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scm-services-change-the-service-startup-account.md

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title Change the Service Startup Account (SQL Server Configuration Manager)
description Learn how to change the service accounts that SQL Server and many of its services use. View limitations and restrictions on changes in service accounts.
author rwestMSFT
ms.author randolphwest
ms.date 03/16/2026
ms.service sql
ms.subservice configuration
ms.topic how-to
helpviewer_keywords
SQL Server services, startup account changes
startup accounts [SQL Server]
changing startup accounts for services

SQL Server Configuration Manager: Change the service startup account

[!INCLUDE SQL Server]

This article describes how to use SQL Server Configuration Manager to change the startup options of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] services and to change the service accounts that are used by the [!INCLUDE ssDEnoversion], [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent, [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Browser, [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] [!INCLUDE ssASnoversion], and [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] [!INCLUDE ssISnoversion] with [!INCLUDE ssManStudioFull], [!INCLUDE tsql], or PowerShell. For more information about how to select an appropriate service account, see Configure Windows service accounts and permissions.

Important

When you change the service startup account for the [!INCLUDE ssDE] and [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent, the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] service (the [!INCLUDE ssDE]) must be restarted for the change to take effect. When the service is restarted, all databases associated with that instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] will be unavailable until the service successfully restarts. If you have to change the service startup account of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] or [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent, make sure that you do so during regularly scheduled maintenance or when the databases can be taken offline without interrupting daily operations.

Limitations

  • Clustered servers

    Changing the service account that is used by [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] or [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent must be performed from the active node of the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] cluster.

    When you run on [!INCLUDE winserver2008-md] (in a non-default configuration using Domain groups), changing the service account that is used by [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] or [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent requires SQL Server Configuration Manager to stop [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] by taking the resource groups offline.

  • SKU Upgrade ([!INCLUDE ssExpress] to non-Express SKU)

    During [!INCLUDE ssExpress] installation, the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent service is configured to use the Network Service account but disabled. SQL Server Configuration Manager can change the account assigned for the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent service but the service can't be enabled or started. After SKU upgrade from [!INCLUDE ssExpress] to non-Express, the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Agent service isn't automatically enabled, but can be enabled when needed by using the SQL Server Configuration Manager and changing the service start mode to Manual or Automatic.

Use SQL Server Configuration Manager

Open SQL Server Configuration Manager from the Windows Start menu.

[!INCLUDE open-sql-server-configuration-manager]

Configure startup options

  1. In SQL Server Configuration Manager, select SQL Server Services.

  2. In the details pane, right-click the name of the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] instance for which you want to change the service startup account, and then select Properties.

  3. In the SQL Server <instancename> Properties dialog box, select the Log On tab, and select a Log on as account type.

  4. After selecting the new service startup account, select OK.

    A message box asks whether you want to restart the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] service.

  5. Select Yes, and then close SQL Server Configuration Manager.

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