Back in 2014, I released a small PowerShell module that let you export and manage color themes in the PowerShell ISE, a tool many of us still reach for from time to time, even in today’s VS Code-dominated world. The idea was simple: give ISE users a simple way to control the look and feel of their scripting environment with a little more finesse.
Today, I’m happy to share version 2.0.0 of the ISEColorTheme.Cmdlets module. A complete overhaul that brings the original concept into the modern PowerShell era.
🆕 What’s New in 2.0.0
- Modular design: The codebase has been refactored for better organization and maintainability, using a
private\Convert\andprivate\Set\structure for internal helpers. - Better GUI integration: A reorganized ISE Add-On Tools menu makes it much easier to access theme functions right from the ISE.
- New cmdlets: Expanded support for creating, applying, exporting, and importing themes—including support for XML-based ISE theme files.
- Improved docs & examples: Cleaner help content and practical usage examples throughout.
- Bug fixes & performance improvements: Squashed a few long-standing issues under the hood.
- Modernized links: All relevant resources have been updated to point to GitHub, replacing the now-defunct TechNet galleries.
🧩 ISE Add-On Tools Menu Integration
Once you import the module, you can add the new ISE Color Themes submenu under the PowerShell ISE’s Add-On Tools menu. (This is a must include in your ISE profile, so you don’t have to do this every time you open it)
Add-ISEThemeMenuFrom there, you can quickly:
- Apply a saved theme
- Export your current theme or all themes
- Import a theme or a collection of themes
- Adjust the current theme (lighter, darker, warmer, etc.).
- Launch the theme selector GUI
📸 Here’s what it looks like in action:
🙌 Community Shout-Out
Big thanks to the PowerShell theming community—and in particular Morten Ya—for inspiring a ton of great visual themes that helped guide this release.
📦 How to Get It
You can install the module directly from the PowerShell Gallery:
Install-Module -Name ISEColorTheme.Cmdlets -Scope CurrentUserOr check out the source, examples, and issue tracker on GitHub:
👉 ISEColorTheme.Cmdlets GitHub Repo
Whether you’re customizing your ISE for better readability or just giving your environment some personal flair, this update should make that process smoother than ever.
