Elevated Command Prompt

How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to open an elevated command prompt with administrator rights (Run as administrator) instead of the default command prompt without administrator rights in Windows 7.

   Tip

If you opened the elevated command prompt from a shortcut (ex: in Start Menu) and it opens to another location other than C:\Windows\System32, then right click on the shortcut and click on Properties. In the Shortcut tab, check to make sure that you have %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH% in the Start in field like below.

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.



Here's How: 1. Do step 2, 3, 4, or 5 below for how you would like to open an elevated command prompt.

2. Use an Elevated Command Prompt shortcut.

OR

3. Open the Start Menu, click on All Programs and Accessories, right click on Command Prompt, and click on Run as administrator. (see screenshot below)
OR

4. Open the Start Menu, type cmd in the search box, and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.

OR

5. Open the Start Menu, type cmd in the search box, right click on cmd.exe (at top), and click on Run as administrator. (see screenshot below)

   Tip

• If you are in a administrator account and get a log in prompt after doing any of the above steps, then click on the Cancel button and repeat the above step again. This will only do this for the very first time you try to open a elevated command prompt in Windows 7.
• If you are in a standard account, then you will need to type in the administrator's password to elevate the command prompt.

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Open a Command Prompt at Startup in Windows 7
• How to Open a Command Prompt in Windows 7
• How to Create an Elevated Command Prompt Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Run a Program as an Administrator in Windows 7
• How to Enable Copy to Clipboard from the Windows 7 Command Prompt
• How to Use "Open Command Window Here" in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Open Command Window Here" from the Context Menu
• Add or Remove "Open Command Window Here as Administrator" to the Context Menu
• How to Personalize the Command Prompt Window

 

[pleomax2310]

Can't access elevated command prompt

Hello, I'm just new here. I can't access the elevated command prompt. I tried all the steps but my cmd showsC:/Users/(username) . I tried running in admin mode but it just showed C:/Users/(username)/Desktop. Any help? Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello pleomax, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Are you logged in an administrator account?

What happens when you right click on the Command Prompt shortcut and click on Run as administrator?

 

[0pTicaL]

Thank you Brink for another great guide.

I've always been stumped by cmd vs elevated cmd. What if I'm the only user (admin) on the machine? Do I still need to use elevated command prompt?

For me Right-click cmd and Run as administrator in the start menu does not work, CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER method does not work as well.

However, start menu search cmd and right-click Run as admin does work and so does manually creating a shortcut.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome 0pTicaL.

Unless you are logged in to the built-in Administrator account, then yes you would need to use "Run as administrator" to still run an "elevated" command prompt.

It should be Ctrl+Shift instead though.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11841-run-administrator.html

 

[djbillyd]

Good tutorial. Worked just great.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Billy. I'm glad it was able to help.

 

[VistaKing]

Hi Brink

I have UAC disabled and when I go to start type in cmd and then do the CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER . CMD opens up to
C:\Users\<user account> . But if I right click on CMD in the start menu and choose Run as Administrator then it opens up to C:\Windows\System32>_ . Does the CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER shortcut get disabled if you have UAC disabled ?

 

[Brink]

Hello VK,

It still opens to "C:\Windows\System32" for me using CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER with UAC disabled.

Not sure why it's for you, but I'd just use the right click method, or the shortcut below to make it even easier.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3718-elevated-command-prompt-shortcut.html

 

[VistaKing]

Are you holding down Ctrl+Shift then pressing Enter or you pressing Ctrl Shift Enter all together ? I tried both ways and still not being able to get the Command Prompt to open to C:\Windows\System32 .


Added : Just installed Windows 7 PRO in a VMware . Tried Ctrl+Shift+Enter it worked . Disabled UAC restarted the machine and tried Ctrl+Shift+Enter once again and it opened to C:\Users\<UserName>_ .

 

[sle3pingz]

sorry Brink, not so understand how to open elevated command prompt, it's not go to all programs > command prompt > run as administrator ? sorry for my weird question , elevated command promprt it's different with usually Command Prompt?

 

[Brink]

sorry Brink, not so understand how to open elevated command prompt, it's not go to all programs > command prompt > run as administrator ? sorry for my weird question , elevated command promprt it's different with usually Command Prompt?

Hello sle3pingz,

It's not a weird question at all.

Yes, that for step 3 would be how to.

An "elevated command prompt" is a command prompt that runs with elevated rights (run as administrator).

A "command prompt" is just an unelevated command prompt that has the same rights as a standard user account.

 

[zopfan]

Even elevated rights aren't giving enough power

In the Win7 64bit's guest account, Start Menu> right clicked on the 'command prompt' in the start menu. Chose 'Run as admin' or 'another admin user'. Filled the required user name and password. Command prompt window opens (with the title Administrator: Command Prompt". I type 'Control'. Control Panel Opens. I click on 'Network and Sharing Center'. NSC windows opens, but there it shows 'Access Denied'.

Kindly help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Zopfan,

It's because you are logged in to a guest account. You'll need to be logged in to an administrator account instead.

 

[JohnGray]

Determine the original user when in an elevated Command Prompt

I'm not sure I have selected the right Tutorial to comment on, but here goes!

This relates to a Windows 7 Pro PC in a workgroup.

Suppose one is running as a Standard User, not as an Administrator.

If one starts an elevated Command Prompt window, all the environment variables (like %username%) change to the Administrator username used to start that Command Prompt window.

I can't find (via test or Googling) how to determine the name of the original Standard User in the batch file which runs in the elevated command prompt window. Is this possible? Thanks!

 

[anomie42o]

my problem lies not in taking ownership of files in the command line. If anybody can help me...my problem lies in the command that i input in the cmd itself like the chkdsk command or the defrag command in cmd, there is always a prompt that "you dont have enough administrative rights". if anyone knows how the cmd itself can be taken ownership of...id be much grateful.....

good day and god bless......

I just right clicked on the CMD and selected run and administrator lol it worked

 

[anomie42o]

Seriously just right click it and select run as admin

 

[zopfan]

Hello Zopfan,

It's because you are logged in to a guest account. You'll need to be logged in to an administrator account instead.

Thank you very much for your kind reply.
And very sorry for my belated reply (I missed the mail notification somehow).

But the still problem persists when I'm logged into the admin account. Though I agree its very strange.

 

[anomie42o]

Ok I gotcha ! Did you ever figure it out ? You probably just logged into a guest account or I'm sure if you google it you can find out how to set as always fun S admin . I use to remember how to do it years ago in highsvhooonwhen they tried to clock us out of library computers but that was a LONG time ago and very old windows lol keep searching sure someone willl find or has asked the same question before. GL sorry if I sounded rude this was a long time ago somtnwven remover commenting must have been one of those nights lol

 

[anomie42o]

Sorry for typos I have bad carpel tunnel !

 

[anomie42o]

Command Prompt. Type "cmd" without quotation marks into the search bar at the bottom of the Start menu. Right-click "cmd.exe" in the list of search results and select "Run As Administrator." Type the phrase "net user administrator /active:yes" without the quotation marks at the command prompt.

Try right clicking in the bottom corner where CMD would appear normally, shouldnhihe yoi a list including run as admin!