ServiceTray is a free utility tool for PC devices running the Windows operating system. Developed by Core Technologies Consulting, this program allows users to manage background services that are running on their OS. Using this, they will be able to start, stop, or restart these services, all from within their system tray. What's more, the utility will send you prompt notifications whenever an application starts running or suddenly stops unexpectedly, letting you monitor them easily.

How do I use ServiceTray?

After installation, double-click on the shortcut that it will create on your desktop—this will launch the program and have it become accessible from your system tray. After that, you will need to create a shortcut for the service that you want to manage through the Configure ServiceTray option from its start menu program folder. A new window will appear that will let you choose from a list of services and assign an icon for them.

You'll also be asked where to place the shortcut after creation. You can choose the Startup so Windows will automatically run this service whenever you log in. Alternatively, you can choose Desktop if you want to manually run it at your convenience instead. The service will appear in your system tray and you can manage it from there. It will show colors to indicate its status: Red (stopped), Green (running), and Yellow (in the process of starting or stopping).

One nice thing about this tool is that it supports third-party programs too, meaning you can manage them the same way you would a service. Do note, however, that you can not group multiple applications or services in a single shortcut. You will need to create a shortcut for each one to be able to monitor and control them. The result can be a rather cluttered system tray if you end up creating a lot of shortcuts.

Take back control of your Windows services

If you're a system administrator or just someone who wants to easily control and manage their Windows services, ServiceTray is a great tool for you. It provides a simpler and faster way of monitoring various apps and services directly from your system tray. It would have been nice to be able to group multiple ones in a single shortcut, though. Aside from that, this is a highly recommended utility.