Elevated Program Shortcut without UAC Prompt - Create

How to Create an Elevated Program Shortcut without a UAC Prompt in Windows​

   Information

This will show you how to create an elevated "Run as administrator" shortcut of any installed program using Task Scheduler so that it will not give you a UAC prompt for permission when you start it while still having UAC turned on in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

In the tutorial, you will first create a new task, then a new shortcut to run the task. Afterwards, how to change the icon of the shortcut.

   Note

Special thanks to OEM for pointing this out, and the previous Vista version by DMEX.

   Warning

• This shortcut and task can only be created and work while logged in as an administrator account.
• This shortcut will not work in a standard user account.

Here's How:
1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type taskschd.msc, and press Enter.
NOTE: This will open Task Scheduler. This file is located at:
C:\Windows\system32\taskschd.msc.

2. While having Task Scheduler Library selected in the left pane, click/tap on Create task in the far right pane. (see screenshot below)

3. Under the General tab, type in the "Name" of the program you want to create this shortcut for. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This will be the name of the task. As an example, I will use CCleaner for that program. Make note of this name, you will need it later in step 12 and 14 below.

4. Check the Run with highest privileges box. (See screenshot below)

5. Click/tap on the Configure for drop down box to open it, and select Windows® 7, Windows Server™ 2008 R2 or the Windows you are currently in. (see screenshot above and below)
NOTE: This is like compatibility mode. If the program does not support running in Windows 7 normally, then you can select the OS that is does support running in instead to have it run in compatibility mode as if it was running in that OS instead of Windows 7.

6. Click/tap on the Actions tab, then on the New button. (see screenshot below)

7. In the Program/script: box in the Actions tab, copy and paste the path below. (see screenshot below step 9)
NOTE: Thank you to chillz for the updated steps 7 and 8.
%windir%\System32\cmd.exe
8. In the Add arguments (optional): box in the Actions tab, type in the argument below. (see screenshot below step 9)

NOTE: Substitute Task Name in the argument below with the name you entered in step 3 (ex: CCleaner) within quotes, and substitute Full Path of Program in the argument below with the actual full path of the program's .exe file within quote.
/c start "Task Name" "Full Path of Program"


For example:

/c start "CCleaner" "C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner64.exe"

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

10. Click/tap on the Conditions tab, and uncheck the Stop if the computer switches to battery power box first, then uncheck the Start the task only if the computer is on AC power box. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: This step is mostly for laptops, so that you will be able to run the program when the laptop is running on battery power.




11. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshots above)

12. You will now see your new task created with the name (ex: CCleaner) you gave it in step 3. Close Task Scheduler. (see screenshot below)

13. Right click or press and hold on an empty area of your desktop, then click/tap on New and Shortcut.

14. Type in the target below for the location field, then click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Subsitute task-name in the target with the name (ex: CCleaner) within quotes that you used in step 3.
schtasks /run /tn "task-name"

For example: For my task name CCleaner I used from step 3, I would type:
schtasks /run /tn "CCleaner"

15. Type in a name you want for the shortcut (ex: CCleaner), then click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)

16. Right click on the new shortcut (ex: CCleaner) on the desktop, then click/tap on Properties.

17. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, and on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)

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

19. Click/tap on the Browse button. (see screenshot below)

20. Navigate to the .exe file of the program that you have created this shortcut with, select it, and click/tap on Open. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you have a icon of your own that you would prefer to use instead, then navigate to where you have that icon saved at instead.

21. Select the icon you want for the shortcut, then click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

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

23. You can now use this elevated shortcut to run at startup in your "Startup" folder, run at startup as a task, Pin to Start Menu, Pin to Taskbar, assign a keyboard shortcut, or move to where you like for easy use.

24. When you run this new elevated shortcut, you will now no longer have to click/tap on YES to approve the UAC prompt to allow the program run as administrator.

