Windows offers a Run as Administrator option that lets you run apps and programs with admin privileges. You can also use it to troubleshoot your PC. But what if the feature malfunctions and strips you of your admin rights?
That's where this guide comes in. Here is what you can do to fix Run as Administrator not working on Windows.
1. Restart Your Computer
If you have trouble running apps with admin privileges, restarting your computer may resolve the Run as Administrator problem. This simple fix clears out any temporary glitches and returns the system to its default state.
2. Check Your Account Type
Not all user accounts are equal. To run programs with admin privileges (Run as Administrator), you need an admin account. So head to Control Panel and check your account type. If the account isn't labeled as an admin account, switch to a different one or create a new account.
3. Check the User Account Control Settings
Windows User Account Control (UAC) prevents malicious programs from installing on your computer. This security feature may also keep you from using elevated privileges.
To make sure the problem isn't related to UAC, go to Control Panel and check the User Account Settings. If it's set to the highest level, bring it down to the default. Here's how:
1. Press Win + S together to open the search box.
2. Type Control Panel into the search box and press Enter. This opens the Control Panel window.
3. View the items by Large icons in Control Panel and click User Accounts.
4. On the right, click Change User Account Control settings. This opens the User Account Control Settings window.
5. Here you will see a slider with four options: Always notify, Default, Notify me only when applications try to make changes to my computer, and Never notify.
6. Drag the slider to Default, then click OK. This sets UAC to its default level and lets you run apps with admin rights.
Now close the window and restart your PC. Then try running an app with Run as Administrator and see whether it works.
4. Change the Group Policy Settings
Is Run as Administrator still not working even after you tried the suggestions above? A group policy setting may be blocking the feature. To fix this, go to the Local Group Policy Editor and check the settings.
Here's what to do:
1. Press Win + R together to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc into the text field and press Enter. This opens the Local Group Policy Editor window on your screen.
3. In the left navigation pane, go to the following path:
Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options4. On the right, you will see a list of various security options. Scroll to the bottom and double-click the policy User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode.
5. This opens another window. Here, select the Disabled option and click Apply > OK.
6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor and restart your computer.
After the restart, try running a program with admin rights (Run as Administrator). It should work right away. Don't forget to turn the Admin Approval Mode setting back on once you've finished fixing the Run as Administrator problem.
5. Clean Up the Context Menu
When you right-click a program or file, you normally see the Run as Administrator option in the context menu. If it's missing, check your context menu entries to see whether they've become cluttered.
Warning: This fix involves editing the Windows Registry. A single mistake can cause serious problems. So be careful, and create a registry backup before applying any changes.
Follow these steps to clean up the context menu:
1. Press Win + R on your keyboard to open Run.
2. Type regedit into the text field and press Enter. This opens the Windows Registry Editor.
3. If a UAC window appears, click Yes to grant admin permission.
4. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following path:
ComputerHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT*shellexContextMenuHandlers5. Next, expand the ContextMenuHandlers folder and look for any suspicious entries. If you find any, delete them.
6. Now exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
When the computer restarts, you should see the Run as Administrator option in the context menu. Try running a program with admin rights and see whether it works.
6. Try Some General Fixes
Besides the fixes covered above, a few general solutions work in a wide range of situations. Try these if you still have trouble running apps with admin rights:
- Repair corrupted system files: Corrupted and missing system files on your computer will be restored. Use this to fix the root cause of the problem.
- Perform a Clean Boot: When you start Windows in a clean boot state, the operating system runs only essential services and programs. It identifies any third-party software causing the problem.
- Create a new admin user account: If the problem still isn't fixed, try creating a new admin user account and signing in. This will tell you whether your current account is faulty.
