# Node Red started from Task Scheduler

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [18 October 2025 18:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446 "2025-10-18T18:14:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hobbe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hobbe/32/18174_2.png) [@Hobbe](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Hobbe)\
**Post date:** [18 October 2025 18:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446/1 "2025-10-18T18:14:24Z")

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If I start Node-Red in Windows via Task Scheduler with the user SYSTEM, where is the Flows.json file located?

Kind regards  
// Hobbe

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [18 October 2025 18:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446/2 "2025-10-18T18:37:03Z")

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`C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\.node-red\flows.json` or something like that.

You could of course tell node-red which dir to use

`node-red --userDir "C:\CustomPath\.node-red"`

Better still, run it under a dedicated (and suitably secured) account?

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**Author:** ![omrid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@omrid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/omrid)\
**Post date:** [18 October 2025 21:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446/3 "2025-10-18T21:00:27Z")

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You can also run it as a background Windows Service using the free NSSM utility.

BTW, I always specify paths with forward slashes (`/`), e.g. `C:/MyDir/...` as they ensure cross-platform compatibility (Windows, Linux, Pi, Mac etc.). AFAIK paths specified in **settings.js** must use only forward slashes.

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**Author:** ![Hobbe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hobbe/32/18174_2.png) [@Hobbe](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Hobbe)\
**Post date:** [19 October 2025 19:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446/4 "2025-10-19T19:39:12Z")

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Thanks a lot!

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**Author:** ![Hobbe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hobbe/32/18174_2.png) [@Hobbe](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Hobbe)\
**Post date:** [19 October 2025 19:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446/5 "2025-10-19T19:39:58Z")

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Is this the site for NSSM?  
[https://nssm.cc/](https://nssm.cc/)

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**Author:** ![omrid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@omrid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/omrid)\
**Post date:** [19 October 2025 20:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446/6 "2025-10-19T20:26:49Z")

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Yes.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/d/4/d4d1b27bfc417b3865db1c5219ae88ea1e808abf.png)

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [17 January 2026 20:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-started-from-task-scheduler/99446/7 "2026-01-17T20:27:17Z")

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