This tutorial will show you how to create a shortcut of an elevated task to run an app as administrator without getting a UAC prompt for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you open an application file with Run as administrator, you will get a UAC prompt by default for approval before the app is allowed to run with elevated rights.
In addition, Windows will not allow elevated apps to run at startup by default.
If you want to run an app as administrator (elevated) without getting a UAC prompt or at startup, then you can create an elevated task using the steps below to run the application as a workaround to do so.
You must be signed in as an administrator to create and use this elevated shortcut.
Here's How:
1 Open Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc).
2 Click/tap on Task Scheduler Library in the left pane of Task Scheduler, and click/tap on Create Task in the right Actions pane. (see screenshot below)
3 In the General tab, type a name (ex: "Windows Terminal (Admin)") you want for this task, and type an optional description of the task. (see screenshot below)
Make note of this task name. You will need to know it in step 8 and when you create a shortcut of this task in step 13 below.
4 In the General tab, check the Run with highest privileges box. (see screenshot below)
5 In the General tab, select Windows 10 in the Configure for drop down menu. (see screenshot below)
You would select Windows 10 even for Windows 11.
6 Click/tap on the Actions tab, and click/tap on the New button. (see screenshot below)
7 Type cmd.exe in the Program/script field. (see screenshot below)
This is what is being used to open the elevated shortcut from, so it cannot be changed to anything else.
8 Type the command below into the Add arguments field, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
/c start "Task Name" "Full path of application file"Substitute Task Name in the command above with the task name (ex: "Windows Terminal (Admin)") you used in step 3 above.
Substitute Full path of application file in the command above with the actual full path of the application file you want to run as administrator. If this is for an app included in Windows (ex: "Windows Terminal (Admin)"), then you can just enter the .exe file name (ex: "wt.exe") for the app. If this is for an installed 3rd party app, then you will need to enter the full file path.
For example: /c start "Windows Terminal (Admin)" "wt.exe"
9 You will now see this new action listed. (see screenshot below)
10 Click/tap on the Conditions tab, uncheck the Start the task only if the computer is on AC power box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
11 You will now see this new task (ex: "Windows Terminal (Admin)") listed in the Task Scheduler Library. You can now close Task Scheduler if you like. (see screenshot below)
12 Right click or press and hold on your desktop, click/tap on New, and click/tap on Shortcut.
13 Type the command below into the location field, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
schtasks /run /tn "Task Name"Substitute Task Name in the command above with the task name (ex: "Windows Terminal (Admin)") you used in step 3 above.
For example: schtasks /run /tn "Windows Terminal (Admin)"
14 Type a name (ex: "Windows Terminal (Admin)") you want for this shortcut of the task, and click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)
15 Right click or press and hold on the new shortcut on your desktop, and click/tap on Properties.
16 Click/tap on the Change Icon button in the Shortcut tab. (see screenshot below)
17 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
18 Click/tap on Browse, navigate to and select the application (exe) file you want to run as administrator, click/tap on Open, select the icon you want for the shortcut, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)
You can use any icon you want for this shortcut.
19 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
20 You can run at startup, Pin to Taskbar, Pin to Start, add to Start menu All apps, assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this elevated shortcut to where you like for easy usage.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Thanks
