To restart a specific service using Command Prompt, you can use the `sc` command followed by the `stop` and `start` commands, as shown in the example below.
sc stop "ServiceName" && sc start "ServiceName"
Understanding Windows Services
What are Windows Services?
Windows Services are specialized programs that run in the background of the operating system, often without any user intervention. These services can start automatically when the system boots up or be started manually, performing crucial tasks such as handling requests from other programs, managing network connections, and running scheduled tasks. Examples include the Windows Update service, which regularly updates your system, and the Print Spooler service, which manages print jobs for network printers.
Why Restart Services?
Restarting services is sometimes necessary for maintaining performance and ensuring stability. Common scenarios include:
- After updates: Some services may require a restart after the software has been updated to apply the changes effectively.
- Troubleshooting issues: If a service becomes unresponsive or has performance issues, a restart can often resolve these problems.
- Configuration changes: When configuration settings are altered, a service restart may be required to implement those settings.
Managing services through CMD provides a powerful way to control and fix these issues without needing to navigate through multiple GUI interfaces.
List Services Cmd: Mastering Service Commands Effortlessly
Getting Started with CMD
Accessing Command Prompt
To begin using the `service restart cmd`, you first need to access the Command Prompt. Here’s how:
- Using the Start Menu: Click on the Start button, type «cmd,» and select Command Prompt.
- Using the Run Dialog: Press Win + R, type «cmd,» and hit Enter.
- Using the Search Function: Press Win + S, search for «cmd,» and select the application.
Basic CMD Commands for Services
Two of the primary commands for managing services are `sc` and `net`. Understanding these commands allows you to interact with system services efficiently.
Force Reboot Cmd: A Simple Guide to Quick Restarts
Restarting a Service Using CMD
Using the `sc` Command
The `sc` command is a powerful tool for managing services. To restart a service, you will have to stop it first and then start it again. The syntax for restarting a service is as follows:
sc stop <service_name>
sc start <service_name>
For example, if you want to restart the «Spooler» service (which manages print jobs), you would use:
sc stop Spooler
sc start Spooler
This command first stops the service and then starts it again. Each command executes sequentially, ensuring that the service is fully stopped before it is restarted.
Using the `net` Command
The `net` command provides a simpler syntax for stopping and starting services. To restart a service using the `net` command, you can simply use:
net stop <service_name>
net start <service_name>
For example, to restart the «Windows Update» service, your commands would look like this:
net stop wuauserv
net start wuauserv
Note: Be cautious when stopping services that are critical to the system’s operation, as this can lead to instability or crashes.
Device Manager Cmd: Quick Tips for Command-Line Navigation
Checking Service Status
Viewing Running Services
To check the status of a specific service, you can use the `sc query` command, which allows you to view detailed information about the service’s current status. The syntax is:
sc query <service_name>
For example, to check the status of the «Spooler» service, you would use:
sc query Spooler
The output will provide a range of information, including the service state (e.g., RUNNING or STOPPED), which is critical for managing services effectively.
Listing All Services
To view all running services and their statuses, the following command can be helpful:
sc query state= all
This command lists all services, whether they are running or stopped, allowing you to quickly assess the state of the system at a glance.
Batch File Start Cmd: A Quick Guide to Mastery
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Service Fails to Restart
If a service fails to restart, it could be due to several reasons, including dependencies on other services or improper configurations. To diagnose these issues, check Event Viewer for error messages related to service startup failures. You can access Event Viewer by typing «Event Viewer» in the Start Menu, then navigate to Windows Logs > Application for relevant errors.
Permission Issues
Running the Command Prompt with insufficient permissions may cause issues when attempting to restart services. To avoid these problems:
- Right-click on the Command Prompt icon.
- Select Run as administrator.
This ensures that you have the necessary privileges to manage system services.
Mastering Netstat Cmd: Quick Tips for Network Analysis
Conclusion
Managing services with the `service restart cmd` is a crucial skill for maintaining system performance and stability. By understanding the tools available and the commands required to manage services effectively, you can ensure your system operates smoothly. Practice with real-life scenarios, and you will enhance your CMD skills significantly.
Start Cmd: Your Quick Guide to Command Basics
Additional Resources
Useful CMD Resources
For further learning, check out the official [Microsoft Documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/windows-commands). Additionally, consider exploring books focused on command line utilities and Windows management for deeper insights.
Community and Support
Participating in forums and communities, such as Stack Overflow or TechNet, can enhance your knowledge and give you access to help from experienced users. Sharing challenges and solutions with others reinforces learning and builds your proficiency.
Run Services from Cmd: A Quick Guide to Command Power
Call to Action
If you found this guide helpful, subscribe for more tips on using CMD effectively, and share your experiences with command line services. Explore and practice your skills with real-life service management scenarios, and you’ll gain confidence in no time!
Windows Service management through the command line is really a good approach when you want to manage plenty of services and perform day to day actions like stop, start and restart
I think you would agree, If I say GUI is fun for entry-level but when it comes to performing the job smartly and creating automation for efficiency. Command-line is your key
PowerShell has a lot of commands to help us manage the windows server better and create automation and do the boring (or) repetitive tasks swiftly
In this article, we are going to see How to Manage Services from the Windows Command line using PowerShell. We are going to see various examples of How to List , Stop, Start, Restart a Single Service or multiple Services.
To Manage the Services in Windows, We have a pack of Powershell commands and each does a unique job in the Windows Service Management. It helps us perform our day to day needs like Stopping, Starting, Restarting, Listing, Searching, etc
In this article, we are going to see various Windows Powershell commands such as
- Get-Sevice
- Stop-Service
- Start-Service
- Where-Object
- Restart-Service
Not just this, There are few more and look at the index to know what this article is packaged with
I am thrilled and I hope you are too. Let’s march on.
Index
- How to List the Services Windows Command Line
- How to List only Running or Stopped Services in PowerShell
- How to List a Service or Get Service by Name in Windows
- How to Search for the Service[s] by Status, DisplayName, Search String etc.
- How to Stop the Service[s] in Windows Command Line
- How to Start the Service[s] in Windows Command Line
- How to Restart the Service[s] in Windows Command Line
How to List the Services in Windows Command Line
To List, all the Services in your Windows PC or Server, Perform the Following Steps
- Open PowerShell Terminal or PowerShell ISE as Administrator
- Type
Get-Servicein the Terminal
You would be presented with all the available Services on the Windows Machine
The result would container three columns as shown below, Status, Name, and DisplayName
You can search or List a Single or Multiple Services based on any of these columns, which we will see in upcoming sections on this article.
PS C:\Users\sarav>
Get–Service
Status Name DisplayName ------ ---- ----------- Stopped AarSvc_ba23f Agent Activation Runtime_ba23f Stopped AJRouter AllJoyn Router Service Stopped ALG Application Layer Gateway Service Stopped AppIDSvc Application Identity Running Appinfo Application Information Stopped AppReadiness App Readiness Running AppXSvc AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC) Running AudioEndpointBu... Windows Audio Endpoint Builder Running Audiosrv Windows Audio Stopped autotimesvc Cellular Time Stopped AxInstSV ActiveX Installer (AxInstSV) Stopped BcastDVRUserSer... GameDVR and Broadcast User Service_... Stopped BDESVC BitLocker Drive Encryption Service
How to List only Running or Stopped Services in PowerShell
In this section we are going to see how to list the windows services based on a Specific State they are in.
To List, Either only Running and Stopped Services, PowerShell Get-Service Command can be used along with one more Filtering command named Where-Object .
It acts like a grep of Linux and it does the job so perfect and precise
So to List Running or Stopped Services in Windows Command line you should do the following
- Open PowerShell Terminal or PowerShell ISE as Administrator
- Use one of the following command based on your requirement
To List Only The Running Services
Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running" }
To List only the Stopped Services
Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Stopped" }
In fact, You can Use any of the Following State Value in place of Running or Stopped to get the Services in that State.
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ContinuePending | The service has been paused and is about to continue. |
| Paused | The service is paused. |
| PausePending | The service is in the process of pausing. |
| Running | The service is running. |
| StartPending | The service is in the process of starting. |
| Stopped | The service is not running. |
| StopPending | The service is in the process of stopping. |
For example, If you would like to Get a Service which is in Paused State then your command should be like this
Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Paused" }
How to List a Service or Get Service by Name in Windows
To List or to Get a Service by Name you have to be aware of the Name of the Service or at least a part of the Service name as we can use * wildcard to find the rest.
To List or to Get Service by Name do the following
- Open PowerShell Terminal or PowerShell ISE as Administrator
- Use the following
Get-Servicethe command along with a-Name(or)-DisplayNameparameter
To List a Service named Jenkins I can use any of the following commands and Be informed that Service Name is Case Insensitive
Get-Service -Name jenkins (or) Get-Service -Name jenkins (or) Get-Service -DisplayName jenkins (or) Get-Service -Name JEnKins (or) Get-Service -DisplayName JEnKins (or) Get-Service -Name jen*s
How to Search for the Service[s] by More Filters
Sometimes, Our requirement would not be simpler as we think, It might get complicated when we get a requirement like
We might have to list (or) restart all the tomcat instances running on the server and exclude instance which contains a Specific String in its name
Let’s Suppose, that we have a Windows Server with N number of Tomcat Services (instances) and they are named after their Environment name they belong to like dev, uat etc. like Dev_Tomcat1, Test_Tomcat2, Uat_Tomcat4 and so on.
Now to list only the DEV and UAT instances and not SIT we would have to use some more filters other than just Name or DisplayName
Here are some examples related to this type of scenario.
# All these examples made based on the presence of # Environment Names `SIT` `UAT` `Dev` in the Service Name of # Service Display Name # The Search is By Default CASE INSENSITIVE # Find Tomcat Instances belong to Test Environment Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*" -Include "*Test*" (or) Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*" -Include "*tEst*" ---- # Find All Tomcat Instances EXCEPT the ones belong TEST Environment Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*" -Exclude "*Test*" ---- # You can also add STATUS Filter into this command Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*" -Exclude "*Test*"|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}
We have so far seen, how to list the services in windows machine (PC or Server) using the Powershell command line.
Now we are going to see, How to Stop the Service[s] in Windows PowerShell Command Line
Now let us Split this Part into two as follows
- How to Stop a Single Service by Name
- How to Stop One or More Services matching the Query (or) Search term
Despite you are stopping a Single Service or Multiple Services. You have to first list the Services with Get-Service with necessary Filters like -Name or Status etc.
Once the result is presented, With the help of pipe | symbol you pass all the services to an another Command called Stop-Service
Stop-Service command is responsible to stop the service (or) Services
Simply put, to Stop the Service or Services. You just need to list it first and make sure thats what you want to be stopped and then redirect it to Stop-Service with the help of pipe
Here are some of Windows Stop Service Example commands
# Simply Stop the Service named Jenkins Get-Service -Name Jenkins|Stop-Service --- # Stop all Running Services Get-Service|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|Stop-Service --- # List and Stop All Running *Tomcat* Services Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*"|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|Stop-Service --- # List and Stop All Running Tomcat Services, # Only Production, No DEV, UAT, SIT ( We Presume Display Name Contains the Environment Name) Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*" -Exclude "*DEV*" "*SIT*" "*UAT*"|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|Stop-Service
How to Start the Service[s] in Windows Command Line
Now we are going to see, How to Start the Service[s] in Windows PowerShell Command Line
Despite you are Starting a Single Service or Multiple Services. You have to first list the Services with Get-Service with necessary Filters like -Name or Status etc.
