How to run programs as administrator in Windows

In recent versions of Windows, Microsoft makes it very quick and easy to open apps. This makes a lot of sense, given it’s one of the core functions of any desktop operating system.

When opening an app for the first time, you’ll usually be asked if you “want to allow this app to make changes to your device”. In order to give permission, you’ll need to be using an administrator account.

But even on administrator accounts, you’ll need to select ‘Run as administrator’ on an app-by-app basis. Full system access simply isn’t necessary in most situations, and risks causing permanent damage to your system.

However, to access some extra functionality or fix problems, running as administrator is the only way to go. Here’s how to do it on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

How to run programs as an administrator in Windows 10

There are two main ways to run apps with administrator privileges in Windows 10. The first method is one you may already be familiar with:

1. Find the app you want to run as an administrator, either via the Start menu or on the desktop
2. Right-click it and choose ‘Run as administrator’

3. From the pop-up that appears, click ‘Yes’ to confirm

The app will now be running with administrator privileges. But if you’d rather not do this every single time, there is a way for you to always open specific apps as an administrator:

1. Open the Start menu and find the app you’d like to run as an administrator

2. Right-click it, then choose More > Open file location

3. The app will now be highlighted in File Explorer. Right-click it and choose ‘Properties’

4. Click the ‘Shortcut’ tab if it’s not already selected, then choose ‘Advanced…’

5. Check the box next to ‘Run as administrator’, then click ‘OK’

6. Click ‘OK’ again from the main ‘Properties’ window, then ‘Continue’

7. From the pop-up that appears, click ‘Yes’ to approve

This app will now run with administrator privileges every time you open it, unless you specifically choose otherwise. You can repeat this process for any app that can be run as an administrator.

How to run programs as an administrator in Windows 11

The process on Windows 11 is largely the same as Windows 10, but it’s still worth exploring in detail. First up, how to manually run as administrator when opening an app:

1. Open the Start menu, then select ‘All apps’ from the top-right corner

2. Scroll through the list until you find the app you’d like to run as an administrator
3. Right-click the app, then choose More > Run as administrator

4. From the pop-up that appears, click ‘Yes’ to confirm

Follow these steps each time you’d like to run an app as an administrator. But if you’d like a specific app to do this every time you open it, here’s what to do:

1. Open the Start menu, then select ‘All apps’ from the top-right corner
2. Scroll through the list until you find the app you’d like to run as an administrator
3. Right-click the app, then choose More > Open file location

4. The app will now be highlighted in File Explorer. Right-click it and choose ‘Properties’

5. Click the ‘Shortcut’ tab if it’s not already selected, then choose ‘Advanced…’

6. Check the box next to ‘Run as administrator’, then click ‘OK’

7. Click ‘OK’ again from the main ‘Properties’ window, then ‘Continue’

8. From the pop-up that appears, click ‘Yes’ to approve

For more articles like this, see our full range of Windows tutorials.