---
title: "Start & stop a Replication Agent (SSMS)"
description: Learn how to start an stop a Replication Agent in SQL Server Management Studio and Replication Monitor. 
ms.custom: seo-lt-2019
ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "database-engine"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: replication
ms.topic: conceptual
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  - "agents [SQL Server replication], stopping"
  - "agents [SQL Server replication], starting"
ms.assetid: 97977c4a-8c7c-4a22-9480-69aa812bd1e5
author: "MashaMSFT"
ms.author: "mathoma"
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---
# Start and Stop a Replication Agent (SQL Server Management Studio)
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md](../../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
  Start and stop agents from the **Jobs** folder and the **Replication** folder in [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../../../includes/msconame-md.md)] [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] and from Replication Monitor. Start and stop the following agents and jobs:  
  
-   The Snapshot Agent, which is used by all publications.  
  
-   The Log Reader Agent, which is used by all transactional publications.  
  
-   The Queue Reader Agent, which is used by transactional publications enabled for queued updating subscriptions.  
  
-   The Distribution Agent, which synchronizes subscriptions to transactional and snapshot publications.  
  
-   The Merge Agent, which synchronizes subscriptions to merge publications.  
  
-   Replication maintenance jobs.  
  
 For more information about starting the Merge Agent and the Distribution Agent, see [Synchronize a Push Subscription](../../../relational-databases/replication/synchronize-a-push-subscription.md) and [Synchronize a Pull Subscription](../../../relational-databases/replication/synchronize-a-pull-subscription.md). For more information about maintenance jobs, see [Run Replication Maintenance Jobs (SQL Server Management Studio)](../../../relational-databases/replication/administration/run-replication-maintenance-jobs-sql-server-management-studio.md).  
  
 For information about starting Replication Monitor, see [Start the Replication Monitor](../../../relational-databases/replication/monitor/start-the-replication-monitor.md).  
  
### To start and stop a Snapshot Agent or Log Reader Agent from Management Studio  
  
1.  Connect to the Publisher in [!INCLUDE[ssManStudio](../../../includes/ssmanstudio-md.md)], and then expand the server node and the **Replication** folder.  
  
2.  Expand the **Local Publications** folder, and then right-click a publication.  
  
3.  Click **View Snapshot Agent Status** or **View Log Reader Agent Status**.  
  
4.  Click **Start** or **Stop**.  
  
### To start and stop a Queue Reader Agent from Management Studio  
  
1.  Connect to the Distributor in [!INCLUDE[ssManStudio](../../../includes/ssmanstudio-md.md)], and then expand the server node.  
  
2.  Expand the **SQL Server Agent** folder, and then expand the **Jobs** folder.  
  
3.  Right-click the job for the agent, and then click **Start Job** or **Stop Job**. The name of the job for the Queue Reader Agent is in the form **[\<Distributor>].\<integer>**.  
  
### To start and stop a Snapshot Agent, Log Reader Agent, or Queue Reader Agent from Replication Monitor  
  
1.  Expand a Publisher group in the left pane, expand a Publisher, and then click a publication.  
  
2.  Click the **Agents** tab.  
  
3.  Right-click an agent, and then click **Start Agent** or **Stop Agent**.  
  
## See Also  
 [Monitoring Replication](../../../relational-databases/replication/monitor/monitoring-replication.md)   
 [Replication Agent Executables Concepts](../../../relational-databases/replication/concepts/replication-agent-executables-concepts.md)   
 [Replication Agents Overview](../../../relational-databases/replication/agents/replication-agents-overview.md)