0 or later. For information about how to install PowerShell Core, see Installing various versions of PowerShell on Microsoft's Web site.

You can install AWS.Tools in one of three ways:

  • Using the cmdlets in the AWS.Tools.Installer module. This module simplifies the installation and update of other AWS.Tools modules. AWS.Tools.Installer requires PowerShellGet, and automatically downloads and installs an updated version of it. AWS.Tools.Installer automatically keeps your module versions in sync. When you install or update to a newer version of one module, the cmdlets in AWS.Tools.Installer automatically update all of your other AWS.Tools modules to the same version.

    This method is described in the procedure that follows.

  • Downloading the modules from AWS.Tools.zip and extracting them in one of the module folders. You can discover your module folders by displaying the value of the PSModulePath environment variable.

    Warning

    After downloading the ZIP file and before extracting the contents, you might need to unblock it. This is typically done by opening the properties of the file, viewing the General tab, and selecting the Unblock checkbox if one exists.

    If the ZIP file needs to be unblocked but you don't do so, you might receive errors similar to the following: "Import-Module : Could not load file or assembly".

  • Installing each service module from the PowerShell Gallery using the Install-Module cmdlet.

To install AWS.Tools on Windows using the AWS.Tools.Installer module

  1. Start a PowerShell session.

    Note

    We recommend that you don't run PowerShell as an administrator with elevated permissions except when required by the task at hand. This is because of the potential security risk and is inconsistent with the principle of least privilege.

  2. To install the modularized AWS.Tools package, run the following command.

    PS > Install-Module -Name AWS.Tools.Installer

Untrusted repository
You are installing the modules from an untrusted repository. If you trust this repository, change its InstallationPolicy value by running the Set-PSRepository cmdlet. Are you sure
 you want to install the modules from 'PSGallery'?
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "N"): y

    If you are notified that the repository is "untrusted", it asks you if you want to install anyway. Enter y to allow PowerShell to install the module. To avoid the prompt and install the module without trusting the repository, you can run the command with the -Force parameter.

    PS > Install-Module -Name AWS.Tools.Installer -Force

  3. You can now install the module for each AWS service that you want to use by using the Install-AWSToolsModule cmdlet. For example, the following command installs the Amazon EC2 and Amazon S3 modules. This command also installs any dependent modules that are required for the specified module to work. For example, when you install your first AWS.Tools service module, it also installs AWS.Tools.Common. This is a shared module required by all AWS service modules. It also removes older versions of the modules, and updates other modules to the same newer version.

    PS > Install-AWSToolsModule AWS.Tools.EC2,AWS.Tools.S3 -CleanUp
  Confirm
  Are you sure you want to perform this action?
  Performing the operation "Install-AWSToolsModule" on target "AWS Tools version 4.0.0.0".
  [Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "Y"):

  Installing module AWS.Tools.Common version 4.0.0.0
  Installing module AWS.Tools.EC2 version 4.0.0.0
  Installing module AWS.Tools.Glacier version 4.0.0.0
  Installing module AWS.Tools.S3 version 4.0.0.0

  Uninstalling AWS.Tools version 3.3.618.0
  Uninstalling module AWS.Tools.Glacier
  Uninstalling module AWS.Tools.S3
  Uninstalling module AWS.Tools.SimpleNotificationService
  Uninstalling module AWS.Tools.SQS
  Uninstalling module AWS.Tools.Common
    Note

    The Install-AWSToolsModule cmdlet downloads all requested modules from the PSRepository named PSGallery (https://www.powershellgallery.com/) and considers it a trusted source. Use the command Get-PSRepository -Name PSGallery for more information about this PSRepository.

    By default, the previous command installs modules into the %USERPROFILE%\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules folder. To install the AWS Tools for PowerShell for all users of a computer, you must run the following command in a PowerShell session that you started as an administrator. For example, the following command installs the IAM module to the %ProgramFiles%\WindowsPowerShell\Modules folder that is accessible by all users.

    PS > Install-AWSToolsModule AWS.Tools.IdentityManagement -Scope AllUsers

    To install other modules, run similar commands with the appropriate module names, as found in the PowerShell Gallery.

Install AWSPowerShell.NetCore on Windows

You can install the AWSPowerShell.NetCore on computers that are running Windows with PowerShell version 3 through 5.1, or PowerShell Core 6.0 or later. For information about how to install PowerShell Core, see Installing various versions of PowerShell on the Microsoft PowerShell website.

You can install AWSPowerShell.NetCore in one of two ways

  • Downloading the module from AWSPowerShell.NetCore.zip and extracting it in one of the module directories. You can discover your module directories by displaying the value of the PSModulePath environment variable.

    Warning

    After downloading the ZIP file and before extracting the contents, you might need to unblock it. This is typically done by opening the properties of the file, viewing the General tab, and selecting the Unblock checkbox if one exists.

