Restart-Service

Stops and then starts one or more services.

Syntax

Restart-Service [-Name] <string[]> [-Exclude <string[]>] [-Force] [-Include <string[]>] [-PassThru] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]

Restart-Service -DisplayName <string[]> [-Exclude <string[]>] [-Force] [-Include <string[]>] [-PassThru] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]

Restart-Service [-InputObject <ServiceController[]>] [-Exclude <string[]>] [-Force] [-Include <string[]>] [-PassThru] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Restart-Service cmdlet sends a stop message and then a start message to the Windows Service Controller for a specified service. If a service was already stopped, it is started without notifying you of an error. You can specify the services by their service names or display names, or you can use the InputObject parameter to pass an object that represents each service that you want to restart.

Parameters

-DisplayName <string[]>

Specifies the display names of services to be restarted. Wildcards are permitted.

Required?	true
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Exclude <string[]>

Omits the specified services. The value of this parameter qualifies the Name parameter. Enter a name element or pattern, such as "s*". Wildcards are permitted.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Force

Overrides restrictions that prevent the command from succeeding, just so the changes do not compromise security. For example, Force will stop and restart a service that has dependent services.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Include <string[]>

Restarts only the specified services. The value of this parameter qualifies the Name parameter. Enter a name element or pattern, such as "s*". Wildcards are permitted.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-InputObject <ServiceController[]>

Specifies ServiceController objects that represent the services to be restarted. Enter a variable that contains the objects, or type a command or expression that gets the objects.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByValue)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Name <string[]>

Specifies the service names of the services to be restarted.

Required?	true
Position?	1
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByValue, ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-PassThru

Returns an object that represents the service. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before executing the command.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-WhatIf

Describes what would happen if you executed the command without actually executing the command.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

<CommonParameters>

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

Inputs and Outputs

The input type is the type of the objects that you can pipe to the cmdlet. The return type is the type of the objects that the cmdlet returns.

Inputs

System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController, System.String

You can pipe a service object or a string that contains a service name to Restart-Service.

Outputs

None or System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController

When you use the PassThru parameter, Restart-Service generates a System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController object that represents the restarted service. Otherwise, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Notes

Restart-Service can control services only when the current user has permission to do so. 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 appears in the Name column, and the display names appear in the DisplayName column.

Example 1

C:\PS>restart-service wmi

This command restarts the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service on the local computer.

Example 2

C:\PS>restart-service -displayname net* -exclude "net logon"

This command restarts the services that have a display name that begins with "Net", except for the "Net Logon" service.

Example 3

C:\PS>get-service net* | where-object {$_.Status -eq "Stopped"} | restart-service

This command starts all of the stopped network services on the computer.

It uses the Get-Service cmdlet to get objects representing the services whose service name begins with "net". (The optional Name parameter name is omitted.) The pipeline operator (|) sends the services object to the Where-Object cmdlet, which selects only the services with a status of "stopped." Another pipeline operator sends the selected services to Restart-Service. In practice, you would use the WhatIf parameter to see the effect of the command before using it.