Launch Run Dialog with elevated permissions (Run As Administrator)

I like to ctrl+shift+enter to elevate my apps, this works with notepad (I can then create a new folder in a system folder like program files via the file dialog)

and cmd (the shell is labelled as elevated)


With powershell_ise, this doesn't work - you have to select the Run as administrator context menu (shift+right-click to extend if required)

If you run from windows sandbox everything is launched elevated


I tried to get this by creating a shortcut to C:\Windows\explorer.exe Shell:::{2559a1f3-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0} and setting the shortcut to Run as admin
Advanced Shortcut Properties


This method doesn't work, the run isn't elevated, and processes launched from this are not elevated.

I can use /runas which may only allow me to run as the Administrator (not running as "me" with admin rights) and this also requires a password is set for the Administrator user...

1. How can powershell_ise be ran elevated?
I just created the shortcut to c:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell_ise.exe and set that to run as admin, and that worked, but ideally I'd be able to do this for any app, maybe without creating shortcuts.

2. How can the "elevated run dialog" be launched? Is there a policy? Can a shortcut be created in a special location to launch the admin_run_dialog, with an(other) global shortcut hotkey, eg "Ctrl+WindowsKey+R" ?

Thanks!


PS: I have UAC currently off, in case that's important.

To open & use the Run dialog:-
Win-R
write in the command you want to run elevated
Ctrl-Shift-Enter

jonny said:

the Administrator

Click to expand...

By the way, there is no such thing as the Administrator.
Any account in the Administrators group is equal to all the other accounts in the Administrators group.


Denis

jonny said:

I tried to get this by creating a shortcut to C:\Windows\explorer.exe Shell:::{2559a1f3-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0} and setting the shortcut to Run as admin

Click to expand...

I personally use the method indicated by Denis (ie. enter the program name and press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER), although interestingly, there also the method of creating a Shortcut to the RUN box using the following target (set to run as admin in properties).
ref: Where is the Windows Run command located?

Although, in the limited testing, on my System, if I run this shortcut, I get either a ready to go "This task will be created with administrator previleges", or a normal RUN box with a tickbox to "Create this task with administrative privileges". In the second instance, the program name entered in the dialog box will not run unless that "admin box is ticked" !.



pn: Powershell_ise.exe for some reason can't seem to be started as admin using the normal RUN dialog Ctrl+Shift+Enter method, although it can be indirectly by using something like:
powershell.exe -c powershell_ise.exe

Thanks for contributions!

I'm running (windows + R) c:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,#61
but I don't get the admin-run box

Denix, when you use that method to run powershell_ise does that launch as admin on yours? Not working here (windows 11, 22h2)

there is no such thing as the Administrator.
Also, if you run net users you may have an Administrator account. It may be disabled as default, but it does often exist

Just saying ; )

net users

Administrator DefaultAccount Guest
Jonny WDAGUtilityAccount

Well done das10! That doesn't work on mine... if you expose the command line column in Task Manager does your run admin appear with the same command (C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,#61) ?


Thanks again !

Update: if I ctrl+shift+enter to run the C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,#61 I get the prompt, and changing the previous shortcut target to this causes the run to launch with admin rights). Sadly windows shortcuts can't be assigned shortcut keys that use windows-key, but preliminary results show success.

Solution (one) - run "C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,#61" as admin

To make the shortcut global I tried moving the shortcut to a folder in system32 (that's in path), but in testing (calling the admin-run via shortcut when something like Edge is focussed) this doesn't work... yet

jonny said:

the Administrator

Click to expand...

By the way, there is no such thing as the Administrator.
Any account in the Administrators group is equal to all the other accounts in the Administrators group.

The built-in Admin account is an Admin account.
It is on no sense the Admin account.
It is no more powerful than any Admin account that you create.


Denis

Try3 said:

The built-in Admin account is an Admin account.
It is on no sense the Admin account.
It is no more powerful than any Admin account that you create.

Click to expand...

The built-in Administrator by default is never asked for UAC approval. That's why some people love using it.

- To get the same behavior for other Admin group users, you must alter their UAC settings.
- To get the built-in Administrator to stop defaulting to having admin rights, you must alter their Admin Approval Mode.

So yes, built-in Administrator is more "powerful" this way, but doesn't have more rights than any other elevated Admin user.

The Built-in Admin defaults to UAC off whilst other Admin accounts default to UAC on.
Both the Built-in Admin & any other Admin accounts can have their UAC level changed.
None are more powerful than any other.

The OP should not be under any illusions in this respect.


Denis

UAC being enabled or disabled is a system-wide setting. There are not different on/off settings for different users.

The different behavior for the built-in Administrator account is due to Admin Approval Mode, as garlin said. By default, on client versions of Windows, Admin Approval Mode is disabled, meaning the built-in Administrator runs applications elevated without being prompted.

jonny,

Nothing in these recent posts changes the key facts that:

jonny said:

the Administrator

Click to expand...

Try3 said:

... there is no such thing as the Administrator.
Any account in the Administrators group is equal to all the other accounts in the Administrators group.

The built-in Admin account is an Admin account.
It is on no sense the Admin account.
It is no more powerful than any Admin account that you create.

Click to expand...

Denis

garlin said:

So yes, built-in Administrator is more "powerful" this way, but doesn't have more rights than any other elevated Admin user.

Click to expand...

The main important difference is that the built-in Administrator account, or default local Administrator account cannot be deleted or locked out. Local Accounts - Windows Security
"the Administrator account" commonly refers to the other local Administrator account that is automatically created during Windows setup:
"Windows setup disables the built-in Administrator account and creates another local account that is a member of the Administrators group."