User Account Control (UAC) - Change Settings in Windows 8

How to Change User Account Control (UAC) Settings in Windows 8 and 8.1


information   Information
User 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.

By default, UAC is set to notify you whenever apps try to make changes to your PC, but you can change how often UAC notifies you.

Accessibility devices or apps—such as screen readers—work best with either the Always notify me or the Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer UAC setting.


This will show you how to change the User Account Control (UAC) settings for when to be notified about changes to your computer in Windows 8.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

Note   Note
This table describes each UAC setting and how it can impact your PC's security.

Setting

Description

Security impact







Always notify me


  • You'll be notified before apps make changes to your PC or to Windows settings that require administrator permissions.
  • When you're notified, your screen will be dimmed, and you must either approve or deny the request in the UAC dialog box before you can do anything else on your PC.



  • This is the most secure setting.
  • When you're notified, you should carefully read the contents of each dialog box before allowing changes to be made to your PC.
  • See Warning box below.
  • Standard users will be prompted to enter an administrator's password to approve.








Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer (default)


  • You'll be notified before apps make changes to your PC that require administrator permissions.
  • You'll be notified if an app tries to make changes to a Windows setting.
  • You won't be notified if you try to make changes to Windows settings that require administrator permissions.



  • It's usually safe to allow changes to be made to Windows settings without you being notified. However, certain apps that come with Windows can have commands or data passed to them, and malicious software can take advantage of this by using these apps to install files or change settings on your PC. You should always be careful about which apps you allow to run on your PC.
  • Standard users will be prompted to enter an administrator's password to approve.








Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer (don't dim my desktop)


  • You'll be notified before apps make changes to your PC that require administrator permissions.
  • You'll be notified if an app tries to make changes to a Windows setting.
  • You won't be notified if you try to make changes to Windows settings that require administrator permissions.



  • This setting is the same as "Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer," but your desktop won't get dimmed.
  • If you choose this option, other apps might be able to interfere with the visual appearance of the UAC dialog box. This is a security risk, especially if there's malware on your PC.
  • Standard users will be prompted to enter an administrator's password to approve.








Never notify me


  • You won't be notified before any changes are made to your PC.
  • If you're signed in as an administrator, apps can make changes to your PC without your knowledge.
  • If you're signed in as a standard user, any changes that require administrator permissions will automatically be denied.



  • This is the least secure setting. When you set UAC to never notify, you open up your PC to potential security risks.
  • If you set UAC to never notify, you should be careful about which apps you run, because they'll have the same access to the PC as you do. This includes reading and making changes to protected system areas, your personal data, saved files, and anything else stored on the PC. Apps will also be able to communicate and transfer info to and from anything your PC connects with, including the Internet.


warning   Warning
If you set UAC to the top Always notify me level, then you will not be able to refresh and reset Windows 8. These features require UAC to be set to the default or lower levels to work.

DO NOT use the old Windows 7 and Vista method of setting the EnableLUA registry DWORD to 0 (zero) to completely disable UAC. If you do this in Windows 8, it will break modern apps preventing them from being able to run until EnableLUA is set back to 1 and restart the computer. Use the steps in the tutorial below instead for Windows 8.

Setting the EnableLUA registry DWORD to 0 (zero) will also disable Protected Mode in Internet Explorer which means that you will also not be able to have 64-bit IE10/11 until EnableLUA is set back to 1 and restart the computer.


EXAMPLE: User Account Control (UAC) Prompt
UAC.jpg







OPTION ONE

To Change UAC Settings in User Accounts


1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.​
2. Click/tap on the Change User Account Control settings link. (see screenshot below)​
UAC-1.jpg

3. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.​
4. Move the slider up or down to the setting for how you want to be notified by UAC, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)​
UAC-A.png
UAC-B.png
UAC-C.png
UAC-D.png

5. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.​
6. When finished, you can close the User Accounts window.​






OPTION TWO

To Change UAC Settings using a REG File Download


1. Do step 2, 3, 4, or 5 below for how you want to be notified by UAC.​
2. For "Always notify me"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​
UAC_Always_Notify.reg
download