Once the result is presented, With the help of pipe | symbol you pass all the services to another Command called Start-Service
Here are some of Windows Start Service from Command Line examples
# Simply Stop the Service named Jenkins Get-Servicec -Name Jenkins|
Start-Service
--- # Stop all Running Services Get-Service|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|
Start-Service
--- # List and Stop All Running *Tomcat* Services Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*"|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|
Start-Service
--- # List and Stop All Running Tomcat Services, # Only Production, No DEV, UAT, SIT ( We Presume Display Name Contains the Environment Name) Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*" -Exclude "*DEV*" "*SIT*" "*UAT*"|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|
Start-Service
How to Restart the Service[s] in Windows Command Line
We have just learned how to Stop and Start the services, Now it is a time to learn How to Restart Service from Windows Command Line
To Restart windows Service Command Line do the following
- Open PowerShell Terminal or PowerShell ISE as Administrator
- Use the following
Get-Servicethe command along with a-Name(or)-DisplayNameparameter and List the Services you want to be restarted - In the same Command add a
pipe |symbol at the suffix along with a commandRestart-Service
To Restart Windows Service from Command Line, First we need to list the services that we want to be restarted using Get-Service we can customize and Search for the Services you want using Get-Service parameters like Name and DisplayName , Status etc
Once we have the list ready with Single or Multiple Services that we want to restart.
We can use another command, Given dedicatedly to restart services named Restart-Service
In most cases, we would like to have more control on the Restart process, in such cases, you can try to Stop and Start the services using Stop-Service and Start-Service commands rather directly using Restart-Service
Here are few examples of How to restart the Service in Windows Command Line
# Simply Stop the Service named Jenkins Get-Servicec -Name Jenkins|
Restart-Service
--- # Stop all Running Services Get-Service|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|
Restart-Service
--- # List and Stop All Running *Tomcat* Services Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*"|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|
Restart-Service
--- # List and Stop All Running Tomcat Services, # Only Production, No DEV, UAT, SIT ( We Presume Display Name Contains the Environment Name) Get-Service -DisplayName "*Tomcat*" -Exclude "*DEV*" "*SIT*" "*UAT*"|Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}|
Restart-Service
So This is how Windows PowerShell commands help us to manage the Windows services from Command line, We learned how to List, stop, start and restart windows services from command line
With this command line, We can stop, start, restart Multiple services at once in bulk that’s what I like the most about it.
If you have any questions for me. Please feel free to comment
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Rumen Lishkov
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on August 15, 2010
We normally use Services.msc to start or stop or disable or enable any service. We can do the same from windows command line also using net and sc utilities. Below are commands for controlling the operation of a service.
Command to stop a service:
net stop servicename
To start a service:
net start servicename
You need to have administrator privileges to run net start/stop commands. If you are just a normal user on the computer, you would get an error like below.
C:\>net start webclient System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied. C:\>
To disable a service:
sc config servicename start= disabled
To enable a service:
sc config servicename start= demand
To make a service start automatically with system boot:
sc config servicename start= auto
Note: Space is mandatory after ‘=’ in the above sc commands.
This SC command works on a Windows 7 machine and also on the down-level editions of Windows i.e Windows XP/2003 and Windows Vista. Again, if you do not have administrator previliges you would get the below error.
C:\>sc config webclient start= auto [SC] OpenService FAILED 5: Access is denied.
Note that the service name is not the display name of a service. Each service is given a unique identification name which can be used with net or sc commands. For example, Remote procedure call (RPC) is the display name of the service. But the service name we need to use in the above commands is RpcSs.
So to start Remote procedure call service the command is:
net start RpcSsTo stop Remote procedure call service
net stop RpcSs
These service names are listed below for each service. The first column shows the display name of a service and the second column shows the service name that should be used in net start or net stop or sc config commands.
