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

 

[Urthboundmisfit]

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.

Thank you, mac, I appreciate your reply!

That seems logical enough. What confused me is that the tray icon would not load at startup, (which it did load @ startup on my XP machines, hence the ques. "is this new in 7")) only after I opened the UI w/ the shortcut & then minimzed to tray.

Unfortunately this shortcut "trick" for lack of a better term has opened a PLETHORA of problems using Avast in Win 7 x64, starting with this one (posted @ Avast forum) ...now I find that I cannot scan a singular file or folder (using the right-click "Scan with Avast... context menu) which is also explained by your reply: "...It cannot open up two sessions of Avast"

Looks like I have two choices:
1) abandon this elevated program shortcut & live with the UAC prompt at startup as described in my topic @ Avast. No one there has provided ANY assistance, I stumbled on a temporary registry hack to disable the UAC prompt @ startup & they told me to mark the thread as "resolved" so they could close it out.

WTF?????

2) abandon Avast & find another (FREE) AV---NOT AVG, M$$E OR ESPECIALLY NORTON that won't be such a hassle running in Win 7.

Any suggestions, anyone?
Thanks!!

 

[Urthboundmisfit]

Solution found: Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus



No UAC prompts on boot, no shortcut hacks or tweaks needed, Icon loads in tray.... IOW, the way an AV should work!!

 

[Brink]

That's great news. Thank you for posting back with your solution.

 

[mac173]

Another option

I just want to add this. I was having some problems on my laptop, and was advised to stop using Avast (some conflicts since resolved). On the advise of one of the people here, I installed Windows Security Essentials.

It works fine. I have had no problems, and when I did get an infected file it found it and blocked it with no problem. It even found a trojan that Avast had missed.

I am always skeptical of Microsoft, but MSE is working for me.

P.S. No UAC prompts from MSE.

 

[Greg S]

Hello Greg,

Yes, at step 20 under the Shortcut tab in the shortcut's properties, you can select Minimized in the drop down menu to the left of Run and click OK to stop it.

Ah, but it's not a shortcut. The task name was added to Local Machine Run in the registry. HD Tune wouldn't auto start without it

Figured this one out by accident. Anything that needs auto starting via HKLM run or HKCU run needs some tweaking done in the scheduled task. The trigger for the task has to be set for "At log on". When this is done, the elevated task runs at startup/logon and without the cmd popup window in addition too, no startup entry needed in the registry.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/67503-task-create-run-program-startup-log.html

 

[colion]

At last UAC notice killer

Brink,

I just found this tutorial ("How to Create an Elevated Program Shortcut without a UAC Prompt" by accident. I have been chasing around through various threads, forums, websites, etc. looking for this solution since getting Windows 7 a few of months ago. The problem that I had in finding a solution was that I did not refer to the need to 'elevate' the program in order to avoid the dreaded UAC notice but rather by every other description, including shield on icon, UAC notice, etc.

Your solution is quite easy to follow. One would think that Microsoft would incorporate it into a 'single' step for users.

Thanks very much for your assistance.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Colion.

 

[Ch@n]

Hi Brink,

I am trying to start 3 programs. Let me tel you the hiccups I face.

We are in a domain environment, and all users are generic users, meaning no admin rights. For our day to day chore of works, we need 3 programs to be started. They are,

1. Command prompt as a admin
2. Apache tomcats monitor tomcat as a admin
3. SQLPlus from Oracle as a admin

Now, when the generic users tries to start the program, it shows access denied. So, they right click and select run as admin. But it asks for a password. I personally go to their place and provide the password. Due to avoid this, I have tried to create the task scheduler, but it doesnt work. When checked the history, it says the program as started, but can be seen nowhere, even in the task manager.

I tried now on my 7 machine, both command prompt and Tomcat thingy did nothing rather than a command prompt flash for a second.

Help me out!!!

 

[Brink]

Hello Chan,

Unfortunately, I have not found a way to be able to run a elevated program in standard user account without getting a prompt to enter an administrator's password.

 

[Ch@n]

Any other possible workarounds..

 

[Coffeelvr]

How can I get a "How to Create a Elevated Program Shortcut without a UAC Prompt" to work with a standard user. I get four UAC prompts each time any of the standard users log in. They are all safe UAC messages but they are not only frustrating and take up menu bar space. The standard user don't have the admin password.

New ASUS 64 bit running Windows 7 Home.

Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello Cofeelvr, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sorry, but this will not work with a standard user.

 

[Coffeelvr]

Why do we have those messages if there is not way to deal with them?

 

[Brink]

The purpose of a UAC prompt is to ask the administrator to allow or deny a program that wants to run elevated (run as administrator) first. This is a last line of defense security feature to help prevent elevated programs from running without the administrator knowing it. It cannot be changed.

Since it requires administrator approval, a standard user just does not have the authority to do it unless they enter the administrator's password in the UAC prompt. A standard user will always get a UAC prompt if UAC is turned on. If UAC is turned off, then the standard user will get a "access denied" message instead.

 

[Coffeelvr]

The four messages that each standard user receives at login are:

Helper Tool for run ASUS Backup Wizard
AsLoader.exe
FourEngine.exe
UpdateChecker MFC Application

The standard users do not have the admin password so is there a way that these four can be excluded or bypass the message? If the standard users select no will that have an adverse affect on the system?

Also, are they even needed? If not, how to I take them out?

 

[Brink]

Ah, I see. Yes, you can use METHOD FOUR in the tutorial below to remove these startup programs from the "All Users" section.

Before you do, be sure that you have a shortcut of the one's that you want to remove placed in each user's Startup Folder (METHOD ONE) that you still want to have running at startup for.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1401-startup-programs-change.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Coffeelvr]

Thank you. I will try that.

One more question. What happens it these four do not run?

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

The processes for these programs will not run in the background for the standard user. After Googling them, it looks like the standard user will not need them anyway.

 

[Coffeelvr]

The programs do not show up in the right panel so I cannot complete method four. Any suggestions?

 

[Brink]

If the programs are not listed in either registry location in Method Four, then also check using the other methods (ex: Startup folder) to see if they may be listed there instead.