Skip to main content
TopMiniSite

Back to all posts

How to Sort Unique Most Recent File With Powershell?

Published on
2 min read
How to Sort Unique Most Recent File With Powershell? image

Best PowerShell Tools to Buy in October 2025

1 Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches

Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches

BUY & SAVE
$31.99 $44.99
Save 29%
Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches
2 PowerShell in Depth

PowerShell in Depth

BUY & SAVE
$45.99
PowerShell in Depth
3 Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches

Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches

BUY & SAVE
$40.91 $44.99
Save 9%
Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches
4 PowerShell with SharePoint from Scratch: Exercises and Explanations (Microsoft Tech from Scratch)

PowerShell with SharePoint from Scratch: Exercises and Explanations (Microsoft Tech from Scratch)

BUY & SAVE
$9.99
PowerShell with SharePoint from Scratch: Exercises and Explanations (Microsoft Tech from Scratch)
5 PowerShell in Depth: An Administrator's Guide

PowerShell in Depth: An Administrator's Guide

BUY & SAVE
$106.01
PowerShell in Depth: An Administrator's Guide
6 Instant Windows PowerShell 3.0 Windows Management Instrumentation Starter

Instant Windows PowerShell 3.0 Windows Management Instrumentation Starter

BUY & SAVE
$21.99
Instant Windows PowerShell 3.0 Windows Management Instrumentation Starter
7 Microsoft Exchange Server PowerShell Cookbook - Third Edition

Microsoft Exchange Server PowerShell Cookbook - Third Edition

BUY & SAVE
$51.99
Microsoft Exchange Server PowerShell Cookbook - Third Edition
+
ONE MORE?

To sort unique most recent file with PowerShell, you can use the following command:

Get-ChildItem | Sort-Object -Property LastWriteTime -Unique

This command retrieves all child items in the current directory, sorts them based on their LastWriteTime property, and displays only the unique most recent file.

What is the default sorting behavior of PowerShell when using Get-ChildItem?

The default sorting behavior of PowerShell when using Get-ChildItem is to sort by name in ascending order.

What is the significance of sorting files by CreationTime in PowerShell?

Sorting files by CreationTime in PowerShell can be significant for various reasons:

  1. Organizing files: Sorting files by their creation time can help in organizing files in a more structured way. This can make it easier to find specific files or identify when certain files were created.
  2. Managing backups: Sorting files by creation time can be useful for managing backups and ensuring that the most recent version of a file is easily accessible.
  3. Archiving files: By sorting files based on their creation time, it becomes easier to identify older files that can be archived or deleted to free up space.
  4. Tracking changes: Sorting files by creation time can also help in tracking changes or potential issues, such as identifying when a specific file was created or modified.

Overall, sorting files by CreationTime in PowerShell can help in better managing and organizing files, making it easier to access and track them effectively.

How to limit the number of files displayed when sorting with PowerShell?

To limit the number of files displayed when sorting with PowerShell, you can use the Select-Object cmdlet to select a specific number of files to display. Here is an example:

Get-ChildItem C:\Path\To\Directory | Sort-Object LastWriteTime | Select-Object -First 10

In this example, Get-ChildItem is used to get a list of files in the specified directory, Sort-Object is used to sort the files by their LastWriteTime, and Select-Object -First 10 is used to select and display only the first 10 files in the sorted list. You can adjust the number in the -First parameter to limit the number of files displayed to your desired amount.