How to Change Behavior of User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Administrators in Windows
InformationUser Account Control (UAC) helps prevent potentially harmful programs from making changes to your computer by notifying you before changes are made to your PC that require administrator-level (elevated) permission.
This tutorial will show you how to change the behavior of the User Account Control (UAC) elevation prompt (admin approval mode) for administrators in Windows 7 and Windows 8.
This does not apply to the built-in elevated Administrator account.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the options in this tutorial.
This tutorial will show you how to change the behavior of the User Account Control (UAC) elevation prompt (admin approval mode) for administrators in Windows 7 and Windows 8.
This does not apply to the built-in elevated Administrator account.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the options in this tutorial.
NoteDescription of UAC Prompt Behavior Options for Administrators:
- Elevate without prompting: Allows privileged accounts to perform an operation that requires elevation without requiring consent or credentials. This will make all administrators to have the same rights as the built-in elevated Administrator account. Note: Use this option only in the most constrained environments.
- Prompt for credentials on the secure desktop: When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted on the secure desktop to enter a privileged (administrator) user name and password. If the user enters valid credentials, the operation continues with the user's highest available privilege.
- Prompt for consent on the secure desktop: When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted on the secure desktop to select either Permit or Deny. If the user selects Permit, the operation continues with the user's highest available privilege.
- Prompt for credentials: When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted to enter an administrative user name and password. If the user enters valid credentials, the operation continues with the applicable privilege.
- Prompt for consent: When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted to select either Permit or Deny. If the user selects Permit, the operation continues with the user's highest available privilege.
- Prompt for consent for non-Windows binaries: (Default) When an operation for a non-Microsoft application requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted on the secure desktop to select either Permit or Deny. If the user selects Permit, the operation continues with the user's highest available privilege.
EXAMPLE: User Account Control (UAC) Prompt
OPTION ONE
Change Behavior of UAC Prompt for Administrators using a .reg File
1. Do step 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 below for what you would like the behavior of the UAC elevation prompt for administrators to be.
2. To Elevate without Prompting
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
Admin_UAC_Elevate_without_prompting.reg
3. To Prompt for Credentials on the Secure Desktop
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 8 below.
Admin_UAC_Prompt_for_credentials_on_secure_desktop.reg
4. To Prompt for Consent on the Secure Desktop
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
Admin_UAC_Prompt_for_consent_on_secure_desktop.reg
5. To Prompt for Credentials
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
Admin_UAC_Prompt_for_credentials.reg
7. To Prompt for Consent for non-Windows Binaries
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
Admin_UAC_Prompt_for_consent_for_non-Windows_binaries.reg
8. Save the .reg file to your Desktop.
9. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
10. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
11. Sign out and in, or restart the computer to apply the changes.
12. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
OPTION TWO
Change Behavior of UAC Prompt for Administrators in Security Policy
1. Open the Local Security Policyeditor.
2. In the left pane, expand Local Policies, click/tap on Security Options, and double click/tap on User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode in the right pane. (see screenshot below)
3. Select the behavior you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The default setting is Prompt for consent for non-Windows binaries. See the blue note box at the top of the tutorial for a description of each setting.
4. When finished, close the Local Security Policy editor.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Change UAC Notification Settings in Windows 7
- How to Change User Account Control (UAC) Settings in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Change Behavior of User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Standard Users
- Enable or Disable User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Built-in Administrator in Windows
- Enable or Disable User Account Control (UAC) Blacking Out of Screen in Windows
- Add or Remove User Accounts from Groups in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
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