How to fix the error Run as Administrator does not work in Windows

That's where this guide comes into play. So let's see what you can do to fix Run as Administrator not working on Windows.

1. Restart the computer

If you're having trouble running applications with admin privileges, restarting your computer may resolve the issue. This simple solution will resolve any temporary issues and return the system to its default state.

2. Check your account type

Not all user accounts are created equal. To run programs with special admin privileges, you must have an admin account. So go to Control Panel and check your account type. If that account is not labeled as an admin account, switch to another account or create a new account.

3. Check User Account Control settings

Windows User Account Control (UAC) prevents malicious programs from installing on your computer. This security feature may prevent you from using elevated privileges.

To make sure the problem is not UAC related, go to Control Panel and check User Account Settings. If it is set to the highest level, bring it down to default. Here's how to do it:

1. Press Win + S simultaneously to open the search box.

2. Type Control Panel in the search box and press Enter. This will open the Control Panel window.

3. View items under Large icons in Control Panel and click User Accounts.

4. On the right, click Change User Account Control settings . Doing this will open 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. It will set your UAC to default and allow you to run applications with admin rights.

Now close the window and restart your PC. Then try to run the application with the Run as Administrator feature and see if it works.

4. Change Group Policy settings

Run as Administrator is not working even though you have tried the suggestions above? Maybe setting a group policy will block this feature. To fix this, go to Local Group Policy Editor and check the settings.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Press Win + R simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type gpedit.msc in the text field and press Enter. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor window on your desktop.

3. From the left navigation panel, go to the following path:

Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options

4. On the right side, you will see a list of different security options. Scroll to the bottom and double-click the User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode policy .

5. Doing this will open another window. Here, select the Disabled option and click Apply > OK .

6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor and restart the computer.

After the reboot, try running a program with admin rights. It will work immediately. Don't forget to re-enable the Admin Approval Mode setting once you're done troubleshooting.

5. Clean up the context menu

When you right-click on a program or file, you often see a Run as Administrator option in the context menu. If it's missing, you should check your context menu items for clutter.

Warning : This solution involves editing the Windows Registry. One mistake can also cause serious problems. So be cautious and make 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 in the text field and press Enter. Doing this will open the Windows Reged Editor.

3. If the UAC window appears, click Yes to grant admin rights.

4. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following path:

ComputerHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT*shellexContextMenuHandlers

5. Next, expand the ContextMenuHandlers folder and look for any suspicious entries. If you find any, delete them.

6. Now exit Registry Editor and restart the computer.

When the computer restarts, you will see a Run as Administrator option in the context menu. Try running a program with admin rights and see if it works.

6. Try some general fixes

Besides the fixes mentioned above, some general solutions work in all situations. Try these if you're still having trouble running the app with admin rights:

1. Repair Corrupted System Files : Damaged and missing system files on your computer will be restored. Use them to fix the root cause of the problem.
2. Perform Clean Boot : When you start Windows in a state, the operating system will only run essential services and programs. It identifies any third-party software that is causing the problem.
3. Create a new admin user account : If it still doesn't fix the problem, try creating a new admin user account and login. This will determine if your existing account is faulty.

Lesley Montoya

Update 28 August 2023