| Display Name of the service | ServiceName which should be used with ‘net’ and ‘sc config’ commands. |
| Alerter | Alerter |
| Application Layer Gateway Service | ALG |
| Application Management | AppMgmt |
| ASP.NET State Service | aspnet_state |
| Windows Audio | AudioSrv |
| Background Intelligent Transfer Service | BITS |
| Computer Browser | Browser |
| Bluetooth Support Service | BthServ |
| Bluetooth Service | btwdins |
| SMS Agent Host | CcmExec |
| Indexing Service | CiSvc |
| ClipBook | ClipSrv |
| .NET Runtime Optimization Service v2.0.50727_X86 | clr_optimization_v2.0.50727_32 |
| COM+ System Application | COMSysApp |
| Cryptographic Services | CryptSvc |
| Cisco Systems, Inc. VPN Service | CVPND |
| DCOM Server Process Launcher | DcomLaunch |
| DHCP Client | Dhcp |
| Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service | dmadmin |
| Logical Disk Manager | dmserver |
| DNS Client | Dnscache |
| Lenovo Doze Mode Service | DozeSvc |
| Error Reporting Service | ERSvc |
| Event Log | Eventlog |
| COM+ Event System | EventSystem |
| Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Event Log | EvtEng |
| Fast User Switching Compatibility | FastUserSwitchingCompatibility |
| Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0 | FontCache3.0.0.0 |
| Group Policy Monitor | GPMON_SRV |
| Help and Support | helpsvc |
| HID Input Service | HidServ |
| HTTP SSL | HTTPFilter |
| ThinkPad PM Service | IBMPMSVC |
| Windows CardSpace | idsvc |
| IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service | ImapiService |
| iPassConnectEngine | iPassConnectEngine |
| iPassPeriodicUpdateApp | iPassPeriodicUpdateApp |
| iPassPeriodicUpdateService | iPassPeriodicUpdateService |
| IviRegMgr | IviRegMgr |
| Server | lanmanserver |
| Workstation | lanmanworkstation |
| Lenovo Camera Mute | LENOVO.CAMMUTE |
| Lenovo Microphone Mute | Lenovo.micmute |
| TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper | LmHosts |
| Intel(R) Management and Security Application Local Management Service | LMS |
| McAfee Framework Service | McAfeeFramework |
| McAfee McShield | McShield |
| McAfee Task Manager | McTaskManager |
| Machine Debug Manager | MDM |
| Messenger | Messenger |
| NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing | mnmsrvc |
| Distributed Transaction Coordinator | MSDTC |
| Windows Installer | MSIServer |
| Net Driver HPZ12 | Net Driver HPZ12 |
| Network DDE | NetDDE |
| Network DDE DSDM | NetDDEdsdm |
| Net Logon | Netlogon |
| Network Connections | Netman |
| Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service | NetTcpPortSharing |
| Network Location Awareness (NLA) | Nla |
| NT LM Security Support Provider | NtLmSsp |
| Removable Storage | NtmsSvc |
| Microsoft Office Diagnostics Service | odserv |
| Office Source Engine | ose |
| Plug and Play | PlugPlay |
| Pml Driver HPZ12 | Pml Driver HPZ12 |
| IPSEC Services | PolicyAgent |
| Power Manager DBC Service | Power Manager DBC Service |
| Protected Storage | ProtectedStorage |
| Remote Access Auto Connection Manager | RasAuto |
| Remote Access Connection Manager | RasMan |
| Remote Desktop Help Session Manager | RDSessMgr |
| Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Registry Service | RegSrvc |
| Routing and Remote Access | RemoteAccess |
| Remote Registry | RemoteRegistry |
| Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator | RpcLocator |
| Remote Procedure Call (RPC) | RpcSs |
| QoS RSVP | RSVP |
| Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiFi Service | S24EventMonitor |
| Security Accounts Manager | SamSs |
| Smart Card | SCardSvr |
| Task Scheduler | Schedule |
| Secondary Logon | seclogon |
| System Event Notification | SENS |
| Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) | SharedAccess |
| Shell Hardware Detection | ShellHWDetection |
| Print Spooler | Spooler |
| System Restore Service | srservice |
| SSDP Discovery Service | SSDPSRV |
| Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) | stisvc |
| System Update | SUService |
| MS Software Shadow Copy Provider | SwPrv |
| Performance Logs and Alerts | SysmonLog |
| Telephony | TapiSrv |
| Terminal Services | TermService |
| Themes | Themes |
| ThinkVantage Registry Monitor Service | ThinkVantage Registry Monitor Service |
| Telnet | TlntSvr |
| On Screen Display | TPHKSVC |
| Distributed Link Tracking Client | TrkWks |
| TVT Scheduler | TVT Scheduler |
| Windows User Mode Driver Framework | UMWdf |
| Intel(R) Management & Security Application User Notification Service | UNS |
| Universal Plug and Play Device Host | upnphost |
| Uninterruptible Power Supply | UPS |
