Create Elevated Shortcut without UAC prompt in Windows 10

Matthew Wai · 06 Mar 2020

Paul Black said:

Thanks for the reply, it is appreciated!
Are there not one liner commands that I can enter into the shortcut then?

Another member, @Cirus, uses runas.exe /user:XXX\Administrator /savecred in a shortcut, which can bypass a UAC prompt. See this post: Add Create Restore Point Context Menu in Windows 10
I have never used the command, so I don't know how/whether it works.

Paul Black · 06 Mar 2020

Matthew Wai said:

Another member, @Cirus, uses runas.exe /user:XXX\Administrator /savecred in a shortcut, which can bypass a UAC prompt. See this post: Add Create Restore Point Context Menu in Windows 10
I have never used the command, so I don't know how/whether it works.

Thanks, I will give that a try.

I know that if the following is put into a REG file and run it works.

I just wondered if any of them could be adapted for a shortcut! . . .

Code:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin]
@="CMD - Open Here As Administrator"
"Extended"=-
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-5324"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin\command]
@="cmd /c echo|set/p=\"%L\"|powershell -NoP -W 1 -NonI -NoL \"SaPs 'cmd' -Args '/c \"\"\"cd /d',$([char]34+$Input+[char]34),'^&^& start /b cmd.exe\"\"\"' -Verb RunAs\""

; ------------------------------------------------------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin]
@="CMD - Open Here As Administrator"
"Extended"=-
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-5324"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin\command]
@="cmd /c echo|set/p=\"%V\"|powershell -NoP -W 1 -NonI -NoL \"SaPs 'cmd' -Args '/c \"\"\"cd /d',$([char]34+$Input+[char]34),'^&^& start /b cmd.exe\"\"\"' -Verb RunAs\""

; ------------------------------------------------------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin]
@="CMD - Open Here As Administrator"
"Extended"=-
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-5324"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin\command]
@="cmd /c echo|set/p=\"%L\"|powershell -NoP -W 1 -NonI -NoL \"SaPs 'cmd' -Args '/c \"\"\"cd /d',$([char]34+$Input+[char]34),'^&^& start /b cmd.exe\"\"\"' -Verb RunAs\""

; ------------------------------------------------------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\background\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin]
@="CMD - Open Here As Administrator"
"Extended"=-
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-5324"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\background\shell\OpenCmdHereAsAdmin\command]
@="cmd /c echo|set/p=\"%V\"|powershell -NoP -W 1 -NonI -NoL \"SaPs 'cmd' -Args '/c \"\"\"cd /d',$([char]34+$Input+[char]34),'^&^& start /b cmd.exe\"\"\"' -Verb RunAs\""

Thanks in advance.

Gaffer · 06 Mar 2020

Nice! Worked a treat!
Even managed to pin it to the task bar

Brink · 06 Mar 2020

Matthew Wai said:

Another member, @Cirus, uses runas.exe /user:XXX\Administrator /savecred in a shortcut, which can bypass a UAC prompt. See this post: Add Create Restore Point Context Menu in Windows 10
I have never used the command, so I don't know how/whether it works.

This is similar to option 2 below, but beware of the possible security risk of the credentials used for the command.

Elevated Program Shortcut - Create for Standard User - Windows 7 Help Forums

Paul Black · 06 Mar 2020

OK, I have changed a few things to make my life easier so this should be simpler to achieve.

My user account has administrative rights, so what command do I use in the shortcuts for BOTH the cmd and PowerShell so they open as Administrator please?

Matthew Wai · 06 Mar 2020

@Brink, I have combined the CMD script and VBScript in option one into a single batch script:
Download "Create an elevated shortcut.bat"

The following improvements have been made:
1. No ZIP file and extraction are needed. Just double-click to run it.
2. It will create an LNK shortcut showing the application's default icon.
3. The shortcut can be customized as mentioned in option two.

Can you upload the batch script in place of the existing ZIP file and use the following screenshot?

Create Elevated Shortcut without UAC prompt in Windows 10-image-1.jpg

Gaffer said:

Even managed to pin it to the task bar

The shortcut created by the above batch script can also be pinned to the taskbar. Try it out.

Paul Black said:

My user account has administrative rights, so what command do I use in the shortcuts for BOTH the cmd and PowerShell so they open as Administrator please?

The simplest way is to use the above batch script. However, if you are willing take the following risk, I can try to create a different script.

Brink said:

beware of the possible security risk of the credentials used for the command.

Brink · 06 Mar 2020

Thank you for the update @Matthew Wai.

Option 1 in the tutorial has now been updated for this.

Paul Black · 06 Mar 2020

I have sorted it out.

As the user account has admin privileges, and the UAC is disabled, what I did was create two shortcuts, one for cmd and one for PowerShell. I entered %windir%\system32\cmd.exe /k and %windir%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe respectfully and then set them to Run as Administrator through Properties and Advanced.

Create Elevated Shortcut without UAC prompt in Windows 10-image.png

The only strange thing is that the cmd doesn't have . . .

. . . at the top. Not a problem though!

Matthew Wai · 06 Mar 2020

Paul Black said:

the UAC is disabled

"UAC in Windows 10 is a necessary evil. Originally, UAC was created to protect Windows Operating systems from unauthorized changes. In particular, UAC protects against unauthorized changes from misconfigurations, installations, malware, and unapproved actions."
Source: You Better Think Twice Before You Disable UAC Windows 10 - Security Boulevard

phrab · 06 May 2020

Brink said:

Thank you for the update @Matthew Wai.

Option 1 in the tutorial has now been updated for this.

I downloaded & tried to use the files in the tutorial. I have:
Create_a_scheduled_task.vbs
Create_an_elevated_shortcut.bat
Create_an_elevated_shortcut.bat doesn't work, doesn't create anything, just flashesAlso, if Metapad.exe (a notepad alternative) is chosen, there's a message that Windows can't open this type of file.Same message if Notepad is chosen

- - - Updated - - -

Brink said:

Thank you for the update @Matthew Wai.

Option 1 in the tutorial has now been updated for this.

I downloaded & tried to use the files in the tutorial. I have:
Create_a_scheduled_task.vbs
Create_an_elevated_shortcut.bat

I tried to test Create_an_elevated_shortcut.bat by choosing it to open Notepad. Also, if Metapad.exe (a notepad alternative) is chosen, there's a message that Windows can't open this type of file, the same message I get when choosing Notepad.

Should this happen?