Elevated Program Shortcut - Create for Standard User

How to Create an Elevated Program Shortcut Any User is able to Run in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to create an elevated program shortcut that allows any user (ex: Standard user) to be able to run a program that runs as administrator without being prompted to enter the administator's password each time in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

   Note

If the user you want to have this shortcut has been restricted with Parental Controls in Windows 7 with it set as Standard Account can only use the programs I allow, then they will not be able to use the shortcut in this tutorial since they will not be allowed to use the runas.exe file used by this shortcut. Windows 7 will not allow runas.exe to be added to the allowed to run list.

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If the user you want to have this shortcut has been restricted with Family Safety in Windows 8 with it set as (user) can only use the apps I allow, then they will not be able to use the shortcut in this tutorial since they will not be allowed to use the runas.exe file used by this shortcut. Windows 8 will not allow runas.exe to be added to the allowed to run list.

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You will not be able to do this in Vista Starter, Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium, Windows 7 Home Basic, and Windows 7 Starter editions since the runas /savecred switch option is not available and will be ignored in them.

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If you disable the built-in Administrator account, the elevated shortcut will stop working until you enable the built-in Administrator again. This is because the elevated shortcut uses the password of the built-in Administrator to approve running it.

OPTION ONE

To Create Elevated Shortcut for User using RunasSPC Program

1. Download the free RunasSPC program in a .zip file at the site below.

Download


2. The link below can help show you how to use the program.
Runas Spc guidance and examples

OPTION TWO

To Create Elevated Shortcut for User using runas Command

   Tip

This option uses the runas command included in Windows.

The Administrator's password (credential) used by the elevated shortcut is encrypted and stored in the Credential Manager (Control Panel (icons view)) as an "interactive logon" entry under Windows Credentials for only that user account like below.

The Administrator account's password cannot be viewed.

If you like, you can Remove (delete) this credential at anytime in Credential Manager to strip the password from the elevated shortcut to make it ask for the password again when opened like in step 18 below.

   Warning

This elevated shortcut creates a security hole.

It would be best to only do this with a trusted user.

Once you have created the elevated shortcut, the user can use the built-in Administrator's saved credentials in Credential Manager along with the command below to run and access anything they want on the computer with the same rights as the built-in Administrator.

RUNAS /savecred /user:administrator "command to run"

1. If you have not already, enable the built-in elevated "Administrator" account, and create a password for it.

   Warning

You must use the actual built-in Administrator account, and not just another administrator type user account. If you don't the shortcut will not work.

2. Log in to the built-in Administrator account, right click or press and hold on an empty space on the desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.


3. Type the location below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot below)

   Note

• You would substitute ComputerName in the command below with the actual computer name.
• If the Administrator account has been renamed, then you would also need to substitute Administrator in the command below with the new name.
• You would substitute Full path to program's exe file in the command below with the actual full path of the elevated program's exe file within quotes that you want to have the standard user be able to run.

runas /user:[B][COLOR=red]ComputerName[/COLOR][/B]\[B]Administrator[/B] /savecred "[B][COLOR=red]Full path to program's exe file[/COLOR][/B]"

For example: I would like to have a standard user to be able to run CCleaner without me or them having to enter the Administrator's account password each time. For this, I would type this:

runas /user:[B][COLOR=red]Brink-PC[/COLOR][/B]\[B]Administrator[/B] /savecred "[B][COLOR=red]C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe[/COLOR][/B]"

3. Type in the name of the program (ex: CCleaner), and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)

4. Right click or press and hold on the new shortcut, click/tap on Properties, Shortcut tab, and on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)

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

6. Click/tap on the Browse button, navigate to the location of the program's (ex: CCleaner) exe file, click on Open, select the program's icon, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)




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

8. While still logged in to the "Administrator" account, copy the shortcut to the desktop folder of the user account (ex: Test) that you would like to be able to run this elevated program without getting a UAC prompt or having to provide the administrator's password for it.

9. Right click or swipe down on the shortcut on the user's desktop that you just copied to, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot above)

10. Click/tap on the Security tab, and Advanced button. (see screenshot below)

11. Select the user account (ex: Test) that the elevated shortcut is for, and click/tap on the Disable inheritance button. (see screenshot below)

12. Click/tap on Convert inherited permissions into explicit permissions on this object. (see screenshot below)

13. Select the user account (ex: Test), and click/tap on the Edit button. (see screenshot below)

14. Make sure that only the Read & execute and Read "Allow" permissions are checked, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This will prevent the user (ex: Test) from being able to change the target of the elevated shortcut, and only be able to run the program the elevated shortcut was created to run.

15. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

16. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

17. Log on to the user account (ex: Test) that you made a copy of this shortcut to, and run the shortcut.

18. In the command prompt that opened, type in your built-in Administrator account's password and press Enter. You will not see the password while you are typing it in. (see screenshot below)

NOTE: You will only have to enter the Administrator's password for only the first time that this shortcut is ran in the user account (ex: Test). Afterwards, it will be remembered and entered automatically for the user when they run it without anyone being able to see the password.

19. In Vista and Windows 7, the user can now Pin to Taskbar (Windows 7 only) 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.

