Windows 7: Run as Different User Shortcut - Create for Specified Program and User

   Information

This will show you how to create a Run as different user shortcut that will run a program specified by you as a specified user on the Windows 7 and Vista computer.

The user account that you want to run the program as must be password protected.

   Note

When you use the runas shortcut that you created below, you will be prompted to enter the user's password in a command prompt before the program will run as the specified user.

1. Right click on a empty area on desktop, and click on New and Shortcut.

2. Type the command below into the location area, and click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You would substitute USER-NAME in the command with the actual name of the user account that you want to run the program as.

runas /user:USER-NAME "C:\full\path\of\Program.exe"

For example, if I wanted to run Notepad as the test user, I would type this command below.

runas /user:test "C:\Windows\system32\notepad.exe"

3. Type in something like Program Name - Run as User for the name, and click on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.

4. Right click on the new Program Name - Run as User shortcut on the Desktop and click on Properties.

5. Click on the Shortcut tab, then click on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)

6. Click on OK. (see screenshot below)

7. Click on Browse (see screenshot below step 8), navigate to the location of the EXE file (ex: notepad.exe) of the program, select it, and click on Open. (see screenshot below)

8. Select the program's icon, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

9. Click on OK. (see screenshot below)

10. You can now Pin to Taskbar (Windows 7 only) or Pin to Start Menu this shortcut, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move it where you like for easy use.