PackageUpdateInfo on PowerShell module PackageUpdateInfo

Overview

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

PackageUpdateInfo helps you keep installed PowerShell modules up to date. It compares local module versions with versions from configured online repositories (for example PSGallery) and reports when newer versions are available.

What does PackageUpdateInfo do?

The module can:

Query locally installed modules.
Discover current online versions.
Compare versions with configurable sensitivity (major, minor, build, revision).
Show rich output including repository, release notes, author, and project links.
Export results for later import and fast startup workflows.

Why use PackageUpdateInfo?

Convenience

Quickly identify outdated modules without manually checking each one.
Export and import update information for offline or delayed review.
Run update checks in background jobs.
Use optional toast notifications on Windows.

Automation

Schedule update checks using your profile, scheduled tasks, or startup routines.
Enforce an update-check interval to reduce unnecessary repository queries.
Keep custom rules per module pattern for update sensitivity.
Reuse previously exported data for low-latency shell startup.

Flexibility

Include or exclude module name patterns.
Define rule scope and precedence with default and custom rules.
Works on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Supports Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7+.

Prerequisites

Windows PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell 7+.
PowerShellGet access to your target repository (for example PSGallery).
Optional: BurntToast module for toast notifications on Windows.

Installation

Install for all users (requires administrative rights):

Operational best practices

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This page describes recommended operating patterns for PackageUpdateInfo in interactive shells, profiles, and automation.

Start with default behavior

Reset settings before introducing custom tuning, especially on shared systems:

Set-PackageUpdateSetting -Reset

Inspect current configuration and rules:

Get-PackageUpdateSetting
Get-PackageUpdateRule -IncludeDefaultRule

Use update intervals to reduce noise

Get-PackageUpdateInfo respects UpdateCheckInterval. If the last effective check is still within the configured interval, the cmdlet returns early.

Set an interval that matches your environment:

Troubleshooting

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Use this guide when PackageUpdateInfo does not return expected results, skips checks, or fails to import and export data.

Get actionable diagnostics first

Run with verbose output:

Get-PackageUpdateInfo -Verbose

Validate settings and rules:

Get-PackageUpdateSetting
Get-PackageUpdateRule -IncludeDefaultRule

Check is skipped unexpectedly

Symptom:

You see a warning that update checks are skipped because the check interval is not expired.

Cause:

UpdateCheckInterval and recent LastCheck or LastSuccessfulCheck are preventing a new online check.

Resolution:

Legal Notice

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

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Add-PackageUpdateRule

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Add rule for checking and reporting on installed modules

SYNTAX

__AllParameterSets

Add-PackageUpdateRule [[-Id] <int>] [[-IncludeModuleForChecking] <string[]>]
 [[-ExcludeModuleFromChecking] <string[]>] [[-ReportChangeOnMajor] <bool>]
 [[-ReportChangeOnMinor] <bool>] [[-ReportChangeOnBuild] <bool>] [[-ReportChangeOnRevision] <bool>]
 [[-SettingObject] <Configuration>] [-PassThru] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Export-PackageUpdateInfo

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Export PackageUpdateInfo to a data file

SYNTAX

__AllParameterSets

Export-PackageUpdateInfo [[-Path] <string>] -InputObject <Info[]> [-OutputFormat <string>]
 [-Encoding <string>] [-Force] [-Append] [-IncludeTimeStamp] [-PassThru] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm]
 [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Get-PackageUpdateInfo

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Get info about up-to-dateness for installed modules

SYNTAX

DefaultSet1 (Default)

Get-PackageUpdateInfo [-Name <string[]>] [-Repository <string[]>] [-ShowOnlyNeededUpdate]
 [-ShowToastNotification] [-Force] [<CommonParameters>]

CurrentUser

Get-PackageUpdateInfo [-Name <string[]>] [-Repository <string[]>] [-ShowOnlyNeededUpdate]
 [-ShowToastNotification] [-CurrentUser] [-Force] [<CommonParameters>]

AllUsers

Get-PackageUpdateInfo [-Name <string[]>] [-Repository <string[]>] [-ShowOnlyNeededUpdate]
 [-ShowToastNotification] [-AllUsers] [-Force] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Get-PackageUpdateRule

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Get rule(s) for checking and reporting on installed modules

SYNTAX

ShowAll (Default)

Get-PackageUpdateRule [-IncludeModuleForChecking <string>] [-ExcludeModuleFromChecking <string>]
 [-IncludeDefaultRule] [-SettingObject <Configuration>] [<CommonParameters>]

ById

Get-PackageUpdateRule -Id <int[]> [-SettingObject <Configuration>] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Get-PackageUpdateSetting

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Set behaviour settings for PackageUpdateInfo module

SYNTAX

__AllParameterSets

Get-PackageUpdateSetting [[-Path] <string>] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

DESCRIPTION

Query the basic settings for check and report on up-to-dateness information on installed modules

Import-PackageUpdateInfo

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Import PackageUpdateInfo from a data file

SYNTAX

__AllParameterSets

Import-PackageUpdateInfo [[-Path] <string>] [-ShowToastNotification] [-InputFormat <string>]
 [-Encoding <string>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Release notes v1.2.3.0

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Fix: Issure #26 - Problem on running PSEdition core & desktop in parallel
- Export/Import commands now writes version specific files by default (e.g. PackageUpdateInfo_Desktop_5.xml)
Fix: Issue #25 - Export-PackageUpdateInfo -PassThru
- fix output issue and date conversion bug
Upd: Add-PackageUpdateRule
- Parameter PassThru now actually works as intended.
Fix: Fixing some typos
Fix: Remove files and command depend on PSFramework
Upd: Add plattform and statistic information to readme file

