7 ways to open the Services application in Windows 11

There are countless Windows services and third-party software running in the background on your PC. Those services are small programs with very specific functions. You cannot launch services like normal software, and many of them start automatically.

Windows includes a Services application with which you can turn services on and off, and configure many other settings for them. So you may need to open that application now and many times afterwards to check if the required Windows services are enabled or not. You can open Services using the different methods below.

1. Open Services with Run

Run is a Windows tool for launching built-in tools and applications. So it’s a tool that many users use to open built-in Windows applications. You can open Services with Run like this.

• You can launch Run by pressing Win + CHEAP (or by selecting its shortcut on the menu WinX).
• Import services.msc in the text box of Run.

• Click OK to display the window Services.

2. Open Services with the search engine

Windows 11’s search utility can also be useful when opening built-in apps and third-party programs. Once you’ve found the file or application using the search engine, you can open the file or application from here. Here’s how to launch Services with the Windows 11 search box.

• To open the search box, press the keyboard shortcut Win + WILL comfortable.
• Enter keywords services in the search engine text box.
• Choose Services in the search widget.

• You can also click the option Run as administrator for application Services over there.

3. Access Services from Computer Management

Computer Management is a component of Windows that brings together many system management tools. For example, it includes Task Scheduler, Event Viewer, Performance and Device Manager, etc. You can also access Services in Computer Management as follows.

• Right click on the menu button Start and choose option Computer Management.

• Click the little arrow next to Services and Applications.
• Then choose Services to open it in Computer Management as shown in the snapshot directly below.

4. Open Services through Windows Terminal (PowerShell and Command Prompt)

Windows Terminal is an application for using command line tools, such as PowerShell and Command Prompt. That application replaces the Windows Console in Microsoft’s latest desktop platform. You can open services with Command Prompt and PowerShell through Windows Terminal. To do so, follow these quick steps.

• Press Win + XD to open the menu WinX.
• Choose Windows Terminal (Admin) on that menu.
• To select a command line utility, click the down arrow button. Then you can choose Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell on the menu Open a new tab.

• Import services.msc in tab Command Prompt or PowerShell and press the key Enter.

5. Open Services via the Start menu

The Start menu in Windows 11 does not have a direct Services application shortcut. However, the Windows Tools folder on that menu includes many of the platform’s built-in tools. You can open Services from there like this.

• Click the Start menu taskbar button.
• Choose All apps on the Start menu.
• Scroll down menu to folder Windows Tools.

• Click Windows Tools to view its contents.
• Then select Services from there.

6. Open Services with a desktop shortcut

Many users will certainly want the Services application to be immediately accessible on the desktop. You can set up a desktop shortcut to open Services in a few easy steps. Here’s how to set up a shortcut in Windows 11.

• Right click on any empty space on the desktop to select New.
• Click Shortcut on the submenu.
• Import services.msc in the item location textbox as shown in the screenshot below.

• Choose next to continue to the last step.
• Import Services in the name box and click the . button Finish.

Now, you can click the Services shortcut on the desktop to open that application. It’s a shortcut that you can also pin to the taskbar or Start menu. To do so, right click on the . icon Services and choose Show more options. Then you can choose the option Pin to taskbar or Pin to Start. However, you cannot choose to pin the shortcut in both places.

7. Open Services with hotkey

A desktop shortcut can become a keyboard hotkey if you spend some time tinkering with it. You can assign hotkey to shortcut Services on the desktop like any other custom keyboard shortcut. If you do, you will be able to display Services at any time by pressing the key combination Ctrl + Alt. Here is what you need to do to open Services with hotkey.

• More shortcuts Services to the Windows 11 desktop as stated for the previous method.
• Right click on the . icon Services to select a context menu option Properties.
• Next, click inside the text box Shortcut to place the text cursor there.
• Press S to set up hotkey Ctrl + Alt + WILL give Services.

• Choose Apply to save the new keystroke.
• Press OK to close the window Properties.

Now you can try out your new Hotkey Services. Press the key combination Ctrl + Alt + WILL to display the Services window. You can always change that hotkey to another key via the Shortcut tab if you want.

That hotkey won’t work if you delete the Services shortcut on the desktop. To set up hotkeys without first setting up desktop shortcuts, you will need a third-party application. WinHotKey is a freeware application suitable for setting up new keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11.