How-to: Change file attributes in PowerShell.

The PowerShell scripts below can be used to get, set or remove file attributes.

In PowerShell the constant values for all the various file attributes are available via [io.fileattributes]
for example[int][io.fileattributes]::ReadOnly will return 1.

The scripts below use these constants and perform some binary arithmetic to add or remove each attribute from a file system object.
They retrieve the files using Get-ChildItem -force which ensures they will work even if the file is hidden.

[set-attrib.ps1]

param (
   [string]$FilePath = $(throw "-FilePath is required."),
   [switch]$Archive = $false,
   [switch]$ReadOnly = $false,
   [switch]$Hidden = $false,
   [switch]$System = $false
)

$ARCHIVE_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::archive #32
$READONLY_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::ReadOnly #1
$HIDDEN_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::Hidden  #2
$SYSTEM_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::System  #4

$files = Get-ChildItem -Path $FilePath -Recurse -force

Foreach($file in $files) {
   If ($Archive){
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BOR $ARCHIVE_ATTRIB
      )
   }
   If ($ReadOnly){
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BOR $READONLY_ATTRIB
      )
   }
   If ($Hidden){
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BOR $HIDDEN_ATTRIB
      )
   }
   If ($System){
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BOR $SYSTEM_ATTRIB
      )
   }
} #end Foreach

[remove-attrib.ps1]

param (
   [string]$FilePath = $(throw "-FilePath is required."),
   [switch]$Archive = $false,
   [switch]$ReadOnly = $false,
   [switch]$Hidden = $false,
   [switch]$System = $false
)

$ARCHIVE_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::archive #32
$READONLY_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::ReadOnly #1
$HIDDEN_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::Hidden  #2
$SYSTEM_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::System  #4

$files = Get-ChildItem -Path $FilePath -Recurse -force

Foreach($file in $files) {
   If ($Archive -and ((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $ARCHIVE_ATTRIB)) {
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BXOR $ARCHIVE_ATTRIB
      )
   }
   If ($ReadOnly -and ((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $READONLY_ATTRIB)) {
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BXOR $READONLY_ATTRIB
      )
   }
   If ($Hidden -and ((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $HIDDEN_ATTRIB)) {
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BXOR $HIDDEN_ATTRIB
      )
   }
   If ($System -and ((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $SYSTEM_ATTRIB)) {
      Set-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname -Name attributes -Value (
         (Get-ItemProperty $file.fullname).attributes -BXOR $SYSTEM_ATTRIB
      )
   }
} #end Foreach

[get-attrib.ps1]

param (
   [string]$FilePath = $(throw "-FilePath is required.")
)
# Pass either a single filename or a wildcard
#  get-attrib C:\demo\*.txt

$ARCHIVE_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::archive #32
$READONLY_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::ReadOnly #1
$HIDDEN_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::Hidden  #2
$SYSTEM_ATTRIB = [io.fileattributes]::System  #4

$files = Get-Item -Path $FilePath -force

if ($files.count -gt 1) {
   $files = Get-ChildItem -Path $FilePath -Recurse -force
}

Foreach($file in $files) {
   $attribs = ""
   If (((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $ARCHIVE_ATTRIB) -eq $ARCHIVE_ATTRIB){
      $attribs = "| Archive"
   }
   If (((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $READONLY_ATTRIB) -eq 1){
      $attribs = "$attribs | Read-only"
   }
   If (((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $HIDDEN_ATTRIB) -eq 2){
      $attribs = "$attribs | Hidden"
   }
   If (((Get-ItemProperty -Path $file.fullname).attributes -band $SYSTEM_ATTRIB) -eq 4){
      $attribs = "$attribs | System"
   }
   if ($attribs -eq ""){$attribs = "| Normal"}
   "$file $attribs"
} #end Foreach

Examples

Add the ReadOnly and Hidden attributes on the file 'C:\logs\monday.csv'

PS C:\demo> ./set-attrib.ps1 "C:\logs\monday.csv" -readonly -hidden

Add the Archive attributes on all the .TXT files in the C:\logs\ folder:

PS C:\demo> ./set-attrib.ps1 "C:\logs\*.txt" -archive

Remove the Archive, ReadOnly and Hidden attributes on all files in the C:\logs\ folder:

PS C:\demo> ./remove-attrib.ps1 "C:\logs\*.*" -archive -readonly -hidden

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Related PowerShell Cmdlets

ATTRIB - Display or change file attributes.