How do I start an application remotely?

We might need to start a service or kill a service on a remote system. This may be accomplished via cmdlets such as the Start-Process cmdlet. The Start-Process cmdlet starts one or more processes on the local computer, as well as on the remote computer with additional parameters.

How to run PowerShell Start-Process on remote computer

Running PowerShell Start-Process on remote computer allows you to start a service. There are Stop-Service and Restart-Service as well, allowing you to stop or restart a service. So, how can we utilize those cmdlets to change the status of a remote service? Let’s take a look.

Step 1. On the local PC, search Powershell and then right-click on it, and choose Run as administrator.

Step 2. Connect to the specific service on the remote computer that you want to manipulate, in this case, the windows update client service named wuauserv and the remote computer calleddc1, using the Get-Service cmdlet.

$service = get-service -ComputerName dc1 -Name wuauserv

$service

Step 3. You can see the wuauserv service is stopped. Let's start the wuauserv service using Powershell remote Start-Process:

Start-Service -InputObject $service -Verbose

$service.Refresh()

$service

If you want to stop the wuauserv service:

Stop-Service -InputObject $service -Verbose

$service.Refresh()

$service

You can also perform a restart of the service easily without having to call a Stop and then Start method:

Restart-Service -InputObject $service -Verbose

$service.Refresh()

$service

Alternative to Start-Process: Start a service remotely with GUI

With PowerShell, it is possible to start process on remote computer using Start-Process cmdlet. But some people prefer to accomplish this with GUI, for it is more intuitive and convenient. If you do, try AnyViewer. What is AnyViewer? It is free and simple remote desktop software for Windows, allowing users to remotely access a computer from anywhere. Then you can start any service with little to no effort at all.

Step 1. Install and run AnyViewer on both computers. Navigate to Log in and then Sign up on the Controller computer (if you have already registered on the official website, you can log in directly).

Step 2. Fill out the sign-up form.

Step 3. You should now see that you have successfully logged into AnyViewer. Your device will be assigned to the account to which you have logged in automatically.

Step 4. Log in to the same AnyViewer account on the two devices, then you can click One-click control to achieve a direct connection, click View the screen to see another’s screen, or click File transfer to share files between computers.

Notes:✎...

Additionally, you can change your account's plan to a Professional or Enterprise one. What a business or professional plan can provide for you is:

More devices will be allowed to assign to the same account for unattended remote access.

More connection channels for more devices to be able to start remote connection at the same time.

One device can connect to more devices simultaneously.

Black the remote PC screen and disable the remote keyboard & mouse click to protect privacy.

Transfer 1TB files at 10 MB/s. 

Closing words

This post primarily introduces how to run PowerShell Start-Process on remote computer. Besides, there are other techniques that allow you to manage Windows processes remotely, for example, using the remote desktop software AnyViewer. Choose according to your preference.