How to Hide or Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users in Windows


When User Account Control (UAC) is enabled, Windows prompts for consent or prompts for credentials of a valid local administrator account before starting a program or task that requires a full administrator access token. This prompt ensures that no malicious software can be silently installed or run.

With the Always notify or Default UAC setting enabled, your desktop will be switched to the dimmed secure desktop when you get an elevation request by the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.

A user that is a member of the Administrators group can log on, browse the Web, and read e-mail while using a standard user access token. When the administrator needs to perform a task that requires the administrator access token, Windows 10 automatically prompts the user for Y/N approval. This prompt is called an elevation prompt for UAC consent prompt.

The user experience for standard users is different from that of administrators in Admin Approval Mode. The recommended and more secure method of running Windows 10 is to make your primary user account a standard user account. Running as a standard user helps to maximize security for a managed environment. With the built-in UAC elevation component, standard users can easily perform an administrative task by entering valid credentials for a local administrator account. The default, built-in UAC elevation component for standard users is the UAC credential prompt.

See also: How User Account Control works (Windows 10) | Microsoft Docs

If you like, you can set a policy to control whether administrator accounts are displayed in the UAC prompt when a standard user attempts to run as administrator (elevate) an app. If set to hide, standard users will always be required to enter both the user name and password of a local administrator account to elevate instead of just selecting an administrator and entering their password.

This tutorial will show you how to always hide or show administrator accounts in the User Account Control (UAC) credential prompt for standard users in Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to hide or show administrator accounts in the UAC prompt.


 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: Hide or Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Hide or Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users using a REG file


EXAMPLE: Hide or show administator accounts in UAC credential prompt for standard users
Hide or Show Administrators in UAC for Standard Users in Windows-no_admins_uac.png Hide or Show Administrators in UAC for Standard Users in Windows-default_uac.png






OPTION ONE

Hide or Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users in Local Group Policy Editor



The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 7/8/10 Pro, Windows 7/8/10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Credential User Interface

Hide or Show Administrators in UAC for Standard Users in Windows-uac_show_admins_for_standard_users_gpedit-1.png

3. In the right pane of Credential User Interface in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Enumerate administrator accounts on elevation policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (show) or step 6 (hide) below for what you would like to do.


 5. To Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.


 6. To Hide Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users

A) Select (dot) Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Hide or Show Administrators in UAC for Standard Users in Windows-uac_show_admins_for_standard_users_gpedit-2.png

7. When finished, close the Local Group Policy Editor.






OPTION TWO

Hide or Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users using a REG file



The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\CredUI

EnumerateAdministrators DWORD

(delete) = Show
0 = Hide


1. Do step 2 (hide) or step 3 (show) below for what you would like to do.


 2. To Hide Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Do_not_display_administrators_in_UAC_for_standard_users.reg

Download


 3. To Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Display_administrators_in_UAC_for_standard_users.reg

Download

4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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