   Tip

To Undo and Remove this Task:

• While having Task Scheduler Library selected in the left pane, right click on the task in the right pane that you created in step 12, then click on Delete and Yes to approve.
• Delete the shortcut.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Set Priority Level for Applications and Processes in Windows 7
• 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 Create an Elevated Command Prompt Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create an Elevated Windows 7 Task Manager Shortcut
• How to Change UAC Notification Settings in Windows 7
• How to Create a Task to Run a Program at Startup and Log On in Windows 7
• Enable or Disable the User Account Control (UAC) Blacking Out of Screen in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Elevate All Administrator Accounts UAC Privilege Level
• How to Add "Run as administrator" to VBS File Context Menu
• How to Add "Run as administrator" to MSI File Context Menu
• How to Require Users to Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to Approve UAC Elevation
• How to Create an Elevated Program Shortcut a Standard User is able to Run in Windows 7
• How to Change Behavior of User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Standard Users
• How to Display a Message Reminder in Windows with Task Scheduler

 

[karlsnooks]

Shawn,
With settings as shown in attachment, I:
1. started CCleaner
2. disconnected the AC

Result: CCleaner terminated very abruptly.

 

[Brink]

Now that is strange that it would gray that option out, yet still have it work. Tutorial updated to have both unchecked. :huh:

 

[karlsnooks]

I agree that it is strange, and I wouldn't have checked except that I've had that greying out bite me before.

 

[65Cobra427SC]

After reading this thread I ran across a program called "UAC Controller Tool" by ITknowledge2 which lets you create a UAC whitelist. I thought someone here might be interested. But just so you know, I haven't tested or even installed the program yet. I wanted to post here first to get some feedback, not only if anyone has used this program but if using it will create a hole in security.

Edit: Turns out the website that originally said this program created a whitelist was wrong... it doesn't. It only provides an easier way to change the UAC settings. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[derekimo]

After reading this thread I ran across a program called "UAC Controller Tool" by ITknowledge2 which lets you create a UAC whitelist. I thought someone here might be interested. But just so you know, I haven't tested or even installed the program yet. I wanted to post here first to get some feedback, not only if anyone has used this program but if using it will create a hole in security.

I just installed it.

I don't see where you can create a whitelist, you can change the settings right from

the notification area without a restart, and it works for that. I don't know about the security aspect though.

 

[65Cobra427SC]

I just installed it and you're right. I went back to look where I got the idea of a whitelist and found the original post where it was mentioned, that poster said it created a whitelist... but you're correct, it doesn't. So basically it makes it easierto change the UAC setting but nothing more. Sorry for misleading everyone.

 

[derekimo]

I just installed it and you're right. I went back to look where I got the idea of a whitelist and found the original post where it was mentioned, that poster said it created a whitelist... but you're correct, it doesn't. So basically it makes it easierto change the UAC setting but nothing more. Sorry for misleading everyone.

That's alright, it has it's uses. you don't need to restart every time you change settings.

You can post it with a link to it here

http://www.sevenforums.com/software/92-free-great-programs-windows-7-a.html

some other people might be interested in it.

 

[allend66]

Greetings all, I have a question, please...

I did this for a program I have that loads at startup. It's called "Green Button" by Verbatim - it's an energy saver spin-down utility for portable USB drive. I deleted the link from the start up folder, and replaced it with a new one created from the first part of the tutorial (thanks Brink), and for good measure I did the second part of the tutorial (.bat) - thanks OEM.

Problem - it still prompts for uac. I don't know whether this has anything to do with it, but even though the program loads at boot, it cannot be seen in the sys tray - only on connection of the portable USB drive.

Any ideas?
Regards D

 

[Brink]

Hello Allen,

When you did the BAT option in the post below the tutorial, did you use the path to the shortcut created in the tutorial when creating the BAT file and only placed the BAT file in the Startup folder?

 

[allend66]

Solved it - I uninstalled / reinstalled it. I don't know why, but 2 or 3 uac windows would pop up on connect, so now everything A-OK!