3. For "Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer (default)"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​
UAC_Default.reg
download

4. For "Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer (don't dim my desktop)"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​
UAC_Do-Not-Dim.reg
download

5. For "Never notify me"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​
UAC_Never_Notify.reg
download

6. Save the .reg file to your desktop.​
7. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.​
8. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​
9. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​




That's it,
Shawn


 

Attachments

  • UAC_Always_Notify.reg
    832 bytes · Views: 8,448
  • UAC_Default.reg
    832 bytes · Views: 8,898
  • UAC_Do-Not-Dim.reg
    832 bytes · Views: 5,708
  • UAC_Never_Notify.reg
    832 bytes · Views: 20,532
  • UAC_Sheild.png
    UAC_Sheild.png
    13.1 KB · Views: 404
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you Shawn. You're a very quick replier :p.

I would just like to point out that I think I may have found a security flaw in the Elevated Program Shortcut method though.
I don't know if it's a Windows 8 thing, but this method allows you to run any given application as an administrator. All you have to do is to copy the elevated shortcut path, create a new shortcut, and paste and edit the path to the application you wish to run :think:. Even if you can't edit the elevated path, you can always copy it and use it.

Oh well...this should be possible to do through Windows user accounts configuration.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP LQ118EA
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-2630QM 2Ghz
    Memory
    8 GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 6770M (1 GB DDR5)
Yeah, the standard user being able to abuse/modify the shortcut's target to run what they want is the only downside to this. I would only recommend doing it for someone you trust. :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Yeah, it kinda sucks. Well, thanks again Shawn :).

Take care.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP LQ118EA
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-2630QM 2Ghz
    Memory
    8 GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 6770M (1 GB DDR5)
Anytime mate. I hope it'll work for you.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
this a good post......but i have problem.......need to fix it............
20140504_193128[1].jpg

in the above image,yes option has been disabled....need help to fix it
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro N 32 Bit OS
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    INTEL
    CPU
    Intex Nova N
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Intel(R) G41 Express Chipset
    Screen Resolution
    1600*900
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Frontech
    Mouse
    Logictech
    Internet Speed
    40kb/Sec
    Browser
    Firefox,chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender,Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Hello Harish, and welcome to Eight Forums.

While signed in to an administrator account, double check to see what you have UAC set to. UAC needs to be set to at least the default level (2nd from top) or above (top) for standard users to be able to enter an administrator's password.

Did you do anything to change to always show all users on the sign in screen like below?

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/14632-sign-show-all-users-last-user-windows-8-a.html

Hope this helps for now, :)
Shawn
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
I know this is a bit of an old thread, but I was just curious for those that are administrators and are the only ones using their computer, what level of UAC do you use? What did you use Shawn when you were using Windows 8.1? I have always had my set for the one up from the bottom. I still find it annoying at times, but I also don't want to open my computer up for any vulnerabilities.

I wish there was an exception list for UAC, where you could add programs, etc. that you use frequently and don't want to be bothered by the notification, yet maintaining the level of security for all other areas. Is that a silly thing to look for in this tool? Or is there something else out there that does something like this?

EDIT: I now see an older article from you Shawn, regarding this:

http://www.eightforums.com/system-security/33789-uac-control-known-good-programs.html

Thanks for any help and advice! :)
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3770K @ 3.50GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. P8Z77-V PRO (LGA1155)
    Memory
    16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 799MHz (10-10-10-30)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780, 6144MB GDDR5
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster Z
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS VE278
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 @ 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    1) 250GB Samsung 850 EVO (SSD)
    2) 2TB Seagate (SATA)
    3) 2TB Seagate (SATA)
    4) 4TB Seagate (EXTERNAL)
    PSU
    OCZ ZX 1000W
    Case
    Antec 1100
    Cooling
    Standard with Antec 1100
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless Natural Multimedia
    Mouse
    Razer Death Adder Chroma
    Internet Speed
    60 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware + Anti-Exploit
I'm glad it could help menace97. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
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