How to Disable or Enable Windows Installer Service in Windows 11 or 10 [msiserver]

You are able to Disable and Enable Windows Installer Service in Windows 11 or 10 aka msiserver using Services console, Command prompt, and Registry editor. Basically, the service works to store application setup along with installation information. Moreover, it helps to track the location of groups of files, registry entries, and shortcuts that are already installed in your system. Apart from this, msiserver can add, modify and remove applications, features, and many other things.

As msiserver manages all the installation processes of Windows 11 or 10, things become difficult if the service becomes faulty. In that case, you may need to disable or enable Windows Installer Service. If you keep it in disabled state, services depending on Windows Installer will not start properly. You may also conflict with several errors such as Windows installer service could not be accessed.

Table of Contents

Ways to Disable or Enable Windows Installer Service in Windows 11 AND 10

Here is How to Disable or Enable Windows Installer Service in Windows 11 or 10 –

Use Service Console

Step-1: Right-click on Start button and select Run from the visible list.

Step-2: When the dialog appears, type Services.msc in the provided text field and hit the Enter key.

Step-3: Locate Windows Installer on Services console. Once found, right click on the same and select Properties.

Step-4: This will open the General tab by default. Click on the dropdown hereabouts Startup type and select Automatic.

Step-5: Hover the cursor to Service status section and click Start button in order to enable Windows Installer Service.

Step-6: If you want to disable the service, simply click the Stop button.

Step-7: Finally, click on Apply and subsequently OK to save the changes.

Disable or Enable msiserver through Registry Editor

Note – Try this workaround at your own risk as incorrect registry may cause permanent or temporary damage.

Press Win+S, type regedit, and Select Registry Editor from the appearing result.
A UAC will prompt up; hit Yes button to give consent.
When Registry Editor comes into the view, navigate the following path –

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSIServer

Once you reach there, shift to the corresponding right pane and locate Start.
Double click on the same to edit the value.
In the value data box, set your preferred value.

Automatic – 2

Manual – 3

Disabled – 4

Automatic (Delayed Start) – 2

Enable Windows Installer Service using Command Prompt

Launch Elevated Command Prompt.
Once it turns up on the screen, copy and paste the below command after the blinking cursor and hit Enter –

net start MSIServer

Note: You can’t start a service if Startup type is Disabled.

To Stop Windows Installer service –
net stop MSIServer

It will immediately start Windows Installer service.

To change the Startup type of the same service, you can execute the following command –

Automatic –

REG add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\MSIServer" /v Start /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f

Manual

REG add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\MSIServer" /v Start /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f

Disabled –

REG add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\MSIServer" /v Start /t REG_DWORD /d 4 /f

Automatic (Delayed Start) –

REG add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\MSIServer" /v Start /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f

That’s all!