20. In Windows 8 and 8.1, the user 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

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• How to Create a Elevated Program Shortcut without a UAC Prompt
• How to Run a Program as an Administrator in Windows 7
• How to See if Process is running as administrator (elevated) in Vista and Windows 7
• How to See if Process is running as administrator (elevated) in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change UAC Notification Settings in Windows 7
• How to Run a Program as a Different User in Windows 7
• How to Create a Shortcut to Run a Program as a Specified User
• How to Rename the Windows 7 Built-in Administrator Account
• How to Change Behavior of User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Standard Users

 

[JerometheGiraff]

What if you renamed Windows original "Administrator" to another name, that is what is done on another PC, and it's not working ? It states in the tutorial that you must use Windows factory Administrator account, what if that account is no longer, as just stated.

 

[Brink]

Hello Chris,

In that case, you would just need to also substitute the Administrator name in the command below with the new name instead.

runas /user:[B][COLOR=red]ComputerName[/COLOR][/B]\[B][COLOR=red]Administrator[/COLOR][/B] /savecred "[B][COLOR=red]Full path to program's exe file[/COLOR][/B]"

 

[JerometheGiraff]

Hello Chris,

In that case, you would just need to also substitute the Administrator name in the command below with the new name instead.

runas /user:[B][COLOR=red]ComputerName[/COLOR][/B]\[B][COLOR=red]Administrator[/COLOR][/B] /savecred "[B][COLOR=red]Full path to program's exe file[/COLOR][/B]"

I forgot to mention, I also did that. I"ll try again today.

 

[Brink]

If you have not already, be sure to try again from scratch with a new shortcut.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

This tutorial doesn't work for all programs, I tested it on some other programs, and there is no way around having to enter in an Admin password under standard.

 

[Brink]

Hello Chris,

What programs didn't work for you? Did you use the built-in "Administrator" account and it's password? I'll be happy to do some testing to see what the issue may be.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

I enabled the built in Administrator and I must have done the tutorial two or three times, I nearly have it memorized except the command line. I'll give it a try once more, then follow up.

 

[Brink]

Ok. Be sure that you create a password for it. It doesn't have one by default.

 

[rfol]

Works fine. I put the icon on my kid's desktop so that he can run LoL which apparently requires admin privs.
But here's the downside: being logged in as my son (standard user) I could just copy that shortcut, and change its properties to launch whatever other program. Which he then would be able to run without typing the admin password.
He won't figure that one out yet - but I thought I'd let you people know.
Use with care.

 

[Brink]

Hello rfol, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sneaky. You could use either or both tutorials below to help prevent that.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/257189-applications-run-only-specified-programs-windows.html

and

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/80605-applications-prevent-running-specified-programs.html

 

[rfol]

Hello rfol, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sneaky. You could use either or both tutorials below to help prevent that.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/257189-applications-run-only-specified-programs-windows.html

and

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/80605-applications-prevent-running-specified-programs.html

Thanks.
What I did in the meantime, was to pin the shortcut to the taskbar, and then delete the shortcut. From what I can see, this cannot be reverted, and neither can the taskbar icon be copied or edited.
So I'll sleep well tonight after all.

 

[Brink]

Sorry to ruin your sleep, but right click on the taskbar icon, then in it's jump list, right click on the program (right above "Unpin this program from taskbar") and click on Properties. It'll be the same as doing it from the shortcut.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

There are some programs that this technique won't work, or causes error for the program. I'm on the trail to solve it anyhow, just a little FYI

 

[5ggggg]

1st of all - many thx for the info and work provided from many users and from admins like brink in this forum ... it helped me quite often since W7 !!

What I looked for, was a way (in W8) for my daughters standard account to start a prog the requires admin rights.

a) When I read this tut, you say I must have/leave the built in Administrator permanently enabled !!! in any case ?

b) No way to start a prog from a shortcut (even if the prog only requires the rights of a "normal admin account") with a normal admin account ?

c) in earlier days of XP I remember some kind of runas one could pass "normal admin username" and password (dont beat me) ... from a shortcut that did the trick ...?!

 

[Brink]

Hello 5ggggg,

Yes, this shortcut will only work with an "elevated" account like the built-in Administrator that is password protected. It will not work with a normal unelevated administrator account.

This shortcut used the same Runas command, but since Vista, UAC no longer allows using an unelevated normal admin account.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[5ggggg]

THX for your turbo reply ... even if sad but expected ... is there a way to hide the built in and enabled Administrator (as you said it must stay enabled) from the login screen in W7 & W8 ?

 

[Brink]

Unfortunately, the only way to hide the account from the log on screen and still keep it enabled would be to have all users log in with both their user name and password like below.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61650-log-user-name-password.html

 

[5ggggg]

Puh ... no this era (entering uname and pwd) must be over ... so I think about deleting my own less privelegged admin user and use the Administrator instead .... do you have a link to a comparison between "the built in Admnistartor" and a normal admin account, regarding rights etc

 

[Brink]

Both accounts are the same except that the built-in Administrator is "elevated", and the normal admin account isn't. This means that the built-in has unrestricted (no UAC prompt) access to everything.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/507-built-administrator-account-enable-disable.html
I just thought of something that you might give a try if you like. Use the tutorial below to elevate your normal admin account, and afterwards see if you may be able to use your now "elevated" normal admin with the tutorial on the first page to create the elevated shortcut.
User Account Control (UAC) - Elevate Privilege Level

 

[5ggggg]

Ill give it a shot ... many THX .. but as I understand in both cases I loose all UAC warnings

or maybe this is what Ive been looking for :
3. To Have UAC Prompt Administrators for a Continue or Yes


but I expect a standard account using a shortcut with this elevated admin account will get the prompt as well