# How to fix ‘Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is Disabled’ issue **URL:** https://www.compsmag.com/blogs/fix-windows-online-troubleshooting-service-is-disabled/ **Author:** Ayushi Chauhan **Published:** 2023-07-31 **Updated:** 2023-07-31 **Categories:** Blogs **Reading Time:** 6 min --- In this article we will show you how to fix 'Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is Disabled' issue. [Windows](https://compsmag.com/best/windows-laptop/)has a set of tools called troubleshooters that can help you figure out what's wrong with your [computer](https://compsmag.com/best/desktop-computer/). Based on the diagnostic data, it can either tell you about problems it finds or fix them automatically, depending on what you want. Troubleshooting tools figure out what's wrong and fix it automatically. They can fix common problems like [printer](https://compsmag.com/best/printer/)and network connectivity, [Windows](https://compsmag.com/best/windows-apps/)updates, Bluetooth, and a lot more. But this Windows feature has been said to have problems, and the following error message is one of them. When you run a Troubleshooter, you may get the message "Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is disabled" or "Windows Online Troubleshoot Service is not enabled for this version of Windows." Whenever you have trouble with a Windows feature, you should always use the built-in troubleshooters that are available. Different troubleshooters are built into the Windows operating system in case someone needs them. But if you try to run the troubleshooter on Windows 11/10 and get the message "Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is disabled," here's how to fix 'Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is Disabled' issue. The full message says, "Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is not turned on for this version of Windows." ## What causes the "Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is Disabled" error? 1. **User Action**: Sometimes, users may intentionally disable the Windows Online Troubleshooting Service to improve system performance or for other reasons. 2. **Third-Party Software**: Certain third-party software or security applications might disable or interfere with the Windows Troubleshooting service. 3. **Malware**: In some cases, malware or viruses can disable essential Windows services, including the Troubleshooting Service, to avoid detection and removal. 4. **System Misconfiguration**: An incorrect system configuration or a glitch during a software update could cause the service to be disabled. ## Fix 'Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is Disabled' issue ### Tweak Registry Files Changing the Software Publishing registry entry is one way to get rid of this annoying error message. Windows' Registry Editor is what you'll need to do that. As you may already know, there are some risks when you change registry files. So, it's important to make a copy of all the registry files or set up a restore point before moving on. Check out our guides on how to back up the Windows registry and how to set up a restore point in Windows if you need help. ![How to fix 'Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is Disabled' issue](https://compsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capture-738.jpg) 1. **Pressing Win+X** will bring up the Power User menu. From there, **choose Run**. 2. To open the **Registry Editor**, type **regedit** in the text box and **press Enter**. 3. When the **User Account Control (UAC)** prompt comes up, **choose "Yes."** 4. Go to **HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > WinTrust > Trust Providers > Software Publishing** using the left pane. 5. **Double-click the State DWORD** on the right. 6. In the **Value** field, **type 23c00**. 7. **Select OK**. 8. **Close the window** for the **Registry Editor** and [**restart your computer**.](https://compsmag.com/blogs/how-to-restart-computer/) ### Disable Microsoft Defender Firewall Temporarily 1. **Use** the **search menu** to **open** the **Windows Security** app. 2. **Choose** the **tab** called "**Firewall & network protection**" from the **list** on the **left**. 3. **Click** on **Network Domain**. 4. **Turn off** the **Microsoft Defender Firewall switch**. 5. In the **same way**, **turn off** **Microsoft Defender Firewall** for both **Private** and **Public networks**. ### Check Group Policy Settings If the Windows Online Troubleshooting Service (WOTS) has been turned off through Group Policy settings, it might not work on your PC. To fix this, you will need to change Windows' Scripted Diagnostics policies. It's important to know that the Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows Professional, Education, and Enterprise. Check out how to get to the Local Group Policy Editor on Windows Home if you are using Windows Home. 1. To open the**search menu**, press **Win + S**. 2. In the box, type **gpedit.msc** and press the **Enter key**. 3. Go to**Computer Configuration** > **Administrative Templates** > **System** > **Troubleshooting and Diagnostics** > **Scripted Diagnostics** by using the **menu on the left**. 4. On your right, **double-click the policy** that says "**Allow users to access online troubleshooting content on Microsoft servers from the Troubleshooting Control Panel**" (via the **Windows Online Troubleshooting Service – WOTS**). 5. Choose "Enabled," then hit **"Apply,"** and then **"OK."** ### Check Windows Services If some of your computer's system services aren't running, Windows may show you the "Windows Online Troubleshooting Service is disabled" message. Here's how to check if your computer is running Windows troubleshooter-related services. 1. To open the **Run box,** press **Win + R.** 2. In the box,**type services.msc**and press the **Enter key.** 3. Find the **Background Intelligent Transfer Service**on the list of services in the Services window and **check**its status. If the service isn't running, right-click on it and choose "**Start**." ### Check Windows Activation Status If your Windows is not activated, this is one of the most common reasons why your PC might not be able to run the online troubleshooting service. Follow these steps to see if Windows is activated on your computer if you're not sure. 1. **Click** the gear-shaped icon in the **Start** menu to open the **Settings** app. 2. On the **System** tab, **click** on **Activation**. Then, in the **next** menu, **check** the **activation** status. 3. If it says "**Not active**," you need to **buy** a **digital license** or **product key** for **Windows** to make it work. ## Conclusion In this case, the best way to troubleshoot Windows 11 might be to try to figure out what the problem is without knowing what it is. As a desktop administrator, you can fix almost any Windows 11 problem by following a set of steps in order. Even though you can't be sure that these steps will fix every Windows 11 problem, they tend to do so. If you want to know more information about this issue so you can visit [Microsoft Official Website.](https://www.microsoft.com/) ## Questions and Answers --- *End of Article*