IIS or Internet Information Services is a technology included in Windows Server, which provides a security-enhanced, easy-to-manage web server for developing and reliably hosting web applications and web services. This enables organizations to deliver rich, web-based experiences. IIS is not turned on by default on the Windows desktop editions. You have to turn it on.

Let us see now how to enable or turn on Internet Information Services on Windows 8. The procedure remains the same as it was in earlier editions.

Turn On IIS or Internet Information Services on Windows 8

Press Win+R key in combination to bring up the ‘Run’ dialog box. In it, type ‘appwiz.cpl’ and hit the ‘OK’ button.

You will be directed to ‘Programs and Feature’ screen of the ‘Control Panel’. There, in the left pane you will find a link to Turn Windows features on/off. Click on that link.

Now, a new ‘Windows Features’ screen should be visible to you. Scroll and search for the Internet Information Services option and select its check box, to turn on the feature.

At this point you can leave settings as default and say OK, but you can certainly expand it and check the other components as well, if you are interested in selecting all or deselecting some.

Once you have configured the desired options as well, hit the ‘OK’ button and wait patiently for few minutes to allow Windows Features to search for required files, install them and apply the changes.

That is all. You will have now successfully installed the new version of IIS Internet Information Services on Windows 8, you will see a new localhost start page. Check out the screen-shot of below.

This is how you can enable or turn on Internet Information services (IIS) on Windows 8.

Go here if you want to learn how to Host your own WordPress blog with Microsoft IIS.