Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)

The Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service provides image acquisition services for scanners and cameras.

The Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service supports Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), IEEE 1394, USB, and serial digital still-image devices. Image scanners and digital cameras are examples of still-image devices. Support for infrared, parallel, and serial still-image devices is provided by the existing infrared, parallel, and serial interfaces.

If the service stops, events from imaging devices are not captured and processed. If there is a device that is supported by the Windows Image Acquisition service installed on the computer, the service starts automatically at startup. Also, it restarts any time that a Windows Image Acquisition-enabled application is started.

This service is installed by default in Windows 7, and its startup type is Manual.

When the Windows Image Acquisition service is started in its default configuration, it logs on by using the Local Service account.

The Windows Image Acquisition service is dependent upon the following system components:

  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
  • DCOM Server Process Launcher
  • RPC Endpoint Mapper
  • Shell Hardware Detection

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