Which Windows 11 services can you safely disable?

Windows 11 runs many background services. Some are essential to the operating system, while others are tied to features you may never use. Each one takes a bit of memory and processing power, and some even send or receive data quietly in the background. Although Windows 11 is smart enough to start many services only when they’re needed, you still have the option to take control and stop the ones you don’t want running. Setting unnecessary services to manual or disabling them can cut down background activity and make your system a bit more responsive. Yet, this is something you should only do with lots of care, as turning off the wrong services could make you lose features you depend on. In this guide, I’ll show you which Windows 11 services are safe to disable, explain what each one does, and tell you the safest startup setting for it. Without wasting any more time, let’s begin:

What you should know before changing how Windows 11 services start

Before making any changes, it’s important to create a system restore point. If something stops working after you tweak a service, you can revert to the previous state without headaches. If you don’t know how to do that, check out this guide: What is System Restore and 4 ways to use it. Create a system restore point prior to disabling services Also, make sure you know how to open the Services window, change the startup type, and check the dependencies of a service before touching it. These are basic skills you need to avoid unwanted problems. For more help, you can read this guide to understand service dependencies. The services listed below are part of Windows 11 as of 2025. You may not see all of them on your computer, because some are included only in specific editions (like Pro or Enterprise) or are available only if you have certain hardware.

The Windows 11 services that are safe to disable

Let’s see what Windows services might not be necessary, and which of them you can disable without ruining your computing experience or causing your system to crash. I recommend that you read everything below before making any decisions: Services in Windows 11

• AllJoyn Router Service: Allows Windows to communicate with nearby Internet of Things devices using the AllJoyn framework. Unless you have devices that rely on this, you can set it to Manual.
• AssignedAccessManager Service: Used for Kiosk Mode, which locks a device to a single app. If you don’t use this feature, you can set it to Manual or Disabled.
• BitLocker Drive Encryption Service: Manages BitLocker, Microsoft’s full-disk encryption. If you don’t use BitLocker, it’s safe to set it to Manual.
• Bluetooth Audio Gateway Service & Bluetooth Support Service & Bluetooth User Support Service: These handle Bluetooth devices and features like headset audio. If your computer doesn’t have Bluetooth, set these services to Manual.
• Certificate Propagation: Copies certificates from smart cards to the Windows certificate store. If you don’t use smart cards, you can set this to Disabled.
• Connected User Experiences and Telemetry: Sends diagnostic and usage data to Microsoft. Disabling it stops telemetry collection. If you value privacy, you can set it to Disabled.
• Diagnostic Policy Service & Diagnostic Service Host & Diagnostic System Host: Enable Windows troubleshooters to detect and fix problems. If you never use them, you can set these to Manual, but keep in mind you’ll lose automated diagnostics.
• Downloaded Maps Manager: Lets apps like Maps access offline maps. If you don’t use offline maps, set it to Manual.

Offline maps in Windows 11

• Encrypting File System: EFS provides file encryption technology for storing encrypted data on NTFS file systems. If you don’t use file encryption, set it to Manual.
• Fax: Lets you send and receive faxes through a fax modem or fax-capable device. If you don’t use faxing, set it to Disabled.
• Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service: iSCSI is an acronym for Internet Small Computer System Interface - an IP-based storage networking standard for linking data storage facilities. It allows client computers to access data over long distances on remote data centers, by using existing infrastructure (ex. over LAN, Internet). iSCSI devices are disks, tapes, CDs, and other storage devices on another networked computer that you can connect to. Sometimes, these storage devices are part of a network called a storage area network (SAN). Unless you need to connect to iSCSI devices, set this service to Disabled.
• Natural Authentication: A service that uses information such as the time, network, geolocation, or Bluetooth connections to offer support for Dynamic Lock and Device Unlock. If you do not intend to use such features, set it to Manual.

• Netlogon: This service is not needed on a home computer. It maintains a secure channel between the local computer and the domain controller for authenticating users. If your computer is not part of a domain, set it to Manual.
• Network Connected Devices Auto-Setup: Automatically finds and installs network devices. If you don’t want this, set it to Manual.
• Offline Files: Caches files from network shares for offline use. Not needed unless you use this feature, so set it to Disabled.
• Parental Controls: Used for monitoring and restricting child accounts. If you don’t use Microsoft Family features, set it to Manual.
• Payments and NFC/SE Manager: Manages payments and NFC-based transactions. If your device doesn’t have NFC, set it to Manual.
• Phone Service: Manages the telephony state on your device and might be used by some VoIP apps. If you don’t use such apps, set it to Manual.
• Print Spooler: Manages print jobs. If you don’t print and you don’t use virtual printers such as Microsoft Print to PDF, set it to Manual.

The Microsoft Print to PDF virtual printer

• Remote Desktop Configuration & Remote Desktop Services & Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector: Enable Remote Desktop connections to your PC. If you don’t use Remote Desktop, set them to Manual.
• Remote Registry: Allows remote users to access the Windows Registry. It’s disabled by default and safest left Disabled.
• Retail Demo Service: Enables you to enter your Windows 11 device in a so-called Retail Demo experience mode. This is used by retailers who want to give customers a demo for how Windows 11 works. It is doubtful any home user would want that, so set it to Disabled.
• Routing and Remote Access Service: Provides routing and VPN dial-in. If you don’t use these, set it to Disabled.

• Secondary logon: Lets you run apps with different credentials. If you’re the only user, set it to Manual.
• Smart Card & Smart Card Device Enumeration Service & Smart Card Removal Policy: Smart Cards are used for safety reasons in large organizations or corporations. The typical home user does not need these services running, so it’s safe to set them to Disabled.
• Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service: Enables on-screen keyboard and handwriting input. If you don’t use a touchscreen, set to Disabled, but note that some apps may need it, so Manual is safer.

The on-screen keyboard in Windows 11

• Windows Connect Now: Helps connect to wireless networks using WPS. If you don’t use WPS, set it to Manual.
• Windows Error Reporting Service: Sends crash reports to Microsoft. Although disabling this service does not affect your Windows 11 computer, letting it run when needed may help you solve problems and issues that occur on your system, by searching solutions available from Microsoft. Still, if you don’t want that, set it to Manual.
• Windows Insider Service: Used if you’re enrolled in the Insider Program. If you’re not, set it to Disabled.
• Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service: is used by Windows to share libraries from your computer with other players or media devices in your network. If you don’t need it, you can set this service to Disabled.
• Windows Mobile Hotspot Service: Shares your internet connection over Wi-Fi. If you don’t use this, set it to Manual.
• Work Folders: Syncs work files from a corporate server. If you’re not in such an environment, set it to Disabled.
• Xbox Accessory Management Service & Xbox Live Auth Manager & Xbox Live Game Save & Xbox Live Networking Service: Used for Xbox integration and services. If you don’t use the Xbox features present in Windows 11, set them to Disabled.

Manual or Disabled? Which is safer?

In most cases, the safest choice is to set unneeded services to Manual. That way, they won’t run unless Windows actually needs them. Disabled is best reserved for features you’re certain you’ll never use, now or in the future. Changing service startup types can free up resources, but don’t expect huge performance gains, as Windows 11 already optimizes many services to run only when required. Always make changes one at a time and see how your system behaves. If something stops working, revert that service to its previous setting. And remember: if in doubt, don’t fiddle with it. Before you go, I’m curious to know whether you have already tried disabling any of these services on your Windows 11 PC. Which ones worked well for you, and did you notice any improvements? Share your experience in the comments below. Your feedback might help other readers decide which services to keep and which to turn off.