Beginner’s Guide to Safely Configure / Disable Windows 7 Services

We have posted service guides for Windows XP and Windows Vista in past and now its turn of Windows 7. In this tutorial we'll learn about the services which are not essential and can be safely set to MANUAL to speed up your system:

STEP 1. Right-click on Computer icon on desktop and select Manage, it'll open a new window. Now go to Services & Applications -> Services. You can also open the same from Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. Or you can directly open "Services" list by providing services.msc command in RUN or Start Menu search box.

STEP 2. Now you can set the unnecessary services to DISABLED or MANUAL. Just double-click on any service and select the desired option in Startup type list box.

NOTE 1: Always set the service to MANUAL, never disable it, so that whenever Windows needs to start a service, it can easily start and use it. If you set any service to DISABLED, Windows will not be able to start it and will give some error messages.

NOTE 2: You can set Remote Registry service to DISABLED for Security purposes.

Here is a list of services that can be safely set to MANUAL/DISABLED:

  • Computer Browser (If your computer is not connected to any network)
  • Desktop Window Manager Session Manager (If you don't use Aero glass theme)
  • Diagnostic Policy Service
  • Distributed Link Tracking Client (If your computer is not connected to any network)
  • IP Helper (If you don't use IPv6 connection)
  • Offline Files
  • Portable Device Enumerator Service
  • Print Spooler (If you don't have a Printer)
  • Protected Storage
  • Remote Registry
  • Secondary Logon
  • Security Center
  • Server (If your computer is not connected to any network)
  • Tablet PC Input Service
  • TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper (If you are not in a workgroup network)
  • Themes ( If you use Windows Classic theme)
  • Windows Error Reporting Service
  • Windows Media Center Service Launcher
  • Windows Search (If you don't use Windows Search feature frequently)

PS: You can see the details of each service to determine whether you should disable it or not.

Further read:

Master Tutorial to Make Windows 7 Super Fast

Also Check:

Beginner's Guide to Safely Configure / Disable Windows 8 / 8.1 Services

Beginner's Guide to Safely Configure / Disable Windows 10 Services





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Posted in: Windows 7


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Comments

  • Joebob

    Are all of these processes being changed to manual 100% not going to screw anything up with my computer?I need this to do school work and if it crashes or something, I'll be screwed. I'll leave the processes involving the network or internet the way they are.

  • VG

    ^^ As mentioned in the NOTE, if a service is set to manual, Windows will be able to start it whenever required.

  • Helen

    Hi.
    When I rt click on the computer icon & select "manage", I get an error msg that says:
    "The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it." So I can't get the "services" window to open. HELP! please. Thank you.

  • VG

    ^^ Try to directly launch it by using services.msc command in RUN or Start Menu search box.

  • Helen

    Hi. I was finally able to try what you suggested (I have a crazy schedule, so I haven't been able to work on my computer since I last posted). I tried the services.msc command in both places & got the same response for both attempts, which is also the same response as my previous post: "The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it." Also, I'm trying to uninstall Ad Aware & it keeps crashing & saying I have to be an administrator, which I am on my computer. I've tried from the normal windows "uninstall" list of programs, as well as going to the program itself & clicking uninstall. That didn't work either. Get the same message as above. I right-clicked on "run as administrator" on the uninstall app & also get the same message. Never used to do that before. Any other suggestions?

    Thank you so much. Really appreciate your help.

  • VG

    ^^ Try with built-in Administrator account:

    http://www.askvg.com/how-to-enable-activate-hidden-administrator-account-in-windows-vista/

  • David

    Make sure that you have a current system restore point available prior to following these recommendations. Worked ok on my desktop.

  • Charles Stepp

    Excellent list. Chanced it and manualized the wmi stuff which got rid of WmiPrvSE.exe (there were 2) which was burning 32% cpu. Awesome. Great list.

  • Armond

    Great article!
    But I don't see something called "Windows Media Center Service Launcher" even after using Windows Media Center in Windows 7 Ultimate.
    Thanks so much anyway.

