Merge pull request #12489 from MicrosoftDocs/main

Auto Publish – main to live - 2025-11-05 23:00 UTC

Author: learn-build-service-prod[bot]

reference/5.1/Microsoft.PowerShell.Host/Start-Transcript.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 external help file: Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost.dll-help.xml
 Locale: en-US
 Module Name: Microsoft.PowerShell.Host
-ms.date: 01/06/2025
+ms.date: 11/05/2025
 online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.host/start-transcript?view=powershell-5.1&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
 schema: 2.0.0
 title: Start-Transcript
@@ -98,6 +98,19 @@ Start-Transcript
 The full path to the transcript file is stored in the `$Transcript` preference variable. For more
 information about the `$Transcript` preference variable, see
 [about_Preference_Variables](../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Preference_Variables.md#transcript).
+### Example 4: Start a transcript using a relative path on Windows systems
+
+When you use a relative path with the **OutputDirectory** parameter on Windows, the path is relative
+to your `Documents` directory.
+
+```powershell
+Start-Transcript -Path .\transcripts
+```
+
+```Output
+Transcript started, output file is C:\Users\username\Documents\.\transcripts\PowerShell_transcript.HOSTNAME.8S6RpEfN.20251105152247.txt
+```
+
 
 ## PARAMETERS
 
@@ -191,7 +204,8 @@ Accept wildcard characters: False
 ### -OutputDirectory
 
 Specifies a specific path and folder in which to save a transcript. PowerShell automatically assigns
-the transcript name.
+the transcript name. If you use a relative path, the path is relative to your `Documents` directory
+on Windows.
 
 ```yaml
 Type: System.String

reference/7.4/Microsoft.PowerShell.Host/Start-Transcript.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 external help file: Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost.dll-Help.xml
 Locale: en-US
 Module Name: Microsoft.PowerShell.Host
-ms.date: 01/06/2025
+ms.date: 11/05/2025
 online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.host/start-transcript?view=powershell-7.4&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
 schema: 2.0.0
 title: Start-Transcript
@@ -100,6 +100,32 @@ The full path to the transcript file is stored in the `$Transcript` preference v
 information about the `$Transcript` preference variable, see
 [about_Preference_Variables](../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Preference_Variables.md#transcript).
 
+### Example 4: Start a transcript using a relative path on Windows systems
+
+When you use a relative path with the **OutputDirectory** parameter on Windows, the path is relative
+to your `Documents` directory.
+
+```powershell
+Start-Transcript -Path .\transcripts
+```
+
+```Output
+Transcript started, output file is C:\Users\username\Documents\.\transcripts\PowerShell_transcript.HOSTNAME.8S6RpEfN.20251105152247.txt
+```
+
+### Example 5: Start a transcript using a relative path on non-Windows systems
+
+When you use a relative path with the **OutputDirectory** parameter on non-Windows systems, the path is relative
+to your home directory.
+
+```powershell
+Start-Transcript -Path ./transcripts
+```
+
+```Output
+Transcript started, output file is /home/username/./transcripts/PowerShell_transcript.hostname.ift21QeV.20251105151236.txt
+```
+
 ## PARAMETERS
 
 ### -Append
@@ -192,7 +218,8 @@ Accept wildcard characters: False
 ### -OutputDirectory
 
 Specifies a specific path and folder in which to save a transcript. PowerShell automatically assigns
-the transcript name.
+the transcript name. If you use a relative path, the path is relative to your `Documents` directory
+on Windows. On Linux and macOS, the path is relative to your home directory.
 
 ```yaml
 Type: System.String

reference/7.4/Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility/Select-String.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 external help file: Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Utility.dll-Help.xml
 Locale: en-US
 Module Name: Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility
-ms.date: 06/07/2024
+ms.date: 11/05/2025
 online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/select-string?view=powershell-7.4&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
 schema: 2.0.0
 aliases:
@@ -743,9 +743,8 @@ Accept wildcard characters: False
 
 ### -Raw
 
-Causes the cmdlet to output only the matching strings, rather than **MatchInfo** objects. This is
-the results in behavior that's the most similar to the Unix **grep** or Windows **findstr.exe**
-commands.
+Causes the cmdlet to output only the matching strings, rather than **MatchInfo** objects. This
+behavior is most similar to the Unix `grep` or Windows `findstr.exe` commands.
 
 This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 7.
 

reference/7.5/Microsoft.PowerShell.Host/Start-Transcript.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 external help file: Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost.dll-Help.xml
 Locale: en-US
 Module Name: Microsoft.PowerShell.Host
-ms.date: 01/06/2025
+ms.date: 11/05/2025
 online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.host/start-transcript?view=powershell-7.5&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
 schema: 2.0.0
 title: Start-Transcript
@@ -100,6 +100,32 @@ The full path to the transcript file is stored in the `$Transcript` preference v
 information about the `$Transcript` preference variable, see
 [about_Preference_Variables](../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Preference_Variables.md#transcript).
 
