No shied icon just means that the program will not "Run as administrator" by default when you run it. You can still manually right click on it and click on "Run as administrator".
Click on the link below for more on the Open File - Security Warning prompt.
Open File - Security Warning : Unblock File
I don't think I can explain it any better than this. If you would try a shortcut that has a UAC shield icon and one that doesn't on it, then you will get a better feel for it.
So technically ALL applications that has no shield icon will prompt you an open-file security warning?
No. You would get a Open File - Security Warning with a file that you had saved to your computer from and external source like the internet, another computer, etc..... instead. You would just manually unblock that file to not get the warning anymore for it.
I icon without a UAC shield just means that he app will not "Run as administrator" unless you right click on it and click on "Run as administrator".
Alright, I think I understand now. So an icon with a UAC shield means that it runs as admin as default even without right-clicking and choosing run as admin. I hope I got it all right :)
One last question. For programs/applications that are designed to "run as administrator" by default, they ALL should exhibit the UAC shield icon, right?
Great. Thanks much for these information and sorry for being persistent on all these :)
Hi again. What if I have an exe file that has NO SHIELD ICON but when I double-click on it it prompts me with UAC, will it run as administrator if I click YES on the prompt?
Or is it that all exe fiiles with NO SHIELD ICON will have an Open-file security warning?
Because the things is with or without the shield icon, opening a file ALWAYS shows the UAC prompt. So what then is the difference of having or without having that shield icon if you ALWAYS get the UAC prompt?
Hello Kevin,
If a program's icon has the UAC overlay shield on it, then it means that the program will prompt you to allow or deny it to "Run as administrator" first.
If a program's icon doesn't has the UAC overlay shield on it and you get a UAC prompt, then it usually means that the program's exe file does not have a valid "digital signature", has an "unknown publisher", may be harmful to your computer, etc.... The UAC prompt will tell you what it is for though.
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