Services

Install Windows services with your package.

Applies to: MSI and MSIX.

---

services – Windows services

Properties

Property	Type	Required	Default	Description
name	string	yes	–	Service name (used by sc, the registry, etc.). Max 256 chars. Cannot contain / or \. Windows treats service names case-insensitively – pick a unique, brand-prefixed name (e.g., My ApplicationUpdater not Updater).
displayName	string	no	–	User-friendly name shown in services.msc. Max 256 chars.
executable	string	yes	–	Path inside the package to the service binary. Validated against fileSystemEntries.
arguments	string	no	–	Command-line arguments.
startAccount	enum	no	LocalSystem	One of LocalSystem, LocalService, NetworkService. For MSI only, custom domain accounts are also accepted (see notes).
startupType	enum	no	Auto	One of Auto, Manual, Disabled.
description	string	no	–	Service description.
dependencies	string[]	no	–	Other service names or load-ordering groups that must start first.
msi	object	no	see defaults below	MSI-specific config.

msi sub-object

Property	Type	Default	Description
loadOrderGroup	string	–	The load-order group name.
errorControl	enum	Normal	Ignore, Normal, Critical. Action if the service fails to start at boot.
serviceType	enum	OwnProcess	OwnProcess or ShareProcess. Whether the service runs in its own process.
interactive	boolean	false	Whether the service can interact with the desktop. Requires LocalSystem.
startAccountPassword	string	–	Password for a custom startAccount. NOT allowed for LocalSystem/LocalService/NetworkService.

Examples

Simple background service

"services": [
  {
    "name":         "My ApplicationUpdater",
    "displayName":  "My Application Updater",
    "executable":   "$.installDir\\My Application.Service.exe",
    "startupType":  "Auto",
    "description":  "Periodically syncs notes to the cloud."
  }
]

Default account is LocalSystem, default error control is Normal.

Run as LocalService and depend on the network

{
  "name":         "My ApplicationSync",
  "displayName":  "My Application Sync",
  "executable":   "$.installDir\\My Application.Sync.exe",
  "startAccount": "LocalService",
  "startupType":  "Auto",
  "dependencies": ["LanmanWorkstation", "Tcpip"],
  "description":  "Syncs notes over the LAN."
}

MSI-only: custom domain account

{
  "name":         "My ApplicationEnterprise",
  "executable":   "$.installDir\\My Application.Enterprise.exe",
  "startAccount": ".\\My CompanyService",
  "startupType":  "Auto",
  "msi": {
    "serviceType":          "OwnProcess",
    "errorControl":         "Normal",
    "startAccountPassword": "[SERVICE_PASSWORD]"
  }
}

[SERVICE_PASSWORD] is an MSI Formatted token resolved at install time – pass SERVICE_PASSWORD=Sup3r$ecret! on the msiexec command line. Never hard-code service passwords in JSON.

startAccount rules:

• For OwnProcess MSI services: DomainName\UserName or .\UserName (built-in domain).
• ShareProcess and interactive: true MSI services must use LocalSystem.
• MSIX services support only LocalSystem, LocalService, NetworkService. Custom accounts will fail validation for MSIX builds.

---

MSI vs MSIX behavior

Aspect	MSI	MSIX
Custom startAccount (domain user)	Allowed (with startAccountPassword).	Not allowed. Validation fails.
interactive services	Supported.	Not supported.
serviceType: ShareProcess	Supported.	Limited.
Auto-detected MSIX capabilities	–	MPDEV automatically declares localSystemServices / packagedServices / allowElevation as needed.

---

Validation rules

Validator	Catch
required	name, executable are mandatory.
max size	services.name and services.displayName ≤ 256 chars.
illegal characters	services.name cannot contain / or \.
valid path in package	services.executable must point to a path inside fileSystemEntries.
valid value	Enum-based fields must use a valid value.
valid service start account	Custom startAccount only for MSI.
valid start account password	startAccountPassword cannot be set for built-in accounts.

---