| Volume Shadow Copy | VSS |
| Windows Time | W32Time |
| WebClient | WebClient |
| Windows Management Instrumentation | winmgmt |
| Portable Media Serial Number Service | WmdmPmSN |
| Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions | Wmi |
| WMI Performance Adapter | WmiApSrv |
| Security Center | wscsvc |
| Automatic Updates | wuauserv |
| SMS Remote Control Agent | Wuser32 |
| Wireless Zero Configuration | WZCSVC |
| Network Provisioning Service | xmlprov |
Table of Contents
In this tutorial, we will see 3 ways to start/stop/restart services in Windows. Services are mostly required when you need to have some long running functionality in your Server. As you might be aware Microsoft Windows has number of services running at any point of time. A service is basically a long running executable applications that run in their own Windows sessions. You can run services in multiple user contexts. You don’t have to necessarily use the logged in user account. A service can be started, stopped and restarted. In Windows System, you can use multiple methods to stop/start/restart service that we will see in below section. More on Microsoft official website.
Also Read: VBoxManage — An Introduction to VirtualBox CLI with Examples
Method 1: Using CMD
a) Open CMD
You can go to search box and type CMD to open the command line. Once it shows up, right click on it and then click on Run as administrator.
b) Start/Stop/Restart a Service
If you want to start a service then you need to use net start <service> command. Here we are starting Windows Update services by using net start wuauserv command as shown below.
C:\>net start wuauserv
The Windows Update service is starting.
The Windows Update service was started successfully.
If you want to stop a service then you need to use net stop <service> command. Here we are stopping Windows Update service by using net stop wuauserv command as shown below.
C:\>net stop wuauserv
The Windows Update service is stopping.
The Windows Update service was stopped successfully.
In CMD, there is no such option called restart so what you can do is that you can perform net stop <service_name> and net start <service_name> simultaneously as shown below. This will work as if you have restarted the service.
C:\>net stop wuauserv && net start wuauserv
The Windows Update service is stopping.
The Windows Update service was stopped successfully.
The Windows Update service is starting.
The Windows Update service was started successfully.
Method 2: Using PowerShell
a) Open PowerShell
You can go to search box and type PowerShell. Once it shows up, right click on it and then click on Run as administrator.
b) Start/Stop/Restart a Service
If you want to start a windows service then you need to use Start-Service -Name <service_name> command. You can also check the progress by using -Verbose option.
PS C:\> Start-Service -Name wuauserv -Verbose
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Start-Service" on target "Windows Update (wuauserv)".
If you want to stop a windows service then you need to use Stop-Service -Name <service_name> command. You can also check the progress by using -Verbose option.
PS C:\> Stop-Service -Name wuauserv -Verbose
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Stop-Service" on target "Windows Update (wuauserv)".
If you want to restart a windows service then you need to use Restart-Service -Name <service_name> command. You can also check the progress by using -Verbose option.
PS C:\> Restart-Service -Name wuauserv -Verbose
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Restart-Service" on target "Windows Update (wuauserv)".
Method 3: Using GUI
a) Open Services
You can open Run prompt by pressing Windows+R and then typing services.msc to open Services or you can directly search services.msc in the Search section to open Services. Once it shows up, right click on it and then select Run as administrator.
b) Start/Stop/Restart a Service
You can double click and open the service as shown below. Then Click on Start to start the service. The other way is to right click on that service and then start from there.
Similarly if you want to stop any service then double click on that service and open it as shown below. Here you can click on Stop to stop the service. Alternatively, you can also right click on that service and then Click on Stop to shutdown the service.
You will also have the option to restart the service. For example here I am restarting the Windows Event Log service by clicking on Restart as shown below. Alternatively, you can also right click on that service and then click on Restart.
