Add WindowsCapability - PowerShell

Overview

The Add-WindowsCapability cmdlet adds a capability to the current Windows device. Windows capabilities represent features that can be added or removed from a device on demand. They provide a modular way to manage optional features and can be used to enable or disable specific functionality without having to reinstall the entire operating system.

Syntax

Add-WindowsCapability -Name <String[]> [-Online] [-DisableDependencyCheck] [-ShowDetails] [<CommonParameters>]

Options/Flags

  • -Name: Specifies the name of the capability to be added. Multiple capability names can be specified.
  • -Online: Connects to the internet to acquire the capability.
  • -DisableDependencyCheck: Bypasses dependency checks and attempts to install the capability even if a dependency is missing. Use this option with caution.
  • -ShowDetails: Displays detailed information about the installation process, including the dependencies that will be installed.

Examples

Example 1: Adding a single capability

Add-WindowsCapability -Name "App Installer"

Example 2: Adding multiple capabilities

Add-WindowsCapability -Name "App Installer", "NEF Decoder", "Print Management"

Example 3: Adding a capability with online acquisition

Add-WindowsCapability -Name "Wireless Display" -Online

Example 4: Disabling dependency checks

Add-WindowsCapability -Name "TabletInputService" -DisableDependencyCheck

Example 5: Displaying detailed information

Add-WindowsCapability -Name "Hyper-V" -ShowDetails

Common Issues

  • Dependency conflicts: Ensure that the dependencies for the specified capability are met before attempting to add it.
  • Internet connectivity: When using the -Online flag, ensure that the device has an active internet connection to acquire the capability.
  • Missing capabilities: If the specified capability is not available, verify that it is supported on the current device and operating system version.

Integration

The Add-WindowsCapability cmdlet can be integrated with other PowerShell cmdlets to automate various tasks. For example:

Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Add-WindowsCapability -ShowDetails

This command chain retrieves all available capabilities online and then adds them with detailed information displayed.

  • Get-WindowsCapability: Retrieves the list of installed and available Windows capabilities.
  • Remove-WindowsCapability: Removes a Windows capability from the device.
  • Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature: Enables a Windows optional feature, which is similar to a capability but may include additional components.