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What is the Server Core installation option in Windows Server?

The Server Core option is a minimal installation option that's available when you deploy the Standard or Datacenter edition of Windows Server. Server Core includes most but not all server roles. Server Core has a smaller disk footprint, and therefore a smaller attack surface due to a smaller code base.

Server (Core) vs Server with Desktop Experience

When you install Windows Server, you install only the server roles that you choose. Only installing the roles you need helps reduce the overall footprint for Windows Server. However, the Server with Desktop Experience installation option still installs many services and other components that you often don't need for a particular usage scenario.

The Server Core installation eliminates any services and other features that aren't essential for the support of certain commonly used server roles. For example, a Hyper-V server doesn't need a graphical user interface (GUI), because you can manage virtually all aspects of Hyper-V either from the command line using Windows PowerShell or remotely using the Hyper-V Manager.

The Server Core difference - core capabilities without the frills

When you finish installing Server Core on a system and sign in for the first time, you're in for a bit of a surprise. The main difference between the Server with Desktop Experience installation option and Server Core is that Server Core doesn't include the following GUI shell packages:

  • Microsoft-Windows-Server-Shell-Package
  • Microsoft-Windows-Server-Gui-Mgmt-Package
  • Microsoft-Windows-Server-Gui-RSAT-Package
  • Microsoft-Windows-Cortana-PAL-Desktop-Package

In other words, there's no desktop in Server Core, by design. While maintaining the capabilities required to support traditional business applications and role-based workloads, Server Core doesn't have a traditional desktop interface. Instead, you manage Server Core remotely through the command line, PowerShell, a GUI tool like RSAT or Windows Admin Center.

In addition to no UI, Server Core also differs from the Server with Desktop Experience in the following ways:

  • Server Core doesn't have any accessibility tools
  • No OOBE (out-of-box-experience) for setting up Server Core
  • No audio support
  • Windows Push Notification services (WpnService and WpnUserService) aren't installed. Push notifications for Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps and Microsoft Push Notification Service (MPNS) functionality aren't supported on Server Core as they rely on Desktop Experience components (GUI shell and UWP runtime).

The following table shows which applications are available locally on Server Core vs Server with Desktop Experience. Important: In most cases, you can run applications that are listed as "not available" remotely from a Windows client computer or Windows Admin Center to manage your Server Core installation.

Feature on Demand for Server Core download locations

You can get later Windows Server Feature on Demand (FoD) packages from your specific MS Licensing Center if you have active Software Assurance. You need a Microsoft Work or School Account enrolled to VLSC or Business Center to access the FoD download.

Alternatively, you might have access to a Visual Studio Subscription. You need a Microsoft Home, Work, or School account, enrolled to an active Visual Studio subscription, to access the FoD download.

You can download the latest Server Insider FoD at the Server Insider webpage. You need a Microsoft Home, Work, or School account, enrolled to the Insider Program, to access the FoD download.

Feature on Demand - available features

The list shows the features available using Feature on Demand.

Note

This list is for quick reference. It isn't a complete list.

Application Server Core Server with Desktop Experience
Command prompt available available
Windows PowerShell/ Microsoft .NET available available
Perfmon.exe not available available
Windbg (GUI) supported supported
Resmon.exe not available available
Regedit available available
Fsutil.exe available available
Disksnapshot.exe not available available
Diskpart.exe available available
Diskmgmt.msc not available available
Devmgmt.msc not available available
Server Manager not available available
Mmc.exe not available available
Eventvwr not available available
Wevtutil (Event queries) available available
Services.msc not available available
Control Panel not available available
Windows Update (GUI) not available available
Windows Explorer not available available
Taskbar not available available
Taskbar notifications not available available
Taskmgr available available
Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge not available available
Built-in help system not available available
Windows 10 Shell not available available
Windows Media Player not available available
PowerShell available available
PowerShell ISE not available available
PowerShell IME available available
Mstsc.exe not available available
Remote Desktop Services available available
Hyper-V Manager not available available
WordPad 1 not available available

1 To read .RTF files stored locally on Server Core, users can copy files to a different Windows computer where WordPad is present.

For more information about what Server Core includes, see Roles, Role Services, and Features included in Windows Server - Server Core. For information about what Server Core doesn't include, see Roles, Role Services, and Features not included in Server Core.

Get started with Server Core

Use the following information to install, configure, and manage the Server Core installation option of Windows Server.

Server Core installation:

Using Server Core:

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