Fix Services Startup Type Grayed Out On Windows 11 10

Under the Startup type, a user can select one of four options dictating how a service should behave upon startup. For example, one can choose options such as Disabled, Manual, Automatic (Delayed Start), or Automatic. Essentially, all services permitted by Windows can be modified, provided you possess the necessary administrative permissions. Nevertheless, there are circumstances where you cannot change the Startup type even with the required privileges; we will explore this later.

How does the Startup type gray out on services.msc?

Before we continue, it’s good to understand how the issue occurs on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC. All services in your Windows operating system are managed by the Service console, also known as services.msc or Services app. Each service has its specific startup type which dictates how and when the service will be launched on your computer. The table below shows the four startup types and what they do. The error occurs when you try to select the above options for a service and they become unresponsive and gray out completely. This indicates that Windows is preventing you from modifying how a certain service starts up during or after rebooting your computer.

What causes the Services Startup type to gray out?

The causes for Startup type options graying out in services.msc vary from simple ones like lack of administrative privileges to complex ones such as a corrupted Windows Service app. Before you start fixing the issue, it’s always wise to figure out the cause of a problem and narrow it down to the most probable ones to have a successful troubleshooting process. The following reasons can trigger the Startup type option to gray out in the Services console of Windows 11 or Windows 10:

Windows protects a specific service from any modification. The system protects services that if modifies can lead to the abnormal functioning of the Windows system entirely. The Startup type will always be grayed out in such cases.Services depend on each other. In many cases, for one service to function properly, it depends on another service. So, if you modify one service, it might affect other services which will trigger system malfunctioning. In that case, the service Startup type will gray out. Lack of administrative permission or privileges. If you are trying to modify the Services Startup type option without administrative privileges, some crucial services will restrict you from selecting options; it will gray out. Temporary system bugs. The Service console may be affected by glitches and bugs that affect how the app works. This is a temporary cause and it’s always fixed when the system or app reboots. Corrupted system files. If some system files that services.msc depends on are missing, broken, or generally corrupted, the Startup type will be grayed out. Viruses or malware. In very cases, viruses and malware in the system can infiltrate the Services app and make the Startup type option gray out.

How Do I Fix Services Startup Type Grayed Out on Windows 11/10?

To fix the Services Startup type if it grayed out on Windows 11 or Windows 10, restart your computer to initiate automatic repair for temporary glitches and bugs. Sometimes, primary solutions can fix computer issues that are triggered by temporary causes. If that doesn’t work, try the following solutions to fix the grayed-out services Startup type on Windows.