    If the ZIP file needs to be unblocked but you don't do so, you might receive errors similar to the following: "Import-Module : Could not load file or assembly".

  • Installing from the PowerShell Gallery using the Install-Module cmdlet, as described in the following procedure.

To install AWSPowerShell.NetCore from the PowerShell Gallery using the Install-Module cmdlet

To install the AWSPowerShell.NetCore from the PowerShell Gallery, your computer must be running PowerShell 5.0 or later, or running PowerShellGet on PowerShell 3 or later. Run the following command.

PS > Install-Module -name AWSPowerShell.NetCore

If you're running PowerShell as administrator, the previous command installs AWS Tools for PowerShell for all users on the computer. If you're running PowerShell as a standard user without administrator permissions, that same command installs AWS Tools for PowerShell for only the current user.

To install for only the current user when that user has administrator permissions, run the command with the -Scope CurrentUser parameter set, as follows.

PS > Install-Module -name AWSPowerShell.NetCore -Scope CurrentUser

Although PowerShell 3.0 and later releases typically load modules into your PowerShell session the first time you run a cmdlet in the module, the AWSPowerShell.NetCore module is too large to support this functionality. You must instead explicitly load the AWSPowerShell.NetCore Core module into your PowerShell session by running the following command.

PS > Import-Module AWSPowerShell.NetCore

To load the AWSPowerShell.NetCore module into a PowerShell session automatically, add that command to your PowerShell profile. For more information about editing your PowerShell profile, see About Profiles in the PowerShell documentation.

Install AWSPowerShell on Windows PowerShell

You can install the AWS Tools for Windows PowerShell in one of two ways:

  • Downloading the module from AWSPowerShell.zip and extracting it in one of the module directories. You can discover your module directories by displaying the value of the PSModulePath environment variable.

    Warning

    After downloading the ZIP file and before extracting the contents, you might need to unblock it. This is typically done by opening the properties of the file, viewing the General tab, and selecting the Unblock checkbox if one exists.

    If the ZIP file needs to be unblocked but you don't do so, you might receive errors similar to the following: "Import-Module : Could not load file or assembly".

  • Installing from the PowerShell Gallery using the Install-Module cmdlet as described in the following procedure.

To install AWSPowerShell from the PowerShell Gallery using the Install-Module cmdlet

You can install the AWSPowerShell from the PowerShell Gallery if you're running PowerShell 5.0 or later, or have installed PowerShellGet on PowerShell 3 or later. You can install and update AWSPowerShell from Microsoft's PowerShell Gallery by running the following command.

 PS > Install-Module -Name AWSPowerShell

To load the AWSPowerShell module into a PowerShell session automatically, add the previous import-module cmdlet to your PowerShell profile. For more information about editing your PowerShell profile, see About Profiles in the PowerShell documentation.

Note

The Tools for Windows PowerShell are installed by default on all Windows-based Amazon Machine Images (AMIs).

Enable Script Execution

To load the AWS Tools for PowerShell modules, you must enable PowerShell script execution. To enable script execution, run the Set-ExecutionPolicy cmdlet to set a policy of RemoteSigned. For more information, see About Execution Policies on the Microsoft Technet website.

Note

This is a requirement only for computers that are running Windows. The ExecutionPolicy security restriction is not present on other operating systems.

To enable script execution

  1. Administrator rights are required to set the execution policy. If you are not logged in as a user with administrator rights, open a PowerShell session as Administrator. Choose Start, and then choose All Programs. Choose Accessories, and then choose Windows PowerShell. Right-click Windows PowerShell, and on the context menu, choose Run as administrator.

  2. At the command prompt, enter the following.

    PS > Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
Note

On a 64-bit system, you must do this separately for the 32-bit version of PowerShell, Windows PowerShell (x86).

If you don't have the execution policy set correctly, PowerShell shows the following error whenever you try to run a script, such as your profile.

File C:\Users\username\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 cannot be loaded because the execution
 of scripts is disabled on this system. Please see "get-help about_signing" for more details.
At line:1 char:2
+ . <<<<  'C:\Users\username\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1'
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], PSSecurityException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : RuntimeException

The Tools for Windows PowerShell installer automatically updates the PSModulePath to include the location of the directory that contains the AWSPowerShell module.

Because the PSModulePath includes the location of the AWS module's directory, the Get-Module -ListAvailable cmdlet shows the module.

PS > Get-Module -ListAvailable

ModuleType Name                      ExportedCommands
---------- ----                      ----------------
Manifest   AppLocker                 {}
Manifest   BitsTransfer              {}
Manifest   PSDiagnostics             {}
Manifest   TroubleshootingPack       {}
Manifest   AWSPowerShell             {Update-EBApplicationVersion, Set-DPStatus, Remove-IAMGroupPol...

Versioning

AWS releases new versions of the AWS Tools for PowerShell periodically to support new AWS services and features. To determine the version of the Tools that you have installed, run the Get-AWSPowerShellVersion cmdlet.

