PowerShell: Restart a Windows Service

Need to restart a Windows service - after a config change, to clear a stuck state, or as part of routine troubleshooting? This one-liner restarts it directly from the terminal.

Prerequisites:

  • Privileges: Run as Administrator
  • Module: Built-in, no import needed

Quick Command:

Restart-Service YourServiceName -PassThru

Example Output:

Status   Name               DisplayName
------   ----               -----------
Running  YourServiceName Dell Your Service Display Name
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How It Works:

  • Restart-Service stops and starts the specified service in one step.
  • Replace YourServiceName with the service's actual Name property.
  • By default this produces no output on success. Adding -PassThru returns the service object so you can confirm the new status.

Pro Tip:

If you're not sure of a service's exact name, search for it first:

Get-Service *keyword*