In this post, we will be discussing the topic of how to Enable or Disable Services and how to Start, Stop, Refresh and Restart Services in Windows 11 or Windows 10 using PowerShell, Command Prompt, Task Manager and Net Command.
Windows Services are applications that typically start when the computer is booted and run quietly in the background until it is shut down. Essentially, a service is any Windows application that is implemented with the services API and handles low-level tasks that require little or no user interaction.
The Windows OS when installed and running on your device, actually does a great job of automatically managing services, but sometimes you may need to manually enable or disable a service on demand. Keep in mind that if you disable a service, any dependent services are also affected; and enabling a service does not automatically restart its dependent services.
All Windows Services can be accessed after opening the Windows Services Manager and you can Start, Stop, Disable Windows Services using it.
But you can also use PowerShell and Command Prompt to manage Services.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable and disable services. It is not recommended to disable services unless you know what functions will be affected, and how the system performance will be impacted generally. If you disable a service and you’re unable to access your computer, you can boot into Safe Mode to enable the service.
Before making changes to the services, we recommend you create a system restore point as a necessary precautionary measure in case the procedure causes system malfunction, you can be able to perform System Restore using the restore point to undo the changes.
Use Task Manager to Stop, Restart or Start Windows Services
You can also Stop, Restart or Start Services using the Task Manager.
Open the Services tab, right-click on the Service and you will see the available options.
Enable or Disable Windows Services using PowerShell
To enable or disable Services using PowerShell in Windows 11/10, do the following:
- Press Windows key + X to open Power User Menu.
- Tap A on the keyboard to launch PowerShell (Windows Terminal) in admin/elevated mode.
- In the PowerShell console, type or copy and paste in the command below and hit Enter to check the current state of all Services:
Get-Service | Format-Table -Auto
To Enable a Service, type the command below you want into the PowerShell console and hit Enter:
Note: Substitute the ServiceName placeholder in each of the commands with the actual service name you want to enable or disable.
(Automatic (Delayed Start))
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType AutomaticDelayedStart
OR
(Automatic)
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType Automatic
OR
(Manual)
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType Manual
To Enable and Start a Service, type the command below you want into the PowerShell console and hit Enter:
(Automatic (Delayed Start))
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType AutomaticDelayedStart -Status Running
OR
(Automatic)
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType Automatic -Status Running
OR
(Manual)
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType Manual -Status Running
To Stop and Disable a Service, type the command below into the PowerShell console and hit Enter:
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType Disabled -Status Stopped
- Exit PowerShell when done.
Enable or Disable Windows Services using Command Prompt
To enable or disable Services using Command Prompt in Windows 11/10, do the following:
- Press Windows key + X to open Power User Menu.
- Tap A on the keyboard to open Windows Terminal in admin/elevated mode.
- Select Command Prompt.
- In the CMD prompt console, type or copy and paste in the command below and hit Enter to check the current state of all Services:
sc queryex state=all type=service
To Enable a Service, type the command below you want into the CMD prompt console and hit Enter:
Note: Substitute the ServiceName placeholder in each of the commands with the actual service name you want to enable or disable.
(Automatic (Delayed Start))
sc config "ServiceName" start=delayed-auto
OR
(Automatic)
sc config "ServiceName" start=auto
OR
(Manual)
sc config "ServiceName" start=demand
To Enable and Start a Service, type the command below you want into the CMD prompt console and hit Enter:
(Automatic (Delayed Start))
sc config "ServiceName" start=delayed-auto && sc start "ServiceName"
OR
(Automatic)
sc config "ServiceName" start=auto && sc start "ServiceName"
OR
(Manual)
sc config "ServiceName" start=demand && sc start "ServiceName"
To Stop and Disable a Service, type the command below into the CMD prompt console and hit Enter:
sc stop "ServiceName" && sc config "ServiceName" start=disabled
- Exit Command Prompt when done.
That’s it!
