How to download files using Powershell step by step tutorial

To download files using PowerShell, follow these step-by-step methods:

Method 1: Using Invoke-WebRequest (PowerShell 3.0+)

Basic Download:

• Execute: Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "FileURI" -OutFile "C:Path*"
• Replace FileURI with the file's full remote address.
• Specify the local path and filename with -OutFile.

Bypassing SSL/TLS Errors:

• Add -SkipCertificateCheck before downloading if encountering certificate errors.

Handling Large Files:

• Use -Resume to support resuming interrupted downloads.

Method 2: Using * (Legacy Approach)

Simple Download:

• Execute: (New-Object *).DownloadFile("FileURI", "C:Path*")

Async Download (Non-Blocking):

• Execute: (New-Object *).DownloadFileAsync("FileURI", "C:Path*")

Method 3: Using Start-BitsTransfer (Efficient Transfer)

Basic BITS Transfer:

• Execute: Start-BitsTransfer -Source "FileURI" -Destination "C:Path"
• Add -Asynchronous for background transfers.

Resuming Transfers:

• Use Get-BitsTransfer Resume-BitsTransfer to restart paused jobs.

Essential Considerations

• Overwrite Files: Add -PassThru to force overwrite existing files with Invoke-WebRequest.
• Authentication: Use -Credential (Get-Credential) with Invoke-WebRequest or -Authentication Basic with Start-BitsTransfer for protected resources.
• Headers: Include custom headers with -Headers @{"HeaderName"="Value"} in Invoke-WebRequest.
• User Agent: Specify UA string with -UserAgent "AgentString" if required by server.
• Progress Tracking: Utilize $progressPreference = 'silentlyContinue' to suppress progress bars for scripting.

TLS 1.2 Enforcement (Older PS Versions): Add [*]::SecurityProtocol = [*]::Tls12 before download commands when targeting HTTPS endpoints requiring TLS 1.2.

REST API Authentication: For bearer tokens, use: Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "APIEndpoint" -Headers @{Authorization = "Bearer APIToken"} -OutFile OutputPath