Before running this
This is a reference for CMD; commands do not run on this page. Use the matching shell on your own computer. Read the example, expected result and notes before trying it. New to terminals? Start with the shell basics.
Syntax
UPPERCASE words are placeholders to replace. Brackets in the syntax line describe optional arguments; do not type those brackets literally.
sc.exe query [SERVICE_NAME] [type= TYPE] [state= STATE]Example
sc.exe query W32Time
sc.exe query type= service state= allExpected result
Windows Time status, then service records including inactive services. Results depend on installed services and permissions; a running state is not a complete application-health test.
Notes and traps
Keep the space after type= and state=. Use the internal service name, which may differ from the display name. sc.exe is explicit so the command is not confused with a shell alias in Windows PowerShell. Query is read-only; other sc.exe subcommands can change or delete services.
Try it
Why might plain sc.exe query show fewer services than state= all? Compare its W32Time state with Get-Service on the same machine.
Answer and reasoning
The default enumeration selects active services; state= all includes inactive ones. Both interfaces ask about service state and should agree when observed at the same time, but they format results differently. Neither proves that the service's higher-level function succeeds.
Related commands
Related tasks may need different flags and have different semantics. Check the entry before translating a command between shells.
Official reference ↗Updated 14 September 2026. Microsoft reference reviewed 14 September 2026; CMD/Windows execution unavailable.