PS > Get-AWSPowerShellVersion

Tools for PowerShell
Version 4.1.11.0
Copyright 2012-2021 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

Amazon Web Services SDK for .NET
Core Runtime Version 3.7.0.12
Copyright Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

Release notes: https://github.com/aws/aws-tools-for-powershell/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md

This software includes third party software subject to the following copyrights:
- Logging from log4net, Apache License
[http://logging.apache.org/log4net/license.html]

You can also add the -ListServiceVersionInfo parameter to a Get-AWSPowerShellVersion command to see a list of the AWS services that are supported in the current version of the tools. If you use the modularized AWS.Tools.* option, only the modules that you currently have imported are displayed.

PS > Get-AWSPowerShellVersion -ListServiceVersionInfo
...

Service                            Noun Prefix Module Name                       SDK
                                                                                 Assembly
                                                                                 Version
-------                            ----------- -----------                       -----------
Alexa For Business                 ALXB        AWS.Tools.AlexaForBusiness        3.7.0.11
Amplify Backend                    AMPB        AWS.Tools.AmplifyBackend          3.7.0.11
Amazon API Gateway                 AG          AWS.Tools.APIGateway              3.7.0.11
Amazon API Gateway Management API  AGM         AWS.Tools.ApiGatewayManagementApi 3.7.0.11
Amazon API Gateway V2              AG2         AWS.Tools.ApiGatewayV2            3.7.0.11
Amazon Appflow                     AF          AWS.Tools.Appflow                 3.7.1.4
Amazon Route 53                    R53         AWS.Tools.Route53                 3.7.0.12
Amazon Route 53 Domains            R53D        AWS.Tools.Route53Domains          3.7.0.11
Amazon Route 53 Resolver           R53R        AWS.Tools.Route53Resolver         3.7.1.5
Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) S3          AWS.Tools.S3                      3.7.0.13
...

To determine the version of PowerShell that you are running, enter $PSVersionTable to view the contents of the $PSVersionTable automatic variable.

PS > $PSVersionTable

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      6.2.2
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    6.2.2
OS                             Darwin 18.7.0 Darwin Kernel Version 18.7.0: Tue Aug 20 16:57:14 PDT 2019; root:xnu-4903.271.2~2/RELEASE_X86_64
Platform                       Unix
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Updating the AWS Tools for PowerShell on Windows

Periodically, as updated versions of the AWS Tools for PowerShell are released, you should update the version that you are running locally.

Update the modularized AWS.Tools modules

To update your AWS.Tools modules to the latest version, run the following command:

PS > Update-AWSToolsModule -CleanUp

This command updates all of the currently installed AWS.Tools modules and, after a successful update, removes other installed versions.

Note

The Update-AWSToolsModule cmdlet downloads all modules from the PSRepository named PSGallery (https://www.powershellgallery.com/) and considers it a trusted source. Use the command: Get-PSRepository -Name PSGallery for more information on this PSRepository.

Update the Tools for PowerShell Core

Run the Get-AWSPowerShellVersion cmdlet to determine the version that you are running, and compare that with the version of Tools for Windows PowerShell that is available on the PowerShell Gallery website. We suggest you check every two to three weeks. Support for new commands and AWS services is available only after you update to a version with that support.

Before you install a newer release of AWSPowerShell.NetCore, uninstall the existing module. Close any open PowerShell sessions before you uninstall the existing package. Run the following command to uninstall the package.

PS > Uninstall-Module -Name AWSPowerShell.NetCore -AllVersions

After the package is uninstalled, install the updated module by running the following command.

PS > Install-Module -Name AWSPowerShell.NetCore

After installation, run the command Import-Module AWSPowerShell.NetCore to load the updated cmdlets into your PowerShell session.

Update the Tools for Windows PowerShell

Run the Get-AWSPowerShellVersion cmdlet to determine the version that you are running, and compare that with the version of Tools for Windows PowerShell that is available on the PowerShell Gallery website. We suggest you check every two to three weeks. Support for new commands and AWS services is available only after you update to a version with that support.

  • If you installed by using the Install-Module cmdlet, run the following commands.

    PS > Uninstall-Module -Name AWSPowerShell -AllVersions
PS > Install-Module -Name AWSPowerShell

  • If you installed by using a downloaded ZIP file:

    1. Download the most recent version from the Tools for PowerShell web site. Compare the package version number in the downloaded file name with the version number you get when you run the Get-AWSPowerShellVersion cmdlet.

    2. If the download version is a higher number than the version you have installed, close all Tools for Windows PowerShell consoles.

    3. Install the newer version of the Tools for Windows PowerShell.

After installation, run Import-Module AWSPowerShell to load the updated cmdlets into your PowerShell session. Or run the custom AWS Tools for PowerShell console from your Start menu.