How to Start the Diagnostic Policy Service in Windows 10

In Windows 10, the Diagnostic Policy Service is essential for identifying and troubleshooting system issues. When this service is not running, many diagnostic tools and troubleshooting utilities cannot function properly. In this guide, we’ll go over how to start the Diagnostic Policy Service if it’s not currently active.

Checking the Status of the Diagnostic Policy Service

Before making any adjustments, verify that the service is indeed stopped. Here’s how to do that:

Press Win + R to open the "Run" dialog box.
Type services.msc and press Enter.
In the list, locate the Diagnostic Policy Service.
Check the status of the service. If it says “Stopped,” the service is currently inactive.

Starting the Diagnostic Policy Service Manually

To activate the service manually, follow these steps:

In the Services window (services.msc), double-click Diagnostic Policy Service.
In the properties window, set the startup type to Automatic.
Click Start, then Apply, and OK.

The service should now be running, allowing the system to perform automatic diagnostics.

Starting the Service Using Command Prompt

If you’re unable to access the Services window, you can use Command Prompt:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Press Win + X and select Command Prompt (Admin).
Type the command: net start DPS and press Enter.
If successful, you should see a message saying, “The Diagnostic Policy Service was started successfully.”

Using the Troubleshooter

If the service fails to start due to system issues, try using the Troubleshooter:

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
Select System Diagnostics and Troubleshooting and follow the on-screen instructions.

Possible Issues and Solutions

If the service still won’t start, it might be due to corrupted system files. Run a scan with the command sfc /scannow in Command Prompt as an administrator. You can also try DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair any damaged system files.