diff --git a/changelog/fragments/1717516439-Capture-early-errors-on-Windows.yaml b/changelog/fragments/1717516439-Capture-early-errors-on-Windows.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..76a40a2c513
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/fragments/1717516439-Capture-early-errors-on-Windows.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# Kind can be one of:
+# - breaking-change: a change to previously-documented behavior
+# - deprecation: functionality that is being removed in a later release
+# - bug-fix: fixes a problem in a previous version
+# - enhancement: extends functionality but does not break or fix existing behavior
+# - feature: new functionality
+# - known-issue: problems that we are aware of in a given version
+# - security: impacts on the security of a product or a user’s deployment.
+# - upgrade: important information for someone upgrading from a prior version
+# - other: does not fit into any of the other categories
+kind: enhancement
+
+# Change summary; a 80ish characters long description of the change.
+summary: Capture early errors on Windows in Application eventlog.
+
+# Long description; in case the summary is not enough to describe the change
+# this field accommodate a description without length limits.
+# NOTE: This field will be rendered only for breaking-change and known-issue kinds at the moment.
+#description:
+
+# Affected component; a word indicating the component this changeset affects.
+component: elastic-agent
+
+# PR URL; optional; the PR number that added the changeset.
+# If not present is automatically filled by the tooling finding the PR where this changelog fragment has been added.
+# NOTE: the tooling supports backports, so it's able to fill the original PR number instead of the backport PR number.
+# Please provide it if you are adding a fragment for a different PR.
+pr: https://github.com/elastic/elastic-agent/pull/4846
+
+# Issue URL; optional; the GitHub issue related to this changeset (either closes or is part of).
+# If not present is automatically filled by the tooling with the issue linked to the PR number.
+issue: https://github.com/elastic/elastic-agent/issues/4627
diff --git a/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run.go b/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run.go
index ae99ba108a9..a49986c1642 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run.go
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@ const (
 	fleetInitTimeoutName = "FLEET_SERVER_INIT_TIMEOUT"
 )
 
-type cfgOverrider func(cfg *configuration.Configuration)
-type awaiters []<-chan struct{}
+type (
+	cfgOverrider func(cfg *configuration.Configuration)
+	awaiters     []<-chan struct{}
+)
 
 func newRunCommandWithArgs(_ []string, streams *cli.IOStreams) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ func newRunCommandWithArgs(_ []string, streams *cli.IOStreams) *cobra.Command {
 			testingMode, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("testing-mode")
 			if err := run(nil, testingMode, fleetInitTimeout); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
 				fmt.Fprintf(streams.Err, "Error: %v\n%s\n", err, troubleshootMessage())
-
+				logExternal(fmt.Sprintf("%s run failed: %s", paths.BinaryName, err))
 				return err
 			}
 			return nil
@@ -128,7 +130,7 @@ func run(override cfgOverrider, testingMode bool, fleetInitTimeout time.Duration
 	// register as a service
 	stop := make(chan bool)
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-	var stopBeat = func() {
+	stopBeat := func() {
 		close(stop)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run_unix.go b/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4bbfa66f02c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+// or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+
+//go:build !windows
+
+package cmd
+
+// logExternal logs the error to an external log.  On non-windows systems this is a no-op.
+func logExternal(msg string) {
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run_windows.go b/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..94505d87d4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/agent/cmd/run_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+// or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+
+//go:build windows
+
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/svc/eventlog"
+
+	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent/internal/pkg/agent/application/paths"
+)
+
+// logExternal logs the error to an external log.  On Windows this is
+// the Application EventLog.  This is a best effort logger and no
+// errors are returned.
+func logExternal(msg string) {
+	eLog, err2 := eventlog.Open(paths.ServiceName)
+	if err2 != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	_ = eLog.Error(1, msg)
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/agent/install/install.go b/internal/pkg/agent/install/install.go
index 27fd08e34e7..a7cf3c45669 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/agent/install/install.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/agent/install/install.go
@@ -202,6 +202,13 @@ func Install(cfgFile, topPath string, unprivileged bool, log *logp.Logger, pt *p
 			fmt.Sprintf("failed to install service (%s)", paths.ServiceName),
 			errors.M("service", paths.ServiceName))
 	}
+	err = serviceConfigure(ownership)
+	if err != nil {
+		pt.Describe("Failed to configure service")
+		_ = svc.Uninstall()
+		return ownership, fmt.Errorf("failed to configure service (%s): %w", paths.ServiceName, err)
+	}
+
 	pt.Describe("Installed service")
 
 	return ownership, nil
diff --git a/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_unix.go b/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_unix.go
index 52f9f92847e..4fa77a682c8 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_unix.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_unix.go
@@ -26,3 +26,8 @@ func fixInstallMarkerPermissions(markerFilePath string, ownership utils.FileOwne
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// serviceConfigure is a no-op on unix
+func serviceConfigure(ownership utils.FileOwner) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_windows.go b/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_windows.go
index c589ccaf384..ac9872a8ca7 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_windows.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/agent/install/install_windows.go
@@ -7,8 +7,12 @@
 package install
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/svc/eventlog"
 
 	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent/internal/pkg/agent/application/paths"
 	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent/pkg/utils"
@@ -48,3 +52,13 @@ func fixInstallMarkerPermissions(markerFilePath string, ownership utils.FileOwne
 	// TODO(blakerouse): Fix the market permissions on Windows.
 	return nil
 }
+
+// serviceConfigure sets registry to Log to EventLog
+func serviceConfigure(ownership utils.FileOwner) error {
+	// Modify registry to allow logging to eventlog as "Elastic Agent".
+	err := eventlog.InstallAsEventCreate(paths.ServiceName, eventlog.Info|eventlog.Warning|eventlog.Error)
+	if err != nil && !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "registry key already exists") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create registry key for logging: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/agent/install/uninstall.go b/internal/pkg/agent/install/uninstall.go
index 3e1fe187818..17f6303e04d 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/agent/install/uninstall.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/agent/install/uninstall.go
@@ -201,7 +201,6 @@ func containsString(str string, a []string, caseSensitive bool) bool {
 }
 
 func uninstallComponents(ctx context.Context, cfgFile string, uninstallToken string, log *logp.Logger, pt *progressbar.ProgressBar) error {
-
 	platform, err := component.LoadPlatformDetail()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to gather system information: %w", err)