The Diagnostics Policy Service Is Not Running: How to Fix It on Windows 11/10

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10, when Windows Network Diagnostics or another troubleshooter stops with “The Diagnostics Policy Service is not running” (Windows calls the service Diagnostic Policy Service, short name DPS).

Why this error appears

The Diagnostic Policy Service (DPS) lets Windows detect, troubleshoot and fix problems with its own components. Microsoft’s description is simple: if you stop this service, diagnostics stop working. It normally starts automatically with Windows.

You usually see the error after selecting Diagnose or Troubleshoot problems on a network connection. The network problem itself is a separate issue; this message only means the troubleshooter can’t run. Common reasons the service is off:

• A tune-up, privacy or “debloat” tool disabled it to save resources.
• Someone changed it to Manual or Disabled in Services.
• Damaged system files or registry settings stop it from starting.
• Malware disabled it so that Windows can’t diagnose problems.

Fix 1: Start the Diagnostic Policy Service

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Scroll to Diagnostic Policy Service and double-click it.
3. Set Startup type to Automatic and select Apply.
4. Under Service status, select Start, then OK.
5. Run the network troubleshooter again.

If the Start button is greyed out, make sure the startup type is not Disabled and that you selected Apply first. If Windows shows an error such as Access is denied or Error 1079, go to Fix 4.

Fix 2: Start it from Command Prompt

This does the same thing in one step, and is handy if the Services window won’t save your change. Search for cmd, right-click Command Prompt, select Run as administrator and run:

sc config DPS start= auto
net start DPS

Keep the space after start=; sc needs it. If net start DPS reports that the service has already been started, it was a one-off problem and the troubleshooter should work now.

To confirm the service is running, use sc query DPS and check that STATE shows RUNNING.

Fix 3: Check the related diagnostic services

Two helper services do some of the actual diagnostic work. By default both are set to Manual, which means Windows starts them when needed. They must not be Disabled:

Service	Short name	Default startup type
Diagnostic Policy Service	DPS	Automatic
Diagnostic Service Host	WdiServiceHost	Manual
Diagnostic System Host	WdiSystemHost	Manual

In services.msc, open each one and set any that show Disabled back to Manual. If DPS fails with a dependency error (for example Error 1068), open its Dependencies tab and make sure the services listed there are not disabled either.

DPS runs inside a shared svchost.exe process. If you’re curious which Service Host it lives in, see our svchost.exe (netsvcs) guide.

Fix 4: Repair system files

If the service refuses to start or switches itself off again, damaged system files are a common cause. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

Restart when both finish, then try Fix 1 again. If SFC can’t complete, see Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.

For more detail, open Event Viewer and look under Windows Logs > System for errors from Service Control Manager that mention the Diagnostic Policy Service. The error text usually says why it failed.

Fix 5: Reset the network

Once the troubleshooter runs, it may fix your connection on its own. If you still have no internet, reset the network stack from an administrator Command Prompt and restart:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /flushdns

If that doesn’t help, use the full network reset, which removes and reinstalls all network adapters and sets networking components back to their defaults:

• Windows 11: Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset, then Reset now.
• Windows 10: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset, then Reset now.

Your PC restarts and you’ll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi, so have the password ready. VPN and virtual adapters may need to be reinstalled. If you can’t reach shared folders on other PCs, see error 0x80070035: the network path was not found.

Fix 6: Scan for malware if it keeps stopping

If DPS is disabled again after you turn it on, and you haven’t installed a tune-up tool that does this, run a full scan and a Microsoft Defender Offline scan. Some malware switches off Windows diagnostic and security services. See how to scan for malware on Windows for the steps.

Also check any optimisation or privacy app you use for a setting that disables Windows services, and turn it off.

What not to do

• Don’t add NETWORK SERVICE or LOCAL SERVICE to the Administrators group. This is common forum advice for this error, but it gives built-in service accounts full control of your PC and weakens Windows security. Repair system files instead (Fix 4).
• Don’t download “DPS fix” registry files or tools from unknown sites. They can contain malware or break other services.
• Don’t leave DPS disabled to “speed up” Windows. It uses very little memory, and without it Windows can’t diagnose network, performance or other problems.

Related guides

• Error 0x80070035: the network path was not found
• The local device name is already in use: how to fix it
• svchost.exe (netsvcs): what it is and how to fix high CPU, memory or network use
• Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation (SFC and DISM)
• How to scan for malware on Windows

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own documentation:

• Microsoft Learn: system services and their default startup types (includes the Diagnostic Policy Service)
• Microsoft Support: Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to disable the Diagnostic Policy Service?

Windows will still run, but troubleshooters, problem detection and some performance diagnostics stop working, and you’ll see this error whenever you try to diagnose a problem. Leave it on Automatic.

What’s the difference between “Diagnostics Policy Service” and “Diagnostic Policy Service”?

Nothing. The error message says “Diagnostics”, while the Services list calls it “Diagnostic Policy Service”. Both refer to the same service, DPS.

Why does the Diagnostic Policy Service keep stopping?

Usually a tune-up or privacy tool switches it off, or system files are damaged. Check your installed optimisation apps, run SFC and DISM (Fix 4) and scan for malware (Fix 6).

Will starting the service fix my internet connection?

Not by itself. It lets the troubleshooter run, and the troubleshooter may then find and fix the actual network problem. If it doesn’t, try the network reset in Fix 5.