You must be signed in as an administrator to start, stop, or restart service. Also, you will not be able to start a disabled service until you enable the service.
Start, Stop, or Restart Windows Services using PowerShell
To Start, Stop, or Restart Services in PowerShell in Windows 11/10, do the following:
- Open PowerShell (Windows Terminal) in admin/elevated mode.
To Start a Service, type the command below you want into the PowerShell console and hit Enter:
Note: Substitute the ServiceName and DisplayName placeholder in each of the commands with the actual service name and display name respectively for the Service you want to Start, Stop, or Restart.
Start-Service -Name "ServiceName"
OR
Start-Service -DisplayName "DisplayName"
To Stop a Service, type the command below you want into the PowerShell console and hit Enter:
Stop-Service -Name "ServiceName"
OR
Stop-Service -DisplayName "DisplayName"
To Restart a Service, type the command below you want into the PowerShell console and hit Enter:
Restart-Service -Force -Name "ServiceName"
OR
Restart-Service -Force -DisplayName "DisplayName"
- Exit PowerShell when done.
To Start, Stop, or Restart Services in Task Manager in Windows 11/10, do the following:
- Open Task Manager.
- Click/tap on the Services tab.
- Now, right-click or press and hold on a Service.
- Click/tap on Start, Stop, or Restart.
Note: Start will only be available if the service status is currently stopped. Stop and Restart will only be available if the service status is currently running.
- Exit Task Manager when done.
Start, Stop, or Restart Windows Services using Net Command
To Start, Stop, or Restart Services using Net Command in Windows 11/10, do the following:
- Open Windows Terminal in admin/elevated mode.
- Select Command Prompt or PowerShell.
To Start a Service, type the command below you want into the console and hit Enter:
Note: Substitute the ServiceName and DisplayName placeholder in each of the commands with the actual service name and display name respectively for the Service you want to Start, Stop, or Restart.
net start ServiceName
OR
net start "DisplayName"
To Stop a Service, type the command below you want into the console and hit Enter:
net stop ServiceName
OR
net stop "DisplayName"
- Exit Windows Terminal when done.
Start, Stop, or Restart Services using Command Prompt
To Start, Stop, or Restart Services using Command Prompt in Windows 11/10, do the following:
- Open Windows Terminal in admin/elevated mode.
- Select Command Prompt.
To Start a Service, type the command below into the CMD prompt console and hit Enter:
Note: Substitute the ServiceName placeholder in each of the commands with the actual service name for the Service you want to Start, Stop, or Restart.
sc start ServiceName
To Stop a Service, type the command below into the CMD prompt console and hit Enter:
sc start ServiceName
- Exit Command Prompt when done.
How to Refresh a Windows Service?
When you refresh any Windows Service, the contents are re-read into the memory and the changes are reflected the next time the service is accessed. Here’s how you can Refresh a Service:
- Open Services Manager
- Locate the Service you want to refresh
- Right-click on it and select Refresh.
That’s it! Hope you find this post informative and helpful enough.
Read: Services Start, Stop or Startup type grayed out in Windows
What Microsoft startup services can I disable?
There are a couple of Windows 11/10 Services that are safe to disable, including:
- AVCTP service – Disable it if you do not use Bluetooth Audio Device or Wireless Headphones.
- BitLocker Drive Encryption Service – disable it if you do not use BitLocker storage encryption.
- Bluetooth Support Service – Disable it if you do not use any Bluetooth device
- Computer Browser – This will then disable Network discovery of systems on the local network
- Connected User Experiences and Telemetry – Disables Feedback, Telemetry and Data Collection
- Diagnostic Policy Service
- Etc.
Read: Services Start, Stop or Startup type grayed out in Windows
What happens if I disable all Microsoft services?
For example, the wireless services control your Wi-Fi card and if you disable that service, you may be unable to wirelessly connect your Windows 11/10 to a network. Intel has quite a few services which never really hog system resources. Lastly, any graphics card services should remain enabled.
HOT TIP: Windows 11 Repair and Recovery Tool is available FREE for now; go get it while you can as you never know when you may need it!