+### Example 4: Start a transcript using a relative path on Windows systems
+
+When you use a relative path with the **OutputDirectory** parameter on Windows, the path is relative
+to your `Documents` directory.
+
+```powershell
+Start-Transcript -Path .\transcripts
+```
+
+```Output
+Transcript started, output file is C:\Users\username\Documents\.\transcripts\PowerShell_transcript.HOSTNAME.8S6RpEfN.20251105152247.txt
+```
+
+### Example 5: Start a transcript using a relative path on non-Windows systems
+
+When you use a relative path with the **OutputDirectory** parameter on non-Windows systems, the path is relative
+to your home directory.
+
+```powershell
+Start-Transcript -Path ./transcripts
+```
+
+```Output
+Transcript started, output file is /home/username/./transcripts/PowerShell_transcript.hostname.ift21QeV.20251105151236.txt
+```
+
 ## PARAMETERS
 
 ### -Append
@@ -192,7 +218,8 @@ Accept wildcard characters: False
 ### -OutputDirectory
 
 Specifies a specific path and folder in which to save a transcript. PowerShell automatically assigns
-the transcript name.
+the transcript name. If you use a relative path, the path is relative to your `Documents` directory
+on Windows. On Linux and macOS, the path is relative to your home directory.
 
 ```yaml
 Type: System.String

reference/7.5/Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility/Select-String.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 external help file: Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Utility.dll-Help.xml
 Locale: en-US
 Module Name: Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility
-ms.date: 06/07/2024
+ms.date: 11/05/2025
 online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/select-string?view=powershell-7.5&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
 schema: 2.0.0
 aliases:
@@ -743,9 +743,8 @@ Accept wildcard characters: False
 
 ### -Raw
 
-Causes the cmdlet to output only the matching strings, rather than **MatchInfo** objects. This is
-the results in behavior that's the most similar to the Unix **grep** or Windows **findstr.exe**
-commands.
+Causes the cmdlet to output only the matching strings, rather than **MatchInfo** objects. This
+behavior is most similar to the Unix `grep` or Windows `findstr.exe` commands.
 
 This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 7.
 

reference/7.6/Microsoft.PowerShell.Host/Start-Transcript.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 external help file: Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost.dll-Help.xml
 Locale: en-US
 Module Name: Microsoft.PowerShell.Host
-ms.date: 02/18/2025
+ms.date: 11/05/2025
 online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.host/start-transcript?view=powershell-7.6&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
 schema: 2.0.0
 title: Start-Transcript
@@ -100,6 +100,32 @@ The full path to the transcript file is stored in the `$Transcript` preference v
 information about the `$Transcript` preference variable, see
 [about_Preference_Variables](../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Preference_Variables.md#transcript).
 
+### Example 4: Start a transcript using a relative path on Windows systems
+
+When you use a relative path with the **OutputDirectory** parameter on Windows, the path is relative
+to your `Documents` directory.
+
+```powershell
+Start-Transcript -Path .\transcripts
+```
+
+```Output
+Transcript started, output file is C:\Users\username\Documents\.\transcripts\PowerShell_transcript.HOSTNAME.8S6RpEfN.20251105152247.txt
+```
+
+### Example 5: Start a transcript using a relative path on non-Windows systems
+
+When you use a relative path with the **OutputDirectory** parameter on non-Windows systems, the path is relative
+to your home directory.
+
+```powershell
+Start-Transcript -Path ./transcripts
+```
+
+```Output
+Transcript started, output file is /home/username/./transcripts/PowerShell_transcript.hostname.ift21QeV.20251105151236.txt
+```
+
 ## PARAMETERS
 
 ### -Append
@@ -192,7 +218,8 @@ Accept wildcard characters: False
 ### -OutputDirectory
 
 Specifies a specific path and folder in which to save a transcript. PowerShell automatically assigns
-the transcript name.
+the transcript name. If you use a relative path, the path is relative to your `Documents` directory
+on Windows. On Linux and macOS, the path is relative to your home directory.
 
 ```yaml
 Type: System.String

reference/7.6/Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility/Select-String.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 external help file: Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Utility.dll-Help.xml
 Locale: en-US
 Module Name: Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility
-ms.date: 06/07/2024
+ms.date: 11/05/2025
 online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/select-string?view=powershell-7.6&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
 schema: 2.0.0
 aliases:
@@ -743,9 +743,8 @@ Accept wildcard characters: False
 
 ### -Raw
 
-Causes the cmdlet to output only the matching strings, rather than **MatchInfo** objects. This is
-the results in behavior that's the most similar to the Unix **grep** or Windows **findstr.exe**
-commands.
+Causes the cmdlet to output only the matching strings, rather than **MatchInfo** objects. This
+behavior is most similar to the Unix `grep` or Windows `findstr.exe` commands.
 
 This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 7.