Set-Alias

Create or change an alias.

Syntax
      Set-Alias [-name] string [-value] string [-description string] 
         [-option Option] [-passThru] [-scope string] 
            [-force] [-whatIf] [-confirm] [CommonParameters]

Key
   -name string[]
       The alias to create, the first character cannot be a number.
	   
   -value string
       The name of the cmdlet or command element that is being aliased.
		
   -description string
       A description for the alias.

   -option option
       The valid options are: 
         None    : Set no options. (default) 
         ReadOnly: The alias cannot be changed unless you use -Force. 
         Constant: The alias cannot be changed, even by using -Force. 
         Private : The alias is available only within the scope specified by -Scope. 
                   It is invisible in all other scopes.
         AllScope: The alias is copied to any new scopes that are created.

   -passThru 
       Return an object representing the alias.
       By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output. 

   -scope string
       The scope in which this alias is valid. 
       Valid values are "Global", "Local", or "Script", or a number relative
       to the current scope ( 0 through the number of scopes, where 0 is the
       current scope and 1 is its parent). "Local" is the default.
       For more, type "get-help about_scope".

   -force
       Allows the cmdlet to set a read-only alias.
       Use -Option to create a read-only alias.
       -Force cannot be used to edit a constant alias.
        
   -whatIf
       Describe what would happen if you executed the command without actually
       executing the command.
       
   -confirm
       Prompt for confirmation before executing the command.

   CommonParameters:
       -Verbose, -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -WarningAction, -WarningVariable,
       -OutBuffer -OutVariable.

Unless you add the alias to the PowerShell profile, the changes to an alias are lost when you exit the session or close PowerShell.

Examples

Create an alias named 'list' to represent Get-ChildItem:

PS C:\> set-alias list get-childitem

Use Get-Alias to display information about the new alias called 'List':

PS C:\> get-alias -name list | format-list *

Create a ReadOnly alias named 'w' to represent Get-WMIObject:

PS C:\> set-alias -name w -value get-wmiobject -description "quick wmi alias" -option ReadOnly

Associate the alias, "np", with the executable file for Notepad:

PS C:\> Set-Alias np c:\windows\notepad.exe

Create a function that will set location as C:\windows\system32 and then assign the alias "cd32", to the new function:

PS C:\> function func32 {set-location c:\windows\system32}
PS C:\> set-alias cd32 func32 

"When people realize that they do not understand a thing they try to find a name for what they do not 'understand', and when they find a name they
say they 'understand' "- G.I. Gurdjieff

Related:

export-alias epal Export an alias list to a file
import-alias - Import an alias list from a file
get-alias - Return alias names for Cmdlets
new-alias - Create a new Cmdlet-alias pairing
Equivalent bash command: alias - Create an alias