Windows 11 Patch Deletes PowerShell 2.0 And One More App Power Users Will Miss

The August 2025 (KB5063878) Windows update caused an issue that prevented non-admin users from carrying out several vital operations due to misbehaving UAC prompts. Microsoft has since released its latest Windows update (KB5065426) to resolve the UAC issue, but this recent update has also removed some key programs that many power users are going to miss.

One of the most notable programs removed by the update is PowerShell 2.0. Released in 2009 after its predecessor, PowerShell 1.0, was retired, PowerShell 2.0 was designed to improve task automation and system administration on Windows. It was equipped with several crucial features, including one that enabled power users to execute scripts and commands from a remote computer. The app has now been deemed insecure and outdated, so it has been deleted.


Another app that was removed is the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC). This is a command-line utility for interfacing with Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), a core part of Windows for managing and monitoring Windows-based systems.

In 2016, WMIC was officially deprecated, indicating that Microsoft had no long-term plan for it. Six years later, the importance of the tool was further reduced when Microsoft converted it to a feature on demand. As of last year, WMIC has been disabled by default in Windows 11 Insider Preview builds. The main reason for the deprecation is to encourage power users to transition to the latest PowerShell since it is more robust and secure.

Although WMIC and PowerShell 2.0 have been removed from Windows, power users can get all the features of both by using Windows 11's built-in PowerShell 5.1. Those looking for even more advanced features can also download and install PowerShell 7.x.