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Use the Services console for a visual way to start, stop, or change a service’s startup behavior; use PowerShell or sc.exe for command-line control. Stopping a service changes its current state. Disabling it changes whether Windows can start it automatically—and a disabled service cannot be started until you change its startup type.
Choose the right service action
| Action | What changes | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Runs a service that is stopped and allowed to start. | A service or feature you need is not running. |
| Stop | Stops a currently running service; its startup setting stays as it was. | For temporary troubleshooting or to end a service running now. |
| Disable | Changes the startup type so Windows will not start the service until its startup type is changed again. | Only when you have a specific reason to prevent the service from starting. |
A service may support only some control actions, and stopping one can fail if other services depend on it. Check its properties and dependencies before changing it. Record the original startup setting and change one service at a time so you can undo a change if a feature stops working.
Manage a service in the Services console
- Open Start, type
Services, and select the Services app. You can also pressWin + R, enterservices.msc, and select OK. - Find the service in the list. Check its service name and status; a display name may differ from the service name used in commands.
- Right-click the service and choose Start or Stop to change its current state, if that action is available.
- To change startup behavior, right-click the service, choose Properties, then select a setting under Startup type. Choose Disabled to prevent it from starting, or select the previous setting to restore its behavior. Select Apply and OK.
If Windows asks for administrator approval, approve it or open the console with administrative rights. Some service operations are restricted to administrators.
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Start, stop, or disable a service with PowerShell
Open PowerShell as an administrator if the operation requires elevated permissions. First identify the service’s actual service name; do not assume its display name is the name accepted by a command.
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Get-Service
Start-Service -Name "ServiceName"
Stop-Service -Name "ServiceName"
Set-Service -Name "ServiceName" -StartupType DisabledReplace ServiceName with the verified service name on your PC. Get-Service lists services and their status. Start-Service and Stop-Service change the current state. Set-Service changes properties such as startup type; use it to restore the startup type you recorded if needed. Microsoft documents these operations in its Set-Service reference.
A disabled service cannot be started until its startup type is changed to an allowed setting. If stopping a service reports that it has dependent services, do not force the change without understanding what depends on it. See Microsoft’s Stop-Service guidance.
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Use sc.exe from Command Prompt or PowerShell
sc.exe provides command-line service controls. Run the shell as an administrator when required, and substitute the service’s verified name:
sc.exe start ServiceName
sc.exe stop ServiceNameUse the documented command syntax carefully; a service name is not necessarily the same as its display name. Microsoft documents sc.exe control and configuration commands in its sc.exe reference. Because changing startup configuration is persistent, verify the target service and its dependencies before using a configuration command.
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Why a service may not appear or respond
The service is missing from Services
Not every service-like entry is listed in services.msc. Microsoft notes that per-user service templates are not displayed in the console. Their management may require policy or scripts; avoid editing the registry directly unless there is no suitable alternative. See Microsoft’s per-user services guidance.
The command is denied or fails
- Permission error: reopen the console or shell with administrator rights.
- Service name not recognized: verify the service name rather than using its display name.
- Service cannot start: check whether it is disabled; change its startup type before starting it.
- Service cannot stop: check whether the service supports stopping and whether other services depend on it.
Manage services on another computer
PowerShell supports remote service management through remote commands such as Invoke-Command, when remoting is configured and your account has the necessary permissions. Microsoft documents remote execution and service dependencies in its Stop-Service guidance. A local Services-console workflow does not by itself establish remote access.
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