show-completion-options.md

Show Completion Options in PowerShell

Using tab completions is a great way to reduce typing and mistakes when working in PowerShell. Typically you start typing the first few letters of a cmdlet or parameter and press Tab to invoke the magic. Sometimes you want to know which parameters are availabe without starting to type or without using Get-Help.

To see available options use these key combinations.

Completion Options on Windows

Ctrl + Space

Completion Options on macOS

Tab Tab (press twice)

Example

Type Get-Process - then use the completion options key combination above.

Result on macOS:

PS /Users/chadmando/example> Get-Process -
Name                 IncludeUserName      Verbose              WarningAction        WarningVariable      OutBuffer            
Id                   Module               Debug                InformationAction    InformationVariable  PipelineVariable     
InputObject          FileVersionInfo      ErrorAction          ErrorVariable        OutVariable          
PS /Users/chadmando/example> Get-Process -

You get all of the possible parameters that can be used with Get-Process.

NOTE: the - after the cmdlet is important.

The best part of this this feature is that it restores what you typed before invoking it. Notice in the results how Get-Process - at the new prompt is part of the output?

Requirements

The PSReadLine module is required. Confirm you have it imported in the current session by running Get-Module PSReadLine.

Investigate More Key Combination Shortcuts

Get-PSReadLineKeyHandler

References

• I heard about Ctrl+Space on the Stop Typing So Much episode of The PowerShell Podcast.
• When it didn't work on macOS, I found this reddit post.