Fix error "Agent XPs disabled" in SQL Server

This article explains the steps to fix the SQL Server agent error "Agent XPs disabled" using T-SQL scripts.

Error details

You might see the error - Agent XPs disabled (as shown below) after installing a new SQL Server instance.

SQL Server Agent is a service that allows SQL Server administrators to schedule, manage and monitor SQL Server operations.

The SQL Server Agent service is used to create a new agent job, schedule, operator, or maintenance plan. The SQL Server agent requires the Agent XPs configuration parameter.

The Agent XPs enables the SQL Server Agent extended stored procedures on this server.

We need the Agent XPs configuration to enable the SQL Server Agent extended stored procedures.

SQL Server Management Studio Object Explorer will not show the contents of the SQL Server Agent node unless these extended stored procedures are enabled regardless of the SQL Server Agent service is in a stopped state.

The SQL Server Agent node is not available in SQL Server Management Studio Object Explorer without the Agent XP configuration.

Script to resolve Agent XP disabled error

Run the following query to enable the Agent XP configuration on a specific SQL instance.

Note: The Agent XP configuration does not require SQL Service restart.

Use Master
Go
sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;  
GO  
RECONFIGURE;  
GO  
sp_configure 'Agent XPs', 1; 
GO  
RECONFIGURE  
GO

FYI: When SQL Server Management Studio is used to start the SQL Server Agent service, it automatically enables these extended stored procedures.