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I would like to change the display name of a windows service that has already been created. I have read online that I can just alter the value in the registry. If I alter it in the registry and then relaunch my services window, the new name does not seem to be reflected. I assume if I restart my computer this new name will be reflected but I need a solution that will show up immediately with out having to restart my computer.

Here is an example:

I launch services.exe and right-click on the service I want to change and click properties. In the properties window I see the service name as service1 and the display name as service1. I go into the registry and navigate to

HKLM\system\CurrentControlSet\services\service1.

In here there is a field called DisplayName that is set to service1. I go and change this value to Some Name. After changing this value I relaunch services and I still see service1. When I go to properties of service1, I still see the display name as service1 and not Some Name.

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  • Have you tried rebooting? What Windows version are you using?
    – Doktoro Reichard
    Oct 9, 2013 at 22:33

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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You can do this with the SC command. For example, to rename the Themes service to Theme Manager, open a command prompt with administrator rights. Type

sc config Themes DisplayName= "Theme Manager"

Note the space between the equal sign and the new name. This is mandatory.

If you refresh the services console, you'll see the change. No need to reboot beforehand.

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  • It seemed like everywhere I looked, people were saying the SC command could not change the display name of a service so I never went and actually looked at the sc command closer. But, this command worked with flying colors! Thanks so much!
    – user972276
    Oct 10, 2013 at 12:34
  • Seconded. This works great!
    – sws
    Nov 20, 2013 at 14:29
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    As a side note for others: if the new name contains spaces, it is also mandatory to enclose it in parenthesis (like in the example above), otherwise it won't work.
    – informatik01
    May 2, 2015 at 19:53
  • Note, this does NOT change the names "sc" uses for future commands. Rather, it only changes how it appears in Services gui. To change the name to use with "sc", use the regedit technique described by @Nikola-Dimitrijevic
    – macetw
    Aug 17, 2017 at 20:37
  • @macetw Not sure what you mean. It changes the display name of the service, which is what the question was about. The service name is something else entirely.
    – Patrick Seymour
    Aug 17, 2017 at 22:26
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Even you were close you have done it wrong. :)

First navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services In the LEFT pane, select the Service key you want to rename, press F2 and enter the name you want

If you have enum subkey when you expand main key, just delete it as it will be recreated upon restart

enter image description here

The DisplayName subkey can be changed, but you dont have to do that. Usually you will change it to follow the changed Service name

Now restart the computer

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  • WIN10Pro 1809: you must change the DisplayName key on the right, otherwise the displayname in "services" app is not changed.
    – Echeban
    Apr 23, 2020 at 23:33

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