Microsoft finally removes PowerShell 2.0 from Windows 11

Having previously announced the future deprecation of PowerShell 2.0, Microsoft has now released a version of Windows 11 that sees this command line shell removed.

The writing has been on the wall for this old version of PowerShell for some time, but Microsoft has – as is often the case with deprecated features – never been very clear about the precise schedule. But with the newly released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 on the Canary Channel dropping PowerShell 2.0, it is only a matter of time before other builds ditch the utility as well.

Windows PowerShell 2.0 is now rather long in the tooth and has been replaced by a significantly more powerful and secure version. When the deprecation was announced, Microsoft advised user what to do, saying:

Deprecation reminder: Windows PowerShell 2.0 is deprecated and will be removed in an upcoming Windows release. Applications and components should be migrated to PowerShell 5.0+.

The age of PowerShell 2.0, and the fact that newer versions have been available for so long, certainly helps to minimize the impact of this tool vanishing. Security issues are among various reasons for pulling the plug, with malware writers having used PowerShell 2.0 to wreak havoc for many years.

That’s not to say that there are not a handful of legitimate apps and scenarios that rely on this ancient tool, but there are unlikely to be many scripts that can’t be tweaked or rewritten to function with PowerShell 5.0.

But this particular cull demonstrates perfectly the confusion the announcement of a feature or tool being deprecated can cause.

While it is reasonable for Microsoft to warn people that something they use is not going to be available at some point in the future, the lack of a solid timeline is unhelpful. The deprecation of PowerShell 2.0 was originally announced at the time Windows 10 version 1709 was released, way back in 2017, as a note on the Deprecated features page shows:

Original announcement: Windows 10, version 1709

Courtesy reminder: June 2025

8 years is a long time for an end date to remain unknown, but we’re still not much closer to knowing when it will be gone for everyone, At the moment, the change only affects Windows Insiders who are signed up to the Canary Channel. While this means the change will filter down to other release channels, and the main Windows 11 build, in due course, the timing remains frustratingly unclear.

The release notes for Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 include the follow short paragraph:

Windows PowerShell 2.0 is deprecated and in the most current Insider Preview builds flighted to the Canary Channel, is removed. More information will be shared in the coming months on the removal of Windows PowerShell 2.0 in an upcoming update for Windows 11.

Considering the fact that PowerShell is now 16 years old, it is little surprise that its security fails to meet modern standards. It is incredible to think that it has remained in active service for so long.

Will this affect you? Do you have a continuing need for PowerShell 2.0? Let us know in the comments below.

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