Remove-PackageUpdateRule

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

remove rule(s) for checking and reporting on installed modules

SYNTAX

ById (Default)

Remove-PackageUpdateRule -Id <int[]> [-Force] [-PassThru] [-SettingObject <Configuration>] [-WhatIf]
 [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ByInputObject

Remove-PackageUpdateRule -InputObject <ModuleRule[]> [-Force] [-PassThru]
 [-SettingObject <Configuration>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Set-PackageUpdateRule

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Set a rule for checking and reporting on installed modules

SYNTAX

ById (Default)

Set-PackageUpdateRule -Id <int> [-IncludeModuleForChecking <string[]>]
 [-ExcludeModuleFromChecking <string[]>] [-ReportChangeOnMajor <bool>] [-ReportChangeOnMinor <bool>]
 [-ReportChangeOnBuild <bool>] [-ReportChangeOnRevision <bool>] [-SettingObject <Configuration>]
 [-PassThru] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ByInputObject

Set-PackageUpdateRule -InputObject <ModuleRule[]> [-IncludeModuleForChecking <string[]>]
 [-ExcludeModuleFromChecking <string[]>] [-ReportChangeOnMajor <bool>] [-ReportChangeOnMinor <bool>]
 [-ReportChangeOnBuild <bool>] [-ReportChangeOnRevision <bool>] [-SettingObject <Configuration>]
 [-PassThru] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Set-PackageUpdateSetting

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Set behaviour settings for PackageUpdateInfo module

SYNTAX

SetBehaviour

Set-PackageUpdateSetting [-ExcludeModuleFromChecking <string[]>]
 [-IncludeModuleForChecking <string[]>] [-ReportChangeOnMajor <bool>] [-ReportChangeOnMinor <bool>]
 [-ReportChangeOnBuild <bool>] [-ReportChangeOnRevision <bool>] [-UpdateCheckInterval <timespan>]
 [-LastCheck <datetime>] [-LastSuccessfulCheck <datetime>] [-InputObject <Configuration>]
 [-Path <string>] [-PassThru] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ResetBehaviour

Set-PackageUpdateSetting [-Reset] [-Path <string>] [-PassThru] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm]
 [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Show-PackageUpdateReleaseNote

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

SYNOPSIS

Show release notes from a module

SYNTAX

ByPackageUpdeInfoObject

Show-PackageUpdateReleaseNote [[-InputObject] <Info[]>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ByModuleObject

Show-PackageUpdateReleaseNote [[-Module] <psmoduleinfo[]>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

ALIASES

This cmdlet has the following aliases,

Release notes v1.2.1.0

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Fixed

Ugly error messages if no configuration file exists due to fresh system installation
- Implemented check and warning messages on this behavior
- Add init routine in module loading if no default config file is present

Updated

Try to suppress verbose messages on module up-to-dateness checking in Get-PackageUpdateInfo

Release notes v1.2.0.0

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Added

Enabling CORE and cross-platform compatibility
- Code refactoring to bring PackageUpdateInfo into PowerShell version 6 & 7 (CORE)
- Module now also runs on Linux systems
Command Show-PackageUpdateReleaseNote — Possibility to get release notes from websites and display it on the console
Command Get-PackageUpdateSetting — Query the basic settings for check and report on up-to-dateness information on installed modules
Command Set-PackageUpdateSetting — Configure basic settings for check and report on up-to-dateness
Command Add-PackageUpdateRule — Declare how a module is handled in reporting
Command Get-PackageUpdateRule — Get existing custom rules
Command Set-PackageUpdateRule — Edit existing rules on how a module is handled in reporting
Command Remove-PackageUpdateRule — Remove existing custom rules

Updated

Remove dependency on module BurntToast
- For now, BurntToast is an optional module in PackageUpdateInfo
- Toast notifications are available on Windows 10 in ‘Windows PowerShell’ and ‘PowerShell’ (Core)

Features

Get-PackageUpdateSetting introduces:
- UpdateCheckInterval — how often Get-PackageUpdateInfo seeks out for query updates on modules (default: once per hour)
- DefaultRule — general checking on which module to include/exclude and which part of the version number triggers an update report

Release notes v1.1.1.0

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Fixed

Command Get-PackageUpdateInfo
- Fix Issue #11 — error on command when more than 63 modules are installed. The command Find-Module only accepts a maximum number of 63 strings in the Name parameter. Workaround with a for-each loop around this one.

Release notes v1.1.0.0

Sat, 09 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Added

Command Get-PackageUpdateInfo
- Possibility to push ToastNotification for update infos with BurntToast module by specifying -ShowToastNotification switch
New dependency to module BurntToast

Updated

Add Description info on PackageUpdate.Info objects

Fixed

Command Get-PackageUpdateInfo
- In 1.0.2.0 ReleaseNotes and PublishDate of all modules were put into every PackageUpdate.Info. Used wrong variable. Fixed.
- Minor change in debug output on version comparison

Release notes v1.0.2.0

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

New: Add changelog ;-)
Upd: Command Get-PackageUpdateInfo
- add properties on output object
  - ProjectUri
  - IconUri
  - ReleaseNotes
  - Author
  - PublishedDate
Upd: Reformat code to meet codestyle OTBS - K&R(One True Brace Style variant)

Release notes v1.0.1.0 (Initial release)

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Initial release

Added

Get-PackageUpdateInfo — Query all installed modules and display update status
Export-PackageUpdateInfo — Export update information to file
Import-PackageUpdateInfo — Import previously exported update information

About the Author

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hello to the World!

I’m Andreas Bellstedt — an IT professional with more than 20 years of experience across enterprise environments. Usually I am called Andi. I’m passionate about technology, but even more about applying it in a way that improves reliability, security, and operational efficiency.

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Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000