Microsoft is finally shutting down PowerShell 2.0

PowerShell 2.0 gets pulled from the latest Windows 11 Insider buildVersions 5.1 and 7.x are the best replacementsNo word on removal from Windows ServerMicrosoft has confirmed PowerShell 2.0 is officially being removed from Windows, starting with the latest Windows 11 Insider builds – Build 27891 (Canary Channel).The news comes eight years after PowerShell 2.0 was deprecated in 2017 due to dependency-related delays (for example older SQL Server versions), but Microsoft retained backwards compatibility to ease the transition.It's not to say that PowerShell has gone entirely – instead, users will be directed to version 5.1 (which comes preinstalled on most modern Windows editions) or 7.x (which offer cross-platform support).PowerShell 2.0 finally steps aside for newer versionsAs a reminder of how long PowerShell 2.0 has been around, it originally shipped with Windows 7, Vista and XP, as well as Server 2003 and 2008. Although it's set to be removed with the latest version of Windows 11, Microsoft has not shared any plans to remove it from Windows Server as yet."More information will be shared in the coming months on the removal of Windows PowerShell 2.0 in an upcoming update for Windows 11," Windows Insider Program Lead Amanda Langowski and Principal Product Manager Brandon LeBland wrote in a blog post.The removal of PowerShell 2.0 is the biggest update coming in upcoming versions of Windows 11, but Build 27891 also includes fixes to the 'Reset this PC' option, taskbar acrylic rendering, non-English characters (like Vietnamese and Arabic) and other bugs, including Windows Update getting stuck at 2% on some devices.Redmond also acknowledged some issues with the update, including a Windows Hello pin and biometrics glitch on Copilot+ PCs and rendering issues for remote desktops on ARM64 machines.In the meantime, users wanting a more reliable OS can exit the Canary Channel by installing a fresh copy of Windows 11.You might also likeWant to futureproof against Windows 11 and more? Upgrade to the best workstationsThe best mobile workstations and best business laptops are your best portable betsThis could be a great time to buy a new work PC - no-one is buying the devices makers stockpiled in anticipation of Trump tariffs