Elevated Command Prompt Shortcut

How to Create an "Elevated Command Prompt" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to create a shortcut that will open an elevated command prompt with administrator rights in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

   Note

When you use the elevated command prompt shortcut, you may be prompted to click/tap on Yes or enter the administrator account's password depending on your UAC settings in Windows 7 or Windows 8.

   Warning

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to use this shortcut.

EXAMPLE: Elevated Command Prompt
NOTE: Notice how the elevated command prompt opens to C:\Windows\System32 and not C:\Users\(user name) as the default command prompt without administrator rights.

OPTION ONE

To Download an "Elevated Command Prompt" Shortcut

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Elevated_Command_Prompt.zip

Download


2. Save the ZIP file to your desktop.

3. Open the zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the Elevated Command Prompt shortcut to your desktop.

4. Unblock the Elevated Command Prompt shortcut.
NOTE: If there is not a Unblock button there, then the shortcut is already unblocked. Continue on to step 7.

5. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

6. In Windows 8 and 8.1, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

7. When finished, you can delete the downloaded zip file if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Manually Create an "Elevated Command Prompt" Shortcut

1. Right click or press and hold on an empty space on your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.

2. Copy and paste either location below into the location area, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
%ComSpec%

OR

%windir%\System32\cmd.exe




3. Type in the name Elevated Command Prompt, and click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can type in any name that you would like to use for the shortcut though.

4. Right click or press and hold on the Elevated Command Prompt shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.

5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, and click/tap on the Advanced button. (see screenshot below).

6. Check the Run as administrator box, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 5)

8. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

9. In Windows 8 and 8.1, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 7
• How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 8
• How to Run a Program as an Administrator in Windows 7
• How to Create an Elevated Program Shortcut without a UAC Prompt
• Add or Remove "Open Command Window Here as Administrator" to the Context Menu

 

[Magikill]

Hello Magikill,

Not a silly question at all. This may work for you.

Add or Remove "Open Command Window Here as Administrator" to the Context Menu

Oh my god this is awesome I don't think I did it right before lol .. you are by far the best person I know online m8 thank you so much

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Magikill. Thank you for the kind words.

 

[lartomar2002]

I downloaded the short cut and followed all of your instructions but the command prompt still opens with "C:\Windows\System32". I followed you instructions and went into the short cuts tab "advance" but my run as administrator was already checked. Any suggestions

 

[Brink]

Hello Lartomar,

I'm not sure what you mean. That's what it's suppose to open to in a elevated command prompt. See the example screenshot at the top of the tutorial.

If your's is different, then please post a screenshot of it.

 

[lartomar2002]

I thought this was the tutorial I needed, maybe it is not.. I would like for the command prompt to open with "C:\Users\(user name). I am trying to ping a set top box(Boxee Box) that is on my network.

 

[Brink]

Ah, ok. You can use the same shortcut, but just uncheck the Run as administrator box instead for to have it open unelevated to that location.

You should also have one in your Start Menu by default at All Programs -> Accessories.

 

[lartomar2002]

Thanks

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[nedau]

I took a different approach to this. I created a batch file with the runas command and placed a shortcut named "su" pointing to the batch file in c:\windows so I can now press win + r and type su to get to my admin prompt. It still requires a password so it is totally secure and I set the path to my commands folder that I keep my batch files in so that I can use "su" in the command prompt.

 

[MarcDearden]

Command Prompt Shortcut

Thanks for that tip. It was very useful.
Marc

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Marc. I'm glad it was able to help.

 

[bigblocktowncar]

Mine does not work....

My user account is set to admin and I right clicked on the shortcut in the start menu and set it to open as admin.

When I type cmd in run it still goes to users/account, however the window at the top of the page is titled Administrator: C:\windows\system32\cmd.exe Is this correct?

 

[Anak]

Yes, as long as you see system32 whether it is in the command line or the title bar it is an elevated command.

Right clicking on context menu in start menu:


Running cmd in Run:

 

[Electroman]

When I use the methods in the tutorial, UAC pops up. However, if I uncheck "Run as administrator" it does not-and still gives me an elevated command prompt (I'm not sure why). I also found that I can go to Start & type in cmd, and when it comes up, right click -> drag to desktop and select "create shortcut"--it also gives an elevated command prompt without further modification. Thought this may help someone. Thanks for all of the great tutorials on this site!

 

[Brink]

Hello Electroman,

What type of account is this in?

As a test, type diskpart in the command prompt and press Enter to see if the command prompt is truly running elevated or not. If not, then you will either be prompted by UAC, or get an "Access denied" message.

 

[Electroman]

Hello Brink,

I did as you suggested and I do get a UAC prompt. Does this indicate that I don't have a true elevated command prompt? I am in an Administrator account. The shortcut opens at C:\Windows\System32>. Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello Electroman,

It sure does.

 

[Electroman]

Thanks Brink! It makes more sense now

 

[whs]

I always pin cmd to the taskbar. From there I have my own quick method:















Then the Advanced button and check the little box followed by OK > Apply > OK.

 

[bawldiggle]

Thank you Brink for another excellent tutorial.

Warning
You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to use this shortcut.

As the :devil:'s advocate ...
With an elevated cmd-prompt shortcut , ie "Run as Administrator" ... why would I need to be logged in as Admin to use the shortcut. ?

Without having experimented with an elevated shortcut, what is the point of an elevated shortcut if it can only be used when logged in as administrator.
If logged in as admin, wouldn't opening the cmd.exe default to Administrator.

I would like to open an elevated cmd-prompt from my user account using the elevated shortcut.

Sorry to be difficult ... I am not questioning the human logic ... but the OS/security logic.

---------------
SPECS:
Toshiba Satellite C665
OS:= Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), sp1 (Build 7601) OEM
UI:=Classic Shell Start + Classic Explorer
Windows Indexing = disabled
Security settings for C:\
System ... (full control:=ON)
Administrators (Owner-PC\Administrators) ... (full control:=OFF)
Users (Owner-PC\Users) ... (full control:=OFF)