Parental Controls (WpcMonSvc) Service Defaults in Windows 10

Enforces parental controls for child accounts in Windows. If this service is stopped or disabled, parental controls may not be enforced.

The Parental Controls service does not exist in:

Default Settings

Startup type: Manual
Display name:Parental Controls
Service name:WpcMonSvc
Service type:own
Error control:normal
Object:LocalSystem
Path:%SystemRoot%\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService
File:%SystemRoot%\System32\WpcDesktopMonSvc.dll
Registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WpcMonSvc

Default Behavior

Parental Controls is a Win32 service. In Windows 10 it is starting only if the user, an application or another service starts it. When the Parental Controls service is started, it is running as LocalSystem in its own process of svchost.exe. If Parental Controls fails to start, the failure details are being recorded into Event Log. Then Windows 10 will start up and notify the user that the WpcMonSvc service has failed to start due to the error.

Restore Default Startup Configuration of Parental Controls

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Copy the command below, paste it into the command window and press ENTER:

sc config WpcMonSvc start= demand

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The WpcMonSvc service is using the WpcDesktopMonSvc.dll file that is located in the C:\Windows\System32 directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 10 installation media.