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external help file Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Management.dll-Help.xml
Locale en-US
Module Name Microsoft.PowerShell.Management
ms.date 02/04/2026
online version https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.management/set-service?view=powershell-5.1&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
schema 2.0.0
title Set-Service

Set-Service

SYNOPSIS

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

SYNTAX

Name (Default)

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

InputObject

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

DESCRIPTION

The Set-Service cmdlet changes the properties of a service such as the Status, Description, DisplayName, and StartupType. Set-Service can start, stop, suspend, or pause a service. To identify a service, enter its service name or submit a service object. Or, send a service name or service object down the pipeline to Set-Service.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Change a display name

In this example, a service's display name is changed. To view the original display name, use Get-Service.

Set-Service -Name LanmanWorkstation -DisplayName "LanMan Workstation"

Set-Service uses the Name parameter to specify the service's name, LanmanWorkstation. The DisplayName parameter specifies the new display name, LanMan Workstation.

Example 2: Change the startup type of services

This example shows how to change a service's startup type.

Set-Service -Name BITS -StartupType Automatic
Get-Service BITS | Select-Object -Property Name, StartType, Status
Name  StartType   Status
----  ---------   ------
BITS  Automatic  Running

Set-Service uses the Name parameter to specify the service's name, BITS. The StartupType parameter sets the service to Automatic.

Get-Service uses the Name parameter to specify the BITS service and sends the object down the pipeline. Select-Object uses the Property parameter to display the BITS service's status.

Example 3: Change the description of a service

This example changes the BITS service's description and displays the result.

The Get-CimInstance cmdlet is used because it returns a Win32_Service object that includes the service's Description.

Get-CimInstance Win32_Service -Filter 'Name = "BITS"'  | Format-List  Name, Description
Name        : BITS
Description : Transfers files in the background using idle network bandwidth. If the service is
              disabled, then any applications that depend on BITS, such as Windows Update or MSN
              Explorer, will be unable to automatically download programs and other information.

Set-Service -Name BITS -Description "Transfers files in the background using idle network bandwidth."
Get-CimInstance Win32_Service -Filter 'Name = "BITS"' | Format-List  Name, Description
Name        : BITS
Description : Transfers files in the background using idle network bandwidth.

Get-CimInstance sends the object down the pipeline to Format-List and displays the service's name and description. For comparison purposes, the command is run before and after the description is updated.

Set-Service uses the Name parameter to specify the BITS service. The Description parameter specifies the updated text for the services' description.

Example 4: Start a service

In this example, a service is started.

Set-Service -Name WinRM -Status Running -PassThru
Status   Name               DisplayName
------   ----               -----------
Running  WinRM              Windows Remote Management (WS-Manag...

Set-Service uses the Name parameter to specify the service, WinRM. The Status parameter uses the value Running to start the service. The PassThru parameter outputs a ServiceController object that displays the results.

Example 5: Suspend a service

This example uses the pipeline to pause to service.

Get-Service -Name Schedule | Set-Service -Status Paused

Get-Service uses the Name parameter to specify the Schedule service, and sends the object down the pipeline. Set-Service uses the Status parameter to set the service to Paused.

Example 6: Stop a service

This example uses a variable to stop a service.

$S = Get-Service -Name Schedule
Set-Service -InputObject $S -Status Stopped

Get-Service uses the Name parameter to specify the service, Schedule. The object is stored in the variable, $S. Set-Service uses the InputObject parameter and specifies the object stored $S. The Status parameter sets the service to Stopped.

Example 7: Set the startup type for multiple services

The Set-Service cmdlet only accepts one service name at a time. However, you can pipe multiple services to Set-Service to change the configuration of multiple services.

Get-Service SQLWriter,spooler |
    Set-Service -StartupType Automatic -PassThru |
    Select-Object Name, StartType
Name      StartType
----      ---------
spooler   Automatic
SQLWriter Automatic

PARAMETERS

-ComputerName

Specifies one or more computers. For remote computers, type the NetBIOS name, an IP address, or a fully qualified domain name. If the ComputerName parameter isn't specified, the command runs on the local computer.

This parameter doesn't rely on PowerShell remoting. You can use the ComputerName parameter even if your computer isn't configured to run remote commands.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: cn

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Local computer
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Description

Specifies a new description for the service.

The service description appears in Computer Management, Services. The Description isn't a property of the Get-Service ServiceController object. To see the service description, use Get-CimInstance that returns a Win32_Service object that represents the service.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-DisplayName

Specifies a new display name for the service.

Note

Typically, Set-Service only operates on Windows services and not drivers. However, if you specify the name of a driver, Set-Service can target the driver.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: DN

Required: False
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 use the pipeline to send a service object to Set-Service.

Type: System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController
Parameter Sets: InputObject
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Name

Specifies the service name of the service to be changed. Wildcard characters aren't permitted. You can use the pipeline to send a service name to Set-Service.

Note

Typically, Set-Service only operates on Windows services and not drivers. However, if you specify the name of a driver, Set-Service can target the driver.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: Name
Aliases: ServiceName, SN

Required: True
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-PassThru

Returns a ServiceController object that represents the services that were changed. By default, Set-Service doesn't generate any output.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-StartupType

Sets the startup type of the service. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Automatic - The service is started or was started by the operating system, at system start-up. If an automatically started service depends on a manually started service, the manually started service is also started automatically at system startup.
  • Disabled - The service is disabled and cannot be started by a user or application.
  • Manual - The service is started only manually, by a user, using the Service Control Manager, or by an application.
  • Boot - Indicates that the service is a device driver started by the system loader. This value is valid only for device drivers.
  • System - Indicates that the service is a device driver started by the 'IOInitSystem()' function. This value is valid only for device drivers.

The default value is Automatic.

Type: System.ServiceProcess.ServiceStartMode
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: StartMode, SM, ST
Accepted values: Boot, System, Automatic, Manual, Disabled

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Automatic
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Status

Specifies the status for the service.

The acceptable values for this parameter are as follows:

  • Paused. Suspends the service.
  • Running. Starts the service.
  • Stopped. Stops the service.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Accepted values: Paused, Running, Stopped

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running Set-Service.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: cf

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if Set-Service runs. The cmdlet isn't run.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: wi

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

CommonParameters

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

INPUTS

System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController

You can pipe a service object to this cmdlet.

System.String

You can pipe a string that contains a service name to this cmdlet.

OUTPUTS

None

By default, this cmdlet returns no output.

System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController

When you use the PassThru parameter, this cmdlet returns a ServiceController object.

NOTES

Set-Service requires elevated permissions. Use the Run as administrator option.

Set-Service can only control services when the current user has permissions to manage services. If a command doesn't work correctly, you might not have the required permissions.

To find a service's service name or display name, use Get-Service. The service names are in the Name column and the display names are in the DisplayName column.

RELATED LINKS

Get-Service

New-Service

Restart-Service

Resume-Service

Start-Service

Stop-Service

Suspend-Service