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How to Fix the "Task Scheduler Service Is Not Available" Error on Windows 10 & 11

Task Scheduler is a Windows utility with which users can usually set up and run automated tasks. However, some users can’t run tasks because of an error message that says, “Task Scheduler service is not available.” Users have reported this error message pops up when they try to run tasks manually.

Users who need to fix this error can usually still access Task Scheduler. However, that utility isn’t much good when its tasks don’t run. This is how you can resolve the “Task Scheduler service is not available” error on Windows 10 and 11.

1. Change the Task’s Network Condition

The “Task Scheduler service is not available” error can arise because of a network condition setting selected for a task. That condition sets a task to run only if a specified network connection is available. So, try disabling the network condition setting for an affected task like this:

  • Open Run with Win + R, input taskschd.msc in the Open text box, and click on OK.
  • Click Task Scheduler Library in the left sidebar.
  • Find and right-click the task for which this error occurs and select Properties.
  • Select the Conditions tab.
  • Deselect the Start only if network connection is available checkbox to disable that setting if it’s selected.
  • Select OK on the task’s properties window.
  • Exit Task Manager and restart your PC.

    • You can find all tasks that are set to utilize certain connection IDs with PowerShell. To do so, execute a PowerShell command that lists tasks with network conditions as follows:

  • Click the Windows 11/10 Search box or button (the one with the magnifying glass) on the taskbar.
  • Type in a PowerShell keyword to find that app.
  • Open the app with elevated system rights by right-clicking the PowerShell result in the search tool and selecting Run as administrator.
  • Copy the following command by selecting its text and pressing Ctrl + C:
    gci -path c:\windows\system32\tasks\* -recurse | select-string -pattern "</Id>" | select-object filename,line
  • Press Ctrl + V to input the command into PowerShell and press Enter.
  • Then you'll see a filename list of tasks with specific network conditions. Double-click all those tasks in Task Manager to disable their network conditions as instructed above.

    • 2. Edit the Schedule Registry Key

    Some users have fixed the “Task Scheduler service is not available” by editing the Schedule registry key. Those users changed the Start DWORD value for the Schedule registry key to automatic. These are the exact steps for applying this registry tweak:

  • Press Win + S, type in regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Then clear the current path in the Registry Editor’s address bar and input the following key location:
    Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Schedule
  • Select the Schedule key in the left sidebar.
  • Double-click the Schedule key’s Start DWORD.
  • Enter 2 in the Value data box if the Start DWORD is set to something else.
  • Press OK to set the new Start DWORD value.
  • Close your Registry Editor app and select to restart Windows 11/10.

    • 3. Edit the TimeBrokerSvc Registry Key

    The “Task Scheduler service is not available” error can occur because the Task Scheduler service is disabled. You can remedy that by changing the Start DWORD value for the TimeBrokerSvc registry key like this:

  • Launch the Registry Editor by searching for it with the Windows file finder tool.
  • Go to this TimeBrokerSvc registry key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TimeBrokerSvc
  • Double-click the Start DWORD for the TimeBrokerSv registry key.
  • The Start DWORD value should be 3. If it’s set at 4 or anything else, erase the current value and input 3 inside the data box.
  • Select OK to save the value and exit the DWORD window.
  • Click X on the Registry Editor window.
  • Press Start to select Power > Restart.

    • 4. Rename the Tree Registry Key

    A corrupted task subkey within the Tree registry key is another potential cause of the “Task Scheduler service is not available” error. You can check if that’s causing the issue by renaming the Tree registry key like this:

  • Start the Registry Editor and go to this key location:
    Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree
  • Click the Tree registry key with the right mouse button to select Rename.
  • Input Tree.old to rename the key.
  • Open Task Scheduler and try running affected tasks to see if the issue persists.

    • If the error doesn’t persist after renaming the Tree key, that means a corrupted task is indeed causing the issue. In this case, you’ll need to identify and delete that task’s key. We recommend performing a registry backup before doing so. Then follow these steps for editing the registry:

  • Rename the Tree.old key back to Tree.
  • Double-click the Tree key to expand it.
  • Right-click the first task subkey and select Rename.
  • Add a .old suffix to the end of the key.
  • Then return to Task Scheduler and run an affected task to see if the error message pops up.
  • If the error still occurs, change the key you just renamed back to its original name by erasing the .old suffix added.
  • Repeat the previous four steps for other task subkeys within the Tree key until the “Task Scheduler service is not available” error message doesn’t pop up.
  • Then erase the last corrupted key you renamed by right-clicking it and selecting Delete > Yes.

    • If a renaming error message pops up when you try to rename Tree, you'll need to take ownership of that registry key to apply this potential fix. To do so, follow the instructions in our guide to taking ownership of registry keys on Windows.

    5. Factory Reset Windows

    Factory resetting Windows is the final resort resolution for the “Task scheduler service is not available” error. Applying this solution will likely repair the system file or other registry issues causing the error. It is the last resort because user-installed software will not be preserved after resetting Windows.

    You can apply this potential fix with the Reset this PC tool. That utility does at least include an option for preserving user files. Our guide about factory resetting a Windows PC tells you how to utilize that tool.

    Run All the Tasks You Need Again on Windows

    The “Task Scheduler service is not available” error is often the result of misconfigured or corrupted registry keys that the potential resolutions in this guide will address. The registry fixes outlined here have worked for a lot of users. So, they’re certainly worth trying but take care when manually editing the registry.

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    Reinaldo Massengill

    Update: 2024-05-22

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