How to Schedule a Powershell Script to Run Automatically Using Task Scheduler?

Scheduling a PowerShell script to run automatically can significantly enhance automation tasks and system administration. Windows Task Scheduler is a built-in utility that allows users to schedule tasks and launch programs at pre-defined times or after specified time intervals. Here’s how you can schedule a PowerShell script using Task Scheduler.

Step-by-Step Guide to Schedule a PowerShell Script

1. Prepare Your PowerShell Script: Ensure that your PowerShell script is complete and tested. Save it with a .ps1 extension.

2. Open Task Scheduler:

   • Click on the Start menu, type Task Scheduler, and press Enter.
   • In the Task Scheduler window, click on Create Basic Task in the Actions pane.

3. Create a Basic Task:

   • Give your task a Name and an optional Description.
   • Click Next, and choose when you want the task to start (e.g., Daily, Weekly).
   • Set up the specifics of when the task should run, then click Next.

4. Define the Action:

   • Choose Start a program and click Next.
   • Click Browse next to the Program/script field, and navigate to the powershell.exe executable.

5. Add Arguments:

   • In the Add arguments (optional) field, type the following:

     1 2	-File "C:\Path\To\YourScript.ps1"

   • Replace C:\Path\To\YourScript.ps1 with the full path of your PowerShell script.

6. Complete the Task:

   • Click Next, review the summary, and click Finish to create the task.

7. Ensure Necessary Permissions and Settings:

   • Select your task in Task Scheduler Library, right-click, and choose Properties.
   • Under the General tab, ensure Run with highest privileges is checked if your script requires elevated permissions.
   • Review other settings as needed.

Additional Resources

Enhancing your PowerShell skills can be beneficial when automating Windows tasks. Explore these resources for more tutorials:

• PowerShell Scripting Tutorial
• PowerShell Scripting for File Deletion
• PowerShell Scripting and Progress Bars
• Parsing Numeric Elements in XML with PowerShell
• Writing XML Files Based on Folder Existence

By following these steps and utilizing additional tutorials, you can efficiently automate tasks and boost productivity using PowerShell and Windows Task Scheduler.