How to List All Windows Services using PowerShell or Command Line

Whether you’re a system administrator, developer, or just troubleshooting your PC, there are times when you need a quick list of all the services running (or not running) on your Windows machine. Good news: you don’t need to click through Services.msc. You can pull it all up fast using PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Here’s how.

✅ Using PowerShell

PowerShell gives you full control and flexibility. Here are the top ways to list services.

1. List All Services

Get-Service

This displays a list of all services with their status (Running, Stopped), display name, and service name.

2. Filter Running Services Only

Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}

Want to see only what’s currently active? This command filters the output to just running services.

3. Export Services to a CSV File

Get-Service | Export-Csv -Path "C:\services_list.csv" -NoTypeInformation

Useful if you need to keep a record or analyze services later in Excel.

4. Sort Services by Status or Name

Get-Service | Sort-Object Status, DisplayName

Organizes the list for easier reading, grouping by service status and then alphabetically.

⚡ Using Command Line (CMD)

If you prefer the classic Command Prompt, here are your go-to commands.

1. List All Services

sc query state= all

This shows every service, including status, binary path, and more. Note: there’s a space after state=.

2. List Only Running Services

sc query | find "RUNNING"

This gives you a simpler, faster view of just the active services.

3. Save the Output to a File

sc query state= all > C:\services_list.txt

Perfect for documentation or audit purposes.

🛠️ Bonus: Use tasklist for a Quick Look at Running Processes

While not exactly the same as services, this command is handy:

tasklist

It shows active processes, including services that run as separate processes like svchost.exe.

Final Thoughts

Listing Windows services doesn’t have to involve a GUI. Whether you’re scripting automation or doing a quick health check, PowerShell and CMD give you powerful ways to view and manage what’s happening behind the scenes.

Got a favorite command or need help scripting something more advanced? Drop a comment or reach out — I’d love to hear what you’re working on.

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!