Set-Service

Starts, stops, and suspends a service, and changes its properties.

Syntax

Set-Service
   [-Name] <String>
   [-DisplayName <String>]
   [-Description <String>]
   [-StartupType <ServiceStartMode>]
   [-Status <String>]
   [-PassThru]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]
Set-Service
   [-DisplayName <String>]
   [-Description <String>]
   [-StartupType <ServiceStartMode>]
   [-Status <String>]
   [-InputObject <ServiceController>]
   [-PassThru]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Set-Service cmdlet changes the properties of a local or remote service. This includes the status, description, display name, and start mode. You can use this cmdlet to start, stop, or suspend, or pause, a service. To identify the service, enter its service name or submit a service object, or pipe a service name or service object to Set-Service .

Examples

Example 1: Change a display name

PS C:\> Set-Service -Name "lanmanworkstation" -DisplayName "LanMan Workstation"

This command changes the display name of the lanmanworkstation service to LanMan Workstation. The default is Workstation.

Example 2: Change the startup type of services

PS C:\> Get-WMIObject win32_service -Filter "name = 'SysmonLog'"



ExitCode  : 0

Name      : SysmonLog

ProcessId : 0

StartMode : Manual

State     : Stopped

Status    : OK

PS C:\> Set-Service -Name "sysmonlog" -StartupType automatic

PS C:\> Get-WMIObject win32_service -Filter "name = 'SysmonLog'"

ExitCode  : 0

Name      : SysmonLog

ProcessId : 0

StartMode : Auto

State     : Stopped

Status    : OK



PS C:\> Get-WMIObject win32_service | Format-Table Name, StartMode -auto



Name                                  StartMode

----                                  ---------

AdtAgent                              Auto

Alerter                               Disabled

ALG                                   Manual

AppMgmt                               Manual

...

These commands get the startup type of the Performance Logs and Alerts (SysmonLog) service, set the start mode to automatic, and then display the result of the change.

These commands use the Get-WmiObject cmdlet to get the Win32_Service object for the service, because the ServiceController object that Get-Service returns does not include the start mode.

The first command uses the Get-WmiObject cmdlet to get the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) object that represents the SysmonLog service. The default output of this command displays the start mode of the service.

The second command uses Set-Service to change the start mode to automatic. Then, the first command is repeated to display the change.

The final command displays the start mode of all services on the computer.

Example 3: Change the description of a service

PS C:\> Set-Service -Name "Schedule" -Description "Configures and schedules tasks."

PS C:\> Get-WMIObject win32_service | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq "Schedule"} | Format-List Name, Description

These commands change the description of the Task Scheduler service and then display the result.

These commands use the Get-WmiObject cmdlet to get the Win32_Service object for the service, because the ServiceController object that Get-Service returns does not include the service description.

The first command changes the description. It identifies the service by using the service name of the service, Schedule.

The second command uses the Get-WmiObject cmdlet to get an instance of the WMI Win32_Service that represents the Task Scheduler service. The first element in the command gets all instances of the Win32_service class.

The pipeline operator (|) passes the result to the Where-Object cmdlet, which selects instances with a value of Schedule in the Name property.

Another pipeline operator sends the result to the Format-List cmdlet, which formats the output as a list that has only the Name and Description properties.

Example 4: Start a service

PS C:\> Set-Service -Name "winrm" -Status Running -PassThru

This command starts the WinRM service. The command uses the Status parameter to specify the desired status, which is running, and the PassThru parameter to direct Set-Service to return an object that represents the WinRM service.

Example 5: Suspend a service

PS C:\> Get-Service -Name "schedule" | Set-Service -Status paused

This command suspends the Schedule service. It uses Get-Service to get the service. A pipeline operator (|) sends the service to Set-Service , which changes its status to Paused.

Example 6: Stop a service

PS C:\> $s = Get-Service -Name "schedule"

PS C:\> Set-Service -InputObject $s -Status stopped

These commands stop the Schedule service.

The first command uses Get-Service to get the Schedule service. The command stores the service in the $s variable.

The second command changes the status of the Schedule service to Stopped. It uses the InputObject parameter to submit the service stored in the $s variable, and it uses the Status parameter to specify the desired status.

Example 7: Change credential of a service

PS C:\> $credential = Get-Credential

PS C:\> Set-Service -Name "schedule" -Credential $credential

These commands changes credentials of the Schedule service.

The first command uses Get-Credential to get the new credentials. The command stores the credentials in the $credential variable.

The second command changes the credentials of the Schedule service.

Required Parameters

-Name

Specifies the service name of the service to be changed. Wildcard characters are not permitted. You can also pipe a service name to Set-Service .

Type: String
Aliases: ServiceName, SN
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False

Optional Parameters

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type: SwitchParameter
Aliases: cf
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Credential

Specifies the credentials under which the service should be run.

Type: PSCredential
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Description

Specifies a new description for the service.

The service description appears in Services in Computer Management. Description is not a property of the ServiceController object that Get-Service gets. To see the service description, use Get-WmiObject to get a Win32_Service object that represents the service.

Type: String
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-DisplayName

Specifies a new display name for the service.

Type: String
Aliases: DN
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-InputObject

Specifies a ServiceController object that represents the service to change. Enter a variable that contains the object, or type a command or expression that gets the object, such as a Get-Service command. You can also pipe a service object to Set-Service.

Type: ServiceController
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-PassThru

Returns objects that represent the services that were changed. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Type: SwitchParameter
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-StartupType

Specifies the start mode of the service. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Automatic. Start when the system starts.
  • Manual. Starts only when started by a user or program.
  • Disabled. Cannot be started.
Type: ServiceStartMode
Aliases: StartMode, SM, ST
Parameter Sets: Automatic, Manual, Disabled
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Status

Specifies the status for the service. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Running. Starts the service.
  • Stopped. Stops the service.
  • Paused. Suspends the service.
Type: String
Parameter Sets: Running, Stopped, Paused
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type: SwitchParameter
Aliases: wi
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

Inputs

System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController, System.String

You can pipe a service object or a string that contains a service name to Set-Service.

Outputs

System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController

This cmdlet does not return any objects.

Notes

  • To use Set-Service on Windows Vista and later versions of the Windows operating system, start Windows PowerShell by using the Run as administrator option.
  • Set-Service can control services only when the current user has permission to do this. If a command does not work correctly, you might not have the required permissions.
  • To find the service names and display names of the services on your system, type Get-Service . The service names appear in the Name column and the display names appear in the DisplayName column.