Manage services on a device

Control the Windows services that are configured for a managed device. Using the Services tool see what services are on a device and:

  • stop, start or restart a service,
  • set the startup of the service as manual or automatic, and
  • set the log on credentials for the service.

This feature is only available for managed Windows devices with N-able N-central agents installed.

In the list of Windows services displayed for a managed device, the arrow icon () indicates that the service includes dependent services. Click the arrow to see what those services are.

  1. In the navigation pane, click Views > All Devices and click the Network Devices tab.
  2. Click the Name of the device.
  3. Click Tools >  Services.
  4. Click the icon in the Status column to start, pause, resume, stop, or restart the service.
  5. Click the icon in the Startup Type column to set when and how the services starts or to disable the startup.
    • Automatic (Delayed): The service begins operation following a brief delay period after the computer has finished startup operations. Note that not all Windows services support a delayed start on a device running Windows Vista or later.
    • Automatic: The service begins operation every time that the computer is started.
    • Boot: The service is a device driver started by the system loader. This value is valid only for device drivers.
    • Manual: The service begins operation only when it is explicitly started by a user.
    • Disabled: Service operations are disabled and the service will not run.
  6. Click the icon in the Log On As column to change the security identity of a service.

  7. For Local System accounts, it is strongly recommended that you do not enable the Allow service to interact with desktop feature. If you allow the service to interact with the desktop, any information that the service displays on the desktop will also appear on an interactive user's desktop. This can pose a security risk.

  8. To start or stop multiple services, click the checkbox beside the service and use the buttons at the top of the window.

    9. Buttons for various actions that cannot be performed on multiple devices simultaneously are grayed out. For example, if any of the services that are selected are currently Stopped, the Pause feature will be unavailable as a service that is stopped cannot be paused.

  9. Click OK.