A background process in an operating system that provides some specific functionality. Examples include the Server service in Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 2000 and File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks in Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows 98, both of which enable sharing of resources over the network.
Services for Windows NT and Windows 2000 are RPC-enabled and can be called from remote computers over the network. In Windows NT, users can add and remove services by using the Network utility in Control Panel, and they can control and configure services by using the Services utility. In Windows 2000, users can add and remove services by using the Add/Remove Windows Components option in Add/Remove Programs. They can control and configure services by using the Services snap-in, accessible from Administrative Tools. The following tables list the default services available for typical Windows 2000 Server and Windows NT 4.0 Server installations and indicates which services are normally installed and started automatically.
| Service | Normally Installed | Automatically Started |
| Alerter | x | x |
| Application Management | x | |
| Boot Information Negotiation Layer | ||
| Certificate Services | x | |
| ClipBook | x | |
| COM+ Event System | x | |
| Computer Browser | x | x |
| DHCP Client | x | |
| DHCP Server | x | |
| Distributed File System | x | x |
| Distributed Link Tracking Client | x | x |
| Distributed Link Tracking Server | x | |
| Distributed Transaction Coordinator | x | x |
| DNS Client | x | x |
| DNS Server | x | |
| Event Log | x | x |
| Fax Service | x | |
| File Replication | x | |
| File Server for Macintosh | x | |
| FTP Publishing Service | x | |
| IIS Admin Service | x | x |
| Indexing Service | x | |
| Internet Authentication Service | x | |
| Internet Connection Sharing | x | |
| Intersite Messaging | x | |
| IPSEC Policy Agent | x | x |
| Kerberos Key Distribution Center | x | |
| License Logging Service | x | x |
| Logical Disk Manager | x | x |
| Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service | x | |
| Message Queuing | x | |
| Messenger | x | x |
| Net Logon | x | x |
| NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing | x | |
| Network Connections | x | |
| Network DDE | x | |
| Network DDE DSDM | x | |
| Network News Transport Protocol (NNTP) | x | |
| NT LM Security Support Provider | x | |
| On-line Presentation Broadcast | ||
| Performance Logs and Alerts | x | |
| Plug and Play | x | x |
| Print Server for Macintosh | x | |
| Print Spooler | x | x |
| Protected Storage | x | x |
| QoS Admission Control (RSVP) | x | |
| QoS RSVP | x | |
| Remote Access Auto Connection Manager | x | |
| Remote Access Connection Manager | x | |
| Remote Procedure Call (RPC) | x | x |
| Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator | x | |
| Remote Registry Service | x | x |
| Remote Storage Engine | x | |
| Remote Storage File | x | |
| Remote Storage Media | x | |
| Remote Storage Notification | ||
| Removable Storage | x | x |
| Routing and Remote Access | x | |
| RunAs Service | x | x |
| Security Accounts Manager | x | x |
| Server | x | x |
| Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) | x | x |
| Simple TCP/IP Services | x | |
| Single Instance Storage Groveler | ||
| SiteServer ILS Service | x | |
| Smart Card | x | |
| Smart Card Helper | x | |
| SNMP Service | x | |
| SNMP Trap Service | ||
| System Event Notification | x | x |
| Task Scheduler | x | x |
| TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service | x | x |
| TCP/IP Print Server | x | |
| Telephony | x | |
| Telnet | ||
| Terminal Services | x | |
| Terminal Services Licensing | x | |
| Trivial FTP Daemon | ||
| Uninterruptible Power Supply | x | |
| Utility Manager | x | |
| Windows Installer | x | |
| Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) | x | |
| Windows Management Instrumentation | x | |
| Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions | x | |
| Windows Media Monitor Service | x | |
| Windows Media Program Service | x | |
| Windows Media Station Service | x | |
| Windows Media Unicast Service | x | |
| Windows Time | x | x |
| Workstation | x | x |
| World Wide Web Publishing Service | x | x |
| Service | Normally Installed | Automatically Started |
| Alerter | x | x |
| ClipBook Server | x | |
| Computer Browser | x | x |
| DHCP Client | x | |
| Directory Replicator | x | |
| EventLog | x | x |
| File Server for Macintosh | x | |
| FTP Publishing Service | x | |
| Gateway Service for NetWare | x | |
| Gopher Publishing Service | x | |
| License Logging Service | x | x |
| Messenger | x | x |
| Microsoft DHCP Server | x | |
| Microsoft DNS Server | x | |
| Net Logon | x | x |
| Network DDE | x | |
| Network DDE DSDM | x | |
| Network Monitor Agent | ||
| NT LM Security Support Provider | x | x |
| Plug and Play | x | x |
| Print Server for Macintosh | x | |
| Protected Storage | x | x |
| Remote Access Autodial Manager | ||
| Remote Access Connection Manager | ||
| Remote Access Server | x | |
| Remoteboot Service | ||
| RIP for Internet Protocol | x | |
| Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator | x | |
| Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service | x | x |
| SAP Agent | x | |
| Schedule | x | |
| Server | x | x |
| Simple TCP/IP Services | x | |
| SNMP | x | |
| SNMP Trap Service | ||
| Spooler | x | x |
| TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper | ||
| TCP/IP Print Server | ||
| Telephony Service | x | |
| UPS | x | |
| Windows Internet Name Service | x | |
| Workstation | x | x |
| World Wide Web Publishing | x |