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When you turn on your computer, hundreds of small programs may start running in the background. These programs provide much of the functionality your computer needs to operate, even though you may never directly interact with them.

If you’ve ever opened Task Manager in Windows, you’ve probably noticed a long list of processes running on your computer. Some of them may be familiar, while others might be programs you’ve never heard of. So how does Windows know which programs to launch, when to launch them, and how to keep them running?

This is where Windows services come in.

What Is a Windows Service?

A service is a program that can run in the background on a Windows computer without requiring a user to manually launch it.

Programs can be started at different points in time. Some launch when the computer starts. Others launch when a user logs in. Still others may start when you open a particular application.

The problem is that some programs need to run regardless of whether a particular user is logged into the computer.

For example, you may have a program that needs to be running as soon as the computer starts. You don’t want to wait for someone to log in and manually launch it.

That’s one of the purposes of services.

A program can be configured as a service so that it can start automatically and continue running in the background.

Services Can Start Automatically

Windows provides different startup options for services.

Some services can be configured to start automatically when the computer starts. Others can be started manually when they’re needed. There are also services that are configured to start automatically but with a delay.

This gives Windows flexibility in determining when programs should start and how they should operate.

You can see these settings directly on a Windows computer.

Open the Windows menu and search for Services. This opens the Windows Services console, where you’ll find a list of services configured on the machine.

The console provides information about each service, including its description, whether it is currently running, and its startup type.

Services Can Run Without You Launching Them

One of the interesting things about services is that many of them may already be running even though you haven’t opened them yourself.

You might see services running under different accounts, including local services, local system accounts, and network services.

This is important because these programs aren’t necessarily tied to the user sitting at the computer. They’re designed to provide functionality that the system or other programs may need.

That’s what makes services different from simply opening a program yourself.

Why Services Matter

Think about everything your computer needs to do in the background.

There are programs providing functionality to the operating system, programs supporting networking, and programs that need to be available even when nobody is actively using the computer.

If every one of those programs required a user to manually launch it, managing a computer would become extremely difficult.

Services provide a way to have those programs running in the background when they’re needed.

They help make sure that important functionality is available when the system needs it—not just when a user remembers to start a particular program.

What About Linux and UNIX?

Windows isn’t the only operating system that uses background services.

Linux and UNIX systems have similar functionality, although they use different terminology. The programs that are launched as services on Linux or UNIX systems are commonly referred to as daemons.

The terminology is different, but the basic idea is similar: programs can run in the background to provide functionality without requiring a user to manually launch them.

Seeing Services for Yourself

If you’re using Windows, take a look at the Services console on your own computer.

You’ll probably find a long list of services, many of which are already running. You can examine their descriptions and startup types to get a better idea of what’s happening behind the scenes.

The next time you open your computer and everything seems to simply work, remember that there’s a lot happening in the background. Services are one of the mechanisms Windows uses to keep those programs running and provide the functionality your computer depends on.

Understanding services is another important piece of building your foundational IT knowledge—because learning what’s happening behind the scenes helps you understand how computers actually work.