Established in 1994, its primary task is to command operations, but is also involved in areas such as military strategy, the overall development of the Swedish Armed Forces, and acting as a channel of contact with government.

On 1 July 1994 a major reorganization of the Swedish Armed Forces was carried out and of the then central staffs.

The biggest and most important change in the headquarters was that the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (Strategiledningen) was established.

In addition to these units, there were within the headquarters the Swedish Armed Forces Security Inspectorate (Försvarsmaktens säkerhetsinspektion), the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service and independent departments for, among other things, position presentation, coordination, law and administration.

[7] In July 2002, a management investigation was completed which pointed to a number of problems that needed to be solved.

This concerned important issues such as coordination of work processes within the Headquarters and management and follow-up of the units around the country.

The Swedish Armed Forces would thereby have three main processes; the Utvecklings- och inriktningsprocessen, Produktionsprocessen and Insatsprocessen.

Blazon: "Azure, the lesser coat of arms of Sweden, three open crowns or placed two and one.

[11] In 2010, the Högkvarterets förtjänstmedalj ("Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters Medal of Merit") in gold and silver (HKVGM/SM) was established.

[12][13] In conjunction with the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters reorganization in 1998, a special position was created as Deputy Supreme Commander to relieve the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces.

[14] A formal position of chief of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters was established in 2002.

[8] Since 1 January 2023, the Chief of the Defence Staff is the head of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters.