Enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify Internet-based files. If this service is stopped, these functions will not be available. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
This service also exists in Windows 10, 7, 8, Vista and XP.
Startup Type
| Windows 11 version | Home | Pro | Education | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21H2 | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| 22H2 | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| 23H2 | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| 24H2 | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual |
Default Properties
| Display name: | WebClient |
| Service name: | WebClient |
| Type: | share |
| Path: | %WinDir%\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService -p |
| File: | %WinDir%\System32\webclnt.dll |
| Error control: | normal |
| Group: | NetworkProvider |
| Object: | NT AUTHORITY\LocalService |
| Privileges: |
|
Default Behavior
The WebClient service is running as NT AUTHORITY\LocalService in a shared process of svchost.exe. Other services might run in the same process. If WebClient fails to start, the error is logged. Windows 11 startup proceeds, but a message box is displayed informing you that the WebClient service has failed to start.
Dependencies
WebClient is unable to start, if the WebDav Client Redirector Driver service is stopped or disabled.
Restore Default Startup Type for WebClient
Automated Restore
1. Select your Windows 11 edition and release, and then click on the Download button below.
2. Save the RestoreWebClientWindows11.bat file to any folder on a local drive such as SSD or a hard disk.
3. Right-click the downloaded batch file and select Properties.
4. Check the Unblock checkbox and click OK.
5. Right-click the batch file again and select Run as administrator.
6. Restart the computer to save changes.
Note. Make sure that the webclnt.dll file exists in the %WinDir%\System32 folder. If this file is missing you can try to restore it from your Windows 11 installation media.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Are you having trouble opening/editing files stored in SharePoint, especially non Office files on Windows Server 2012?
By default the WebClient service is not installed on Windows Server 2012. Without this service running, opening/editing of non-Office files stored in SharePoint is very restricted.
To enable the WebClient service in Windows 2012 follow these steps:
Start Server Manager | Manage | Add Roles and Features
Select Installation Type of Role based or feature based installation
Choose the server to install the feature on (in my case I’m running server manager locally on the server I want to install the WebClient service on)
Just click Next to skip over Server Roles (it’s a feature we want to enable not a role)
Expand the User Interfaces and Infrastructure feature. By default this feature is partially installed. We need the Desktop Experience component of this feature. The WebClient is bundled with this component. According to Microsoft it is only possible to install the WebClient by enabling the entire Desktop experience and WebClient is not available on it’s own (https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/e4ac654f-6d75-431d-baff-2f9dd511980a/installing-webclient-service-without-desktop-experience?forum=winserverTS)
Check Desktop Experience and you will be prompted to also install the pre-requisite Ink and Handwriting Services. Click Add Features.
This change required a server restart for me (and the feature installation continued after the restart) so check the option to have the server automatically restart if required.
Click Install and your server should restart and the feature installation will complete once the server comes back up.
Now check the Windows Services and ensure WebClient is present and running
Further Resources/Reading
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/e4ac654f-6d75-431d-baff-2f9dd511980a/installing-webclient-service-without-desktop-experience?forum=winserverTS
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/33ad6fc9-8d8b-40b9-b9a3-a253f9ae37d1/webclient-service-on-windows-server-2012-webdav-client?forum=winserver8gen
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Windows OS supports access to webdav shares using webclient service. Webdav is a network protocol that support both read and write access on web directories. See the references at the end of this post to know more on Webdav. This web client service is available on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 and Server 2003 editions. When this service is stopped users will not be able to access webdav shares. No other services are dependent on webclient service, so you can safely disable it if you are not using any webdav shares.
You can disable webclient service in the following way.
- Open service configuration console by
- Click Start button
- Select Run
- Type services.msc and press enter
- Go to webclient entry in the list of services displayed in the right side pane.
- Double click on webclient service.
- Select the startup type to disabled.
- Press OK and close service configuration console.
In Windows Server 2003 webclient service is disabled by default, where as in Windows XP, Vista and Windows7 it is enabled.
On Windows XP and Windows 2003 operating systems webclient does not support HTTPS operations. This means that users would not be able to access any webdav share that is configured to be accessible via HTTPS only. Support for HTTPS operations is provided in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
On my Windows server 2008 system web client service is missing. Why so?
In Server 2008 edition, default setup does not have web client service. You need to install Desktop experience package to add web client service.
Do home editions support Web client service/webdav feature?
Yes, XP, Vista and Windows 7 home editions do support Web client service and webdav shares.
Do we need Web client service to access share point files in explorer view?
Share point explorer view uses either Web client or WebFolders to support explorer view of the documents. If webclient service is not running on the system, then it would try to use WebFolders. WebFolders is installed by default in Windows XP and Vista but not on server editions. Also Windows 7 does not seem to be having webfolders support. So if you are using XP/Vista, you still can see Sharepoint documents in explorer even if webclient service is not running since these editions have Webfolders which provide the same functionality. On Server editions you need to install Webfolders.
How to enable Web client feature in Internet explorer?
To be accurate, the webdav feature embedded with IE is called Web Folders, not web client. In Windows XP and Vista this is installed by default. In IE, click on File and Open, if you see ‘open as webfolder‘ then you have the feature enabled. If it’s not installed, you can download it from the below location and install.
//www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyId=17c36612-632e-4c04-9382-987622ed1d64&displaylang=en
Relevant links:
- What is Webdav
Popular Windows Tips:
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on May 10, 2012
We can start webclient service from command prompt using the below command
net start webclient
C:\>net start webclient The WebClient service is starting. The WebClient service was started successfully. C:\>
Note that this command should be run from a login account with administrator privileges. Additionally, on Vista and Windows 7, this should be run from an elevated command prompt. Otherwise you will get the following error.
C:\>net start webclient System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied. C:\>
See How to open elevated command prompt
webclient service can be stopped from command prompt using the command net stop webclient.
C:\>net stop webclient The WebClient service is stopping. The WebClient service was stopped successfully.
If you want to disable webclient service then you can do it using the below command.
sc config webclient start= disabled
Enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify Internet-based files. If this service is stopped, these functions will not be available. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Default Settings
| Startup type: | Manual |
| Display name: | WebClient |
| Service name: | WebClient |
| Service type: | share |
| Error control: | normal |
| Group: | NetworkProvider |
| Object: | NT AUTHORITY\LocalService |
| Path: | %SystemRoot%\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService -p |
| File: | %SystemRoot%\System32\webclnt.dll |
| Registry key: | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient |
| Privileges: |
|
Default Behavior
WebClient is a Win32 service. In Windows 10 it is starting only if the user, an application or another service starts it. When the WebClient service is started, it is running as NT AUTHORITY\LocalService in a shared process of svchost.exe along with other services. If WebClient fails to start, the failure details are being recorded into Event Log. Then Windows 10 will start up and notify the user that the WebClient service has failed to start due to the error.
Dependencies
WebClient cannot be started under any conditions, if the WebDav Client Redirector Driver service is disabled.
Restore Default Startup Configuration of WebClient
Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which WebClient 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 WebClient start= demand
3. Close the command window and restart the computer.
The WebClient service is using the webclnt.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.