How to Enable PowerShell (.PS1) Script Text Previews in Explorer Preview Pane?

By default File Explorer Preview pane displays text previews for .reg, .bat and .cmd file types, but not for .ps1 (PowerShell scripts). Here is a registry edit that enables text preview for .ps1 file type in File Explorer Preview pane.

Download ps1_preview.zip, unzip and run the enclosed registry file.

Note: Make sure that the option Show preview handlers in preview pane is enabled in Folder Options, View tab.

Registry File Contents

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ps1\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{1531d583-8375-4d3f-b5fb-d23bbd169f22}"

For Vbscript and JScript files

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.vbs\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{1531d583-8375-4d3f-b5fb-d23bbd169f22}"

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.js\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{1531d583-8375-4d3f-b5fb-d23bbd169f22}"

That’s it!

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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a ten-time recipient of the Microsoft MVP award in Windows Desktop Experience (Windows Shell), from 2003 to 2012. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

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