Where does Windows store the settings for Scheduled Tasks console?

Question

I would like to know where Windows stores information for Scheduled Tasks. I would like to be able to find the reference for the name, schedule, or command to run associated with a given task. This may not be practical or possible, but I would also like a means to edit the scheduled tasks and their attributes outside the Schedule Tasks console. I've assumed that the data would be in the Registry somewhere, since I doubt it would be stored in a normal file, but I'm uncertain where I should be looking.

score 52 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 30 '18 at 23:10

52

Windows stores scheduled tasks as XML files, AND in the registry.

You can find them in a few places:

Filesystem:

%systemroot%\System32\Tasks
%systemroot%\Tasks

Registry:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\Taskcache\Tasks
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\Taskcache\Tree

Note: You can't edit the XML files directly in \Tasks for security reasons. See here for more information: https://serverfault.com/questions/440496/ok-to-edit-tasks-xml-file-in-c-windows-system32-tasks

To work with importing the XML files without going through the scheduled task UI you can look at these:

Schtasks.exe
Powershell Scheduled Task Cmdlets

edited Mar 30 '18 at 23:10

Andre

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answered Dec 08 '13 at 13:52

malexander

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**Great answer**! Can I ask whether you know if there is anything stored per-user in **HKCU**, the **user-profile** or similar user-based locations for scheduled tasks? I briefly perused HKCU and the user-profile and couldn't find anything obvious - light effort however - hoping to save some time if you know outright :-). – Stein Åsmul Jan 24 '18 at 16:04
Maybe one more folder to add: `%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\Tasks`. And Powershell link is broken. – Stein Åsmul Jan 24 '18 at 17:22

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 08 '13 at 13:49

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In Windows 7 they are stored in files under "Windows\System32\Tasks". The files are XML, so you could create and edit task files there.

Other versions of Windows I think they are stored in "%SystemRoot%\Tasks"

answered Dec 08 '13 at 13:49

drew

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Under XP, the tasks are stored in c:\windows\tasks, but the files themselves are with extension 'job' and are protected from editing (so I don't know whether they are binary or ascii). – No'am Newman Dec 08 '13 at 13:56

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Jan 07 '16 at 16:10

I needed to delete some tasks as in a script as the final part of a system build.

I discovered you can just delete them eg:

@echo ..Audit hardware

"\\vs-files\General\0000 IT\Bginfo.exe" "\\czwgbak\Software\_Build2015\AuditWorkstation.bgi" /timer:0 /Silent /NOLICPROMPT

@echo delete Scan Setup inis

If not exist %systemroot%\System32\Tasks\ASUS\nul goto reg
rd %systemroot%\System32\Tasks\ASUS /S /Q

:reg

etc...

Where does Windows store the settings for Scheduled Tasks console?

3 Answers3

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