  • Mark ptc

    HI. Thanks for the list, I have already disabled some of those services in msconfig but adding a few more will help my aneamic celeron-powered netbook to run somewhat smoother. If it wasn't for ULV CPU and long battery life I would get rid of that lappy ages ago :)

  • prince

    hello , i followed everything . i made it all manual the things you told me but when i applied it i can no longer play my game HoN , for some reason. and i dont know the default of these services anymore :/ please help me! need help.. tnx

  • VG

    ^^ Simply check the mentioned services again and set them to Automatic.

  • Abdul Moeez

    Thank You. After closing these services my cpu usage goes to 10 %

  • Abdul Moeez

    Go to task manager open service & then click service on the bottom, This is the shortest way & easy Way

  • Marcus

    If they start as required can't these all be set to manual?

  • VG

    ^^ No. Never set all services to manual. It might make Windows unbootable. Some services are required to be set to Automatic.

  • deema

    Strongly disagree that several should be set to Manual. Including your example. Remote Registry. That thing should NEVER be on, never be ALLOWED to be turned on, unless you are someone that knows what they are doing. It is a huge layer of protection, especially for those that constantly use public hotspots.

    This service should be shut down and have its permissions altered. While it is true that the clever "hacker" doesn't need it to infect or pull data from or control etc, , with the power they become a remote admin that can "go anywhere, do anything", invisibly, using Windows' own built in blunders to completely evade capture from security sweeps...

    It is like a super bonus pack for the bad guy if available, and provide ZERO beneficial functionality for the average end user. Regular folks will never use it, and admins should use other methods to remotely manage client machines

  • deema

    Oh... Oops. You got me. (You may want to bolden and underline the (Always disable it for Security purposes) and place it in the "Note" section, as it is contradictory otherwise... And I may not be the only one to initially miss that disable message in the list below the Note. Always set the service to MANUAL, never disable is a blanket statement. Not out of the realm of possibility that someone would remember "VG's good advice" in the highlighted "note" section, and miss the more important part of disabling the one service that you kinda only "mention in passing"... dunno. Whatevs. But they should without question be placed in the same paragraph, not not....

  • VG

    ^^ I have modified the information. Thanks for your suggestion. :)

  • viren

    HOW TO DISABLE REMOTE REGISTRY ? STEP-BY-STEP PLEASE.

  • Armond

    @viren,
    If I remember correctly it is disabled by default in Windows 7. Don't worry about it.
    Anyway I'll try to instruct you:
    Open the Start menu, right-click on the Computer icon, Select Manage, Scrol down and expand Services and Applications, select services. You will find RemoteRegistry on the right side. Double-click it, and set the startup type to disabled.
    Hope this Helps.

  • Armond

    Hi VG,
    OK. So I tried to instruct a user, I have a question.:)
    Well, I have Office 2010 retail. I see when I set the Office Software Protection Platform Service to manual it seams my Word 2010 still works and don't complain about activation or something else.
    So do you think it's safe to set Office Software Protection Platform Service to manual, or even disable it?
    Thanks!

  • qmlg

    Sorry, I saw Remote Registry can be disable for security purpose few times ago. Now, it shows to set manual. Where the right?

  • Mephisto

    By disabling unnecessary services, the performance can be improved significantly, especially on computers with low system resources ,
    Easy service optimizer (Eso) is a portable freeware to optimize almost all Windows services (except windows 98 and below) and It does not require any technical knowledge , It is very safe to use because it changes only the startup typ of the services and You can restore them easilysordum.org/8637/easy-service-optimizer-v1-0

  • john Stephens

    Please help me installing services and configuring services

  • Brady

    Hi,
    Just discovered this blog/site. I'm new to this sort of thing :)
    My question is when you refer to the Network , do you mean the World Wide Web, or just within ones own home/business?
    Thanks

  • VG

    ^^ If your computer is connected to a network of computers.

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