Set-​Service

Syntax

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

Set-Service
   [-Name] <String>
   [-ComputerName <String[]>]
   [-Confirm]
   [-Description <String>]
   [-DisplayName <String>]
   [-PassThru]
   [-StartupType <ServiceStartMode>]
   [-Status <String>]
   [-WhatIf]
   [<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" -ComputerName "S1" -Description "Configures and schedules tasks."
PS C:\> Get-WMIObject win32_service -ComputerName "s1" | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq "Schedule"} | Format-List Name, Description

These commands change the description of the Task Scheduler service on the S1 remote computer 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 on a remote computer

PS C:\> Set-Service -Name "winrm" -Status Running -PassThru -ComputerName "Server02"

This command starts the WinRM service on the Server02 computer. 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 on remote computers

PS C:\> Get-Service -Name "schedule" -ComputerName "S1", "S2" | Set-Service -Status paused

This command suspends the Schedule service on the S1 and S2 remote computers. 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 on the local computer

PS C:\> $s = Get-Service -Name "schedule"
PS C:\> Set-Service -InputObject $s -Status stopped

These commands stop the Schedule service on the local computer.

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.

Required Parameters

Optional Parameters

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.

Related Links

• Get-Service
• New-Service
• Restart-Service
• Resume-Service
• Start-Service
• Stop-Service
• Suspend-Service