As Microsoft continues modernizing the Windows ecosystem, legacy components are...
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As Microsoft continues modernizing the Windows ecosystem, legacy components are being phased out in favor of more secure, streamlined, and maintainable technologies. One of the latest casualties is WMIC (Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line Utility), a long standing command line tool relied on by administrators for system management, scripting, and remote automation.
With the upcoming Windows 11 25H2 update, Microsoft has confirmed that WMIC will be removed entirely. If you’re in IT operations, cybersecurity, configuration management, or automated deployment workflows, this change matters.
This post breaks down what WMIC is, why Microsoft is removing it, what recommended replacements look like, and what IT teams must do now to prepare.
What Is WMIC? A Quick Refresher
WMIC is a command line interface for Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), enabling administrators to:
- Query system information
- Manage processes and services
- Retrieve hardware details
- Automate administrative tasks
- Interact with remote hosts
Examples of common WMIC commands:
wmic cpu get name
wmic product get name, version
wmic disdrive list brief
For decades, WMIC has been a versatile tool across enterprise environments, scripts, and old automation frameworks.
But WMIC stopped receiving enhancements years ago, and Microsoft is now completing its full deprecation.
Why Microsoft Is Removing WMIC
Microsoft has been very clear: WMIC is outdated and has been superseded by PowerShell.
Key reasons for removal:
1. PowerShell Is the Modern Successor
PowerShell cmdlets such as Get-WmiObject and Get-CimInstance cover all WMI functionality and more.
PowerShell offers:
- Object based output
- Remote management via WinRM
- More secure execution policies
- Better cross platform support
2. WMIC Has Been Deprecated Since Windows 10
Microsoft marked WMIC as deprecated in Windows 10 version 21H1.
The removal in Windows 11 25H2 is simply the final stage.
3. Security and Maintainability
WMIC relies on older APIs and protocols that make long term support difficult.
Eliminating legacy components:
- Reduces attack surface
- Simplifies OS maintenance
- Boosts system reliability
What Will Still Work After WMIC Is Removed?
Microsoft clarified that:
- WMI itself (the underlying technology) remains fully supported.
- You can still query WMI via PowerShell, VBScript, C#, Python, etc.
- Only the WMIC.exe command line utility is being removed.
This means all enterprise systems relying on WMI based data will continue to function, they just can’t use WMIC as the shell wrapper.
What IT Teams Must Do Now
1. Audit Scripts, RMM Tools, and Automation
Check for any usage of WMIC inside:
- PowerShell scripts
- Batch files
- Deployment pipelines
- SCCM/Intune scripts
- RMM/Monitoring tools (NinjaOne, ConnectWise, N-able)
filename
wmic ...
that workflow must be updated.
2. Replace WMIC Commands With PowerShell Equivalents
Here are direct replacements:
Get CPU Information
WMIC:
wmic cpu get name
PowerShell:
Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name
List Installed Programs
WMIC:
wmic product get name,version
PowerShell:
Get-WmiObject Win32_Product | Select-Object Name, Version
(Or better: query the registry to avoid slow MSI enumeration.)
Query Disk Information
WMIC:
wmic diskdrive list brief
PowerShell:
Get-CimInstance Win32_DiskDrive | Select-Object Model, Size3. Update Documentation and Internal Knowledge Bases
Anywhere internal procedures reference WMIC, they need to be revised before Windows 11 25H2 rollout.
4. Test Scripts in a 25H2 Preview VM
Don’t wait until production breaks, validate everything in a controlled environment.
How This Affects Enterprise Deployments
For SysAdmins
Legacy scripts may fail silently during Win11 upgrades.
For Cybersecurity Teams
Incident response playbooks often include WMIC queries. These must be replaced immediately.
For DevOps & Automation Engineers
CI/CD pipelines, testing tools, and provisioning scripts must be updated before 25H2 lands.
For MSPs and IT Support Teams
Automated maintenance scripts on customer systems may break, causing ticket spikes.
Being proactive here avoids chaos.
Call to Action
Are you preparing your environment for the Windows 11 25H2 changes?
Drop a comment or message with your environment setup, and I’ll help you map out a migration plan, convert WMIC scripts to PowerShell, or build a full compatibility checklist.
Let’s modernize your automation stack together smoothly, proactively, and securely.
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