Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) Service Defaults in Windows 11
Manages and implements Volume Shadow Copies used for backup and other purposes. If this service is stopped, shadow copies will be unavailable for backup and the backup may fail. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Default Settings
| Startup type: | Manual |
| Display name: | Volume Shadow Copy |
| Service name: | VSS |
| Service type: | own |
| Error control: | normal |
| Object: | LocalSystem |
| Path: | %SystemRoot%\system32\vssvc.exe |
| Registry key: | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VSS |
Default Behavior
Volume Shadow Copy is a Win32 service. In Windows 11 it starts only if the user, an application or another service starts it. When the Volume Shadow Copy service is started, it logs on as LocalSystem and running in its own process of vssvc.exe. If Volume Shadow Copy fails to start, the failure details will be recorded into Event Log. Then Windows 11 should boot up and notify the user about the VSS service startup failure.
Dependencies
Volume Shadow Copy cannot be started, if the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service won't start.
Restore Default Startup Configuration of Volume Shadow Copy
Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which Volume Shadow Copy depends are configured by default and function properly. See the list of dependencies above.1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Copy the command below, paste it into the command window and press ENTER:
sc config VSS start= demand
3. Close the command window and restart the computer.
The VSS service is using the vssvc.exe 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 11 installation media.