Some of the core Windows operating systems run services. File Explorer, printing, Windows Updates, Windows Search, and others are all powered and controlled by services. By design, some services start automatically when Windows starts. Others are also designed to only start on demand. Few services will start when triggered or delayed until after all other services are started. Some services also have dependent or child services. When you stop a parent service, the child or dependent service will also be stopped. Enabling a parent service might not necessarily enable a child or dependent service. These are some of the basic information you need to know about Windows services.
Services startup types in Windows 11
As mentioned above, services are important for Windows to function smoothly. However, there might be times when you’ll need to manually enable or disable a service on demand. These are the different ways services are started in Windows:
Automatic – A service in this state will always start at boot time when Windows starts. Automatic (Delayed Start) – A service in this state will start just after boot time when other important services are started. Automatic (Delayed Start, Trigger Start) – A service in this state will start just after boot when specifically triggered by other services or apps. Manual (Trigger Start) – Services in the state will start when specifically triggered by other services or apps or when there are “too many services running all the time”. Manual – Manual service state allows Windows to start a service only on demand or when started manually by a user or service especially acting with user interactions. Disabled – This setting will stop a service from starting, even if needed.
To see how a start is started, stop, or changed, continue below.
How to enable services in Windows 11
Now that you know the different startup types for service in Windows, let’s see how it’s done. First, start the services app. You can do that many ways: One way is to click the Start button, then search for Services, under Best match, and select Services App as highlighted below, Alternatively, press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run command box. Then type the commands below and press Enter. Once the Services app opens, you should see a similar screen to the one below. You must be signed in as an administrator to enable and disable services. To change a service startup type, double-click on the service you want to enable or disable to open its properties page. On the service properties windows, you can change the service startup type to Automatic or Automatic (Delayed Start). Click the Apply button, then OK to apply your changes and exit the properties window. You can restart your computer to start the service when Windows boots, or click the Start button under Service status to start the service immediately.
How to disable a service in Windows 11
If you want to disable a service, simply open the service properties windows, then click the Stop button. Next, change the service Startup type to Disabled or Manual and click the Apply button, then OK to apply your changes and exit the service properties window.
How to enable or disable a service from the command prompt in Windows 11
The same steps above can be done from the Command Prompt with few commands. First, you’ll want to open the Command Prompt as administrator. Then run the commands below to enable service: Automatic: Automatic (Delayed Start) Stop and disable a service: Manual: Replace the service name with the name of the service you want to enable or disable That should do it! Conclusion: This post showed you how to enable or disable a service in Windows 11. If you find any error above or have something to add, please use the comment form below.
