How to convert a PowerShell script to EXE on Windows 10
Scripts are great for when you have a very specific need that an app can’t meet. If you know how to write a script, or you’ve found the perfect one, it’s likely going to ease an everyday task for you. A script is great but it comes with some restrictions. Sometimes, it’s better if you have an EXE file to work with and you’d be surprised to know just how easy it is to convert a PowerShell script to an EXE file.
Convert PowerShell script to EXE
PS2EXE-GUI is a tool that gives you a GUI for converting a PowerShell script to an EXE file. All you really need is the script and an icon for the EXE to use. Getting an icon is super easy so pick something that suits your script, and then download and run PS2EXE-GUI.
In the Source field, select the script that you want to convert to an EXE. In the Target File field, enter a name for the output file and make sure it has an EXE file extension. In the Icon field, select the icon file that you created for your executable.
The other fields are pretty self-explanatory so go ahead and fill them out. There are no other settings that you need to change. Click ‘Compile’.
A PowerShell window will open and show the compilation process. It shouldn’t take too long but when it completes, you will see a message ‘Press Enter to leave:’. Tap the Enter key twice to close the PowerShell window. Visit the folder that had the script you converted and the converted EXE should be there.
The app will not create an installable program. When you run the EXE file, it will simply run the script as though it were run from the PS1 file. If the script was written to perform a certain function and then quit itself, the EXE will act the same. It will still act like the original script, it’s just in a different packaging.
With a PowerShell script in the EXE file format, it makes it much easier to run the script as part of an automation process. Not all automation tools may play nice with a script but EXEs are usually better supported. If you’re looking to distribute a script and don’t want inexperienced users tampering with it, distributing it as an EXE is probably a better idea.
Have a batch script that you want to convert to an EXE? It’s just as easy though results may vary depending on the script.
