Remove-Module

Remove-Module
    [-Name] <String[]>
    [-Force]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Remove-Module
    [-FullyQualifiedName] <ModuleSpecification[]>
    [-Force]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Remove-Module
    [-ModuleInfo] <PSModuleInfo[]>
    [-Force]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

The Remove-Module cmdlet removes the members of a module, such as cmdlets and functions, from the current session.

If the module includes an assembly (.dll), all members that are implemented by the assembly are removed, but the assembly isn't unloaded.

This cmdlet doesn't uninstall the module or delete it from the computer. It affects only the current PowerShell session.

Remove-Module -Name "BitsTransfer"

This command removes the BitsTransfer module from the current session.

Get-Module | Remove-Module

This command removes all modules from the current session.

"FileTransfer", "PSDiagnostics" | Remove-Module -Verbose

VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "filetransfer (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\filetransfer\filetransfer.psd1')".
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management (Path: 'C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management\1.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35\Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfe
r.Management.dll')".
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "psdiagnostics (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\psdiagnostics\psdiagnostics.psd1')".
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Start-Trace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Stop-Trace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-WSManTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-WSManTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-PSWSManCombinedTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-PSWSManCombinedTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Set-LogProperties'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Get-LogProperties'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Enable-PSTrace'.
VERBOSE: Removing imported function 'Disable-PSTrace'.
VERBOSE: Performing operation "Remove-Module" on Target "PSDiagnostics (Path: 'C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\psdiagnostics\PSDiagnostics.psm1')".

This command removes the BitsTransfer and PSDiagnostics modules from the current session.

The command uses a pipeline operator (|) to send the module names to Remove-Module. It uses the Verbose common parameter to get detailed information about the members that are removed.

The Verbose messages show the items that are removed. The messages differ because the BitsTransfer module includes an assembly that implements its cmdlets and a nested module with its own assembly. The PSDiagnostics module includes a module script file (.psm1) that exports functions.

$a = Get-Module BitsTransfer
Remove-Module -ModuleInfo $a

This command uses the ModuleInfo parameter to remove the BitsTransfer module.

When removing a module, there is an event trigger by the module that allows a module to react to being removed and perform some cleanup task, such as freeing resources.

$OnRemoveScript = {
    # perform cleanup
    $cachedSessions | Remove-PSSession
}
$ExecutionContext.SessionState.Module.OnRemove += $OnRemoveScript

$registerEngineEventSplat = @{
    SourceIdentifier = ([System.Management.Automation.PSEngineEvent]::Exiting)
    Action = $OnRemoveScript
}
Register-EngineEvent @registerEngineEventSplat

The $OnRemoveScript variable contains the script block that cleans up the resources. You register the script block by assigning it to $ExecutionContext.SessionState.Module.OnRemove. You can also use Register-EngineEvent to have the script block execute when the PowerShell session ends.

For script-based modules, you would add this code to the .psm1 file or put it in a startup script that is listed in the ScriptsToProcess property of the module manifest.

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutBuffer, -OutVariable, -PipelineVariable, -ProgressAction, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

You can pipe a module name to this cmdlet.

You can pipe a module object to this cmdlet.

This cmdlet returns no output.

PowerShell includes the following aliases for Remove-Module:

• All platforms:
  • rmo

When you remove a module, there is an event is triggered that can be used to run some cleanup code. For more details, see Example 5.