PowerShell - Sendkeys

(How to send keyboard input with PowerShell to any open window or application)
In this video I demonstrate a practical use case for using sendkeys in a PowerShell script. You can use sendkeys to automatically click a button, or confirm a prompt for instance.

add-type -AssemblyName microsoft.VisualBasic
add-type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::AppActivate()
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait()

*powershell
*learn powershell
*automation
*learn automation
*windows
*windows powershell
*automatic installations

Code:
Demo1
add-type -AssemblyName microsoft.VisualBasic
add-type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

start-sleep -Milliseconds 2500

[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::AppActivate("Notepad")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 100
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("+{h}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 100
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{e}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 100
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{l}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 100
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{l}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 100
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{o}")

Demo2
add-type -AssemblyName microsoft.VisualBasic
add-type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 100
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::AppActivate("Notepad")

$line = "some line to write to notepad" #this can also come from a file or database

foreach ($c in $line.GetEnumerator()){
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{$c}")
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 10
}

Demo3
add-type -AssemblyName microsoft.VisualBasic
add-type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

start-sleep -Milliseconds 2500

[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::AppActivate("Computer Management")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 1000

[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{DOWN 3}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 1000
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{RIGHT 2}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 1000
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{DOWN 1}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 1000
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{RIGHT 1}")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 1000
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{DOWN 2}")

Demo4
add-type -AssemblyName microsoft.VisualBasic

start-sleep -Milliseconds 5000

[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::AppActivate("Yes or no")
start-sleep -Milliseconds 1000

[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{ENTER}")

Installer hangs script

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
$useip = [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show("Do you want to provide a static IP?","Yes or no",4)
if ($useip -eq "Yes"){
#$ipnumber = Read-Host "enter last octect 1-255 is valid : $network_prefix"
}

Write-Output "and now we are done"

[lpgm]

Finally, the explanation I have been looking for while I am learning powershell! Thank you!

[phantomaticscience]

you don`t need using delay.. you should check the windows is run and active ..its going to me much faster.Great video - thanks.

[djust]

Very cool. I already knew about WScript.Shell sendkeys method but this is more useful for sure. I will definitely put this to work.

[shalinipandit]

Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏 your script help me a lot

[eechaze]

Thanks for sharing.. Learning alot from your videos.

[ShayanKhan-tjle]

The video was simple, easily to follow and very helpful. Is it possible to run this in the background? For example if we want to have multiple things doing at the same time. Having this automation run in the background while playing a video game at the same time.

[MuhammadBerki]

Wow didn't know powershell could do this 🤯

[Pavankumar]

I am not able to do it in poweshell ide could you please explain why you used visual studio instead of powershell ISE

[knowledgeanddocumentationm]

i have default powershell, can i do this?

[Pavankumar]

How to pass control+N in powershell script???

[DigitalInfogerance]

Hi Mr Automation! Thanks for your video. Can we have the script for installer-hangs please ?

[manasdash]

Demo 3: only opening "Computer Management", but not move any arrow keys nor expanding. Seems some error.

[sbandc]

Alright, so we have the code for sending the keys... but how does one activate these scripts in the context of automation within the applications we're using them for? So, we wouldn't always open Visual Studio or Powershell while using the apps we want to automate 'cause that would eliminate the whole reason for having them, so if the scripts are made- how do we implement the scripts as we're performing our tasks? Are they triggered, do they have hotkeys to execute them, or...

[quinnvanhest]

Do you know why example 4 is not working for me, it wont type Enter but when i tried in in notepad it working?

[KnifeEye]

Very nice and educational video. Is it possible to write to a UAC prompt, auto fill user and password?

[itsupportbyharshit]

Can you please share any url or link to learn more about this.
I was trying to install an exe but it works on some systems and i am facing timing issue between sendkey event.

[grankenk]

How could I send the keys win + d without using notepad?, thanks in advance!

[Davidp]

Is it possible to use this to send keystroke to another computer in my network? Trying to highlight the app I'm trying to start and sending an {Enter} command to press "Start" (Have successfully managed to start the app by sending a "StartScheduledTask" command to it)

[enzym]

Lame examples can also be good examples. ;)