Powershell Add System Variable

Question

I am Trying To add a System Variable here using PowerShell:

I have tried both ways using

$env:MyTestVariable = "My test variable."

and

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("TestVariableName", "My Value", "<option>")

However neither of them seem to add to this section. I have tried restarting the computer as well to see if it would take effect then. I have looked at technet along with countless other websites, but nothing I have tried has worked.

How can I set a system variable with PowerShell?

[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('name','value',[System.EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine) — user4003407
– user4003407, Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 3:40
possible duplicate of Powershell - changing the value of an environment variable — user4003407
– user4003407, Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 3:46
Does this answer your question? Setting Windows PowerShell environment variables — TechDogLover OR kiaNasirzadeh
– TechDogLover OR kiaNasirzadeh, Commented Apr 5, 2023 at 0:45

TessellatingHeckler · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-23 03:45:43Z

96

Run PowerShell as an administrator (to get the necessary registry access permissions) then call out to the .Net framework to set it:

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("MyTestVariable", "MyTestValue", "Machine")

NB. it won't take effect within the same process, you'll have to make a new PowerShell process to see it.

answered Sep 23, 2015 at 3:45

TessellatingHeckler

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3 Comments

Paul Melero Over a year ago

About the NB: if you have choco installed, you can run refreshenv to use the same powershell process ;)

alex Over a year ago

You have to use that that third parameter ('Machine') to achieve what the original poster is attempting.

fred727 Over a year ago

As @gaspare Bonventre mention in its answer, it is better to use [System.EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine instead of "Machine" as third parameter

Gaspare Bonventre · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-02 19:51:31Z

Run PowerShell as an admin. Don't use this if you are trying to modify something like environmental extensions or environmental paths. No need to run refreshEnv and no need to open a new PowerShell window to see it

$variableNameToAdd = "mytestVariableName"
$variableValueToAdd = "some environmental value to add"
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable($variableNameToAdd, $variableValueToAdd, [System.EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Machine)
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable($variableNameToAdd, $variableValueToAdd, [System.EnvironmentVariableTarget]::Process)
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable($variableNameToAdd, $variableValueToAdd, [System.EnvironmentVariableTarget]::User)

riQQ · Accepted Answer · 2023-09-21 08:24:43Z

4

You can find a cool explanation of this below,

https://web.archive.org/web/20210228001104/https://trevorsullivan.net/2016/07/25/powershell-environment-variables/

edited Sep 21, 2023 at 8:24

riQQ

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answered Apr 30, 2018 at 7:28

NIK

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