 

[Brink]

That's great news Allen. Thank you for postin back with your findings.

 

[Florio]

Really Useful Tips...

Hi Shawn,

you're a genius!! I've just got a new laptop with Windows 7, and find myself having to get used to the news OS after using Vista for several years. So your advice is saving me lots of headaches.

One thing I've noticed about the elevated program shortcut involves CCleaner, the program you've actually used in your demo. Rather than leave the icon on the desktop, I moved it to the quicklaunch bar. But now when I click on the icon, a duplicat icon opens on the quicklaunch bar which I then have to click on to launch the program.

Would you have any idea what might have happened here, and how I can rectify the situation? I think I followed your instructions to the letter, in fact two other programs I created shortcuts for seem to open without problems. Don't know if this is related or not, but CCleaner does not run on startup as it should do (and as it did when I was using Vista).

Florio

 

[Brink]

Hello Florio, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This is normal since the shortcut is of a task. When used, it opens a separate program ex: CCleaner. Since it's not the same target as the shortcut, it opens a new icon. No worries.

 

[Florio]

Thank you Shawn, for your welcome and the reply to my message.

Is it possible then to avoid having the duplicate icon? And how can I get CCleaner to run on startup (it should already be doing this!!)?

Florio

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Florio.

If you use the elevated task shortcut created in this tutorial, then there's no way to avoid it opening a separate window unless you place the shorcut on the desktop instead so it only has one icon on the taskbar when opened.

The only other alternative to not have more than one icon on the taskbar is to pin the CCleaner.exe file normally to the taskbar instead, but you will get a UAC prompt when you run it.

You can place a copy of the elevated task shortcut in your Start Menu "Start Up" folder to have it run at start up.

 

[Urthboundmisfit]

Excellent work, thank you!
Long time lurker, first time poster. I used this tutorial for about a dozen commonly used programs and all have worked flawlessly....except one. It seems that my shortcut for Avast! Free AV (AvastUI.exe) can only be used once per session, if I need to open the Avast UI more than once per session, I have to reboot, which TOTALLY defeats the purpose of using the shortcut----I'd rather have to click "yes" to several UAC prompts than have to do several reboots. Is there a fix/tweak/workaround for this or have you encountered this with Avast or any other program? I apologize if this has already been addressed here, I only read the first 5 pages or so of this thread.

Thanks in advance for the anticipated informational replies!

 

[Brink]

Hello Joe, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Unfortunately, every program may have it's own way of how you can run it.

You should be able to open the Avast UI by double clicking on it's icon in the system tray notification area on the taskbar though.

 

[Urthboundmisfit]

WOW, that was a quick reply, I'm impressed!

Duuhhh...OF COURSE I can! I have the tray icon disabled in settings and plain FORGOT about it!

...sometimes you can't see what's right under your nose. Thanks again, and thank you for the warm welcome!

Edit to add: I just enabled the Icon in systray...it opens the UI with a single click....which is NEVER the case, ALL tray icons open w/double clicks, no? Something new in Win 7? I just got this laptop about 3 wks ago...been using XP for....it seems like FOREVER...and I'm still stumblin' around 7!

 

[Brink]

LOL, you're most welcome mate.

 

[mac173]

WOW, that was a quick reply, I'm impressed!

Duuhhh...OF COURSE I can! I have the tray icon disabled in settings and plain FORGOT about it!

...sometimes you can't see what's right under your nose. Thanks again, and thank you for the warm welcome!

Edit to add: I just enabled the Icon in systray...it opens the UI with a single click....which is NEVER the case, ALL tray icons open w/double clicks, no? Something new in Win 7? I just got this laptop about 3 wks ago...been using XP for....it seems like FOREVER...and I'm still stumblin' around 7!

With Avast, you are not opening the program from the system tray, you are bringing up a minimized program. When you drop the Avast window, it does not close, it minimizes to the system tray, so its a single click to maximize again.

That is also why the shortcut did not work. It cannot open up two sessions of Avast.