How to Open Windows PowerShell with Admin Privileges or Permission

PowerShell is a powerful Command Prompt alternative that consists of a command-line shell and scripting language. However, just like Command Prompt, it cannot run system-specific commands without admin permission.  In this post, we will show how you can Open Windows PowerShell with Admin Privileges or Permission.

Open Windows PowerShell with Admin Privileges or Permission

Opening an elevated PowerShell Window is an undemanding task but can be unfolded in numerous ways.

1. Power Menu
2. Search Box
3. File Manager
4. Run Box
5. Command Prompt
6. Windows Terminal

You can follow any of these methods and get the same result.

1] Power Menu

The Power Menu introduced with Windows 8 can be used to perform a variety of functions. Opening an Elevated PowerShell Window is one of the options included. Some of the other options in the Power Menu include opening the Settings, File Explorer and more.  The quickest way to launch it is by using the Win + X Shortcut on the keyboard. Here’s how you can do it.

• Place your cursor at the Start Button on the bottom left corner.
• Make a Single Right Click at the Windows Logo to Open the Power Menu
• Now select the option stating Windows PowerShell (Admin)
• Click on Yes in the User Account Control Menu that pop’s up to provide Administrator  Privileges.

In case PowerShell’s option wasn’t available in the Power Menu, and you see an option for Command Prompt, here’s how you can bring the option for PowerShell to the Power Menu.

• Open the Settings Page on Windows 11/10 using Win + I
• Move to Personalization Settings
• Head over to the Menu in the Sidebar, named Taskbar.
• Now Enable the option stating—Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell in the menu when I right-click the start button or Win + X.

2] Search Box

We all do use the Search Box in the Task Manager to search for files across Windows. But let me tell you, it can also be used to search for searching across settings and opening applications. Here’s how we can use it to open an Elevated PowerShell window.

Head over to the Start Search Box and type “PowerShell.” Locate the result stating Windows PowerShell. Right-click the result, and Choose “Run as Administrator.”

3] File Explorer

There are certain situations when we have to open a PowerShell window in a specified location or a directory. Instead of opening a window on the desktop then mounting the location, here’s what you can do.

• Open the File Explorer and navigate to the location where you want to open a command window.
• Head over to the Files Menu at the Top(ALT + F)
• In the Drop Down Menu, navigate to and click the arrow icon next to the Open Windows PowerShell 
• Choose Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator 

Additionally, this whole process can be carried out through a simple shortcut with your keyboard. On Windows 11/10, press Alt + F + S + A to open an Elevated PowerShell window at the specified location.

4] Run Box

One of the quickest ways to open an Elevated PowerShell window is by using a Run Dialog. You can access the Run Dialog by pressing Win + R on the keyboard, or one can follow the steps mentioned below:

• Head over to the Start Search Box and type in Run 
• Locate the result stating Run and press Enter.
• In the opened Run Dialog, type in “PWSH” to open a PowerShell v7 window or “PowerShell” to open a v5.1 window.
• Now press CTRL + SFT + ENTER to open the PowerShell Window with Admin Privileges.

Grant Windows the permission to open an elevated window by the User Account Control Menu that pops up, and you’re good to go.

5] Command Prompt

While quite a few methods can be used to open an Elevated PowerShell Window, it can also be done using a Command Prompt. Here’s how:

• Open a Command Prompt with admin or without it
• In the command line, type in PowerShell and press Enter.
• Now, Type in the below-mentioned command, followed by the Enter key.

Start-Process PowerShell -Verb runAS

Now, as usual, allow the User Access Control Menu to proceed, and you’ll have a completely functional elevated command prompt on your screen.

6] Using Windows Terminal

• Use Win + X to open the Power Menu
• Select Windows Terminal (Admin)
• Use keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + 2 to open PowerShell prompt.

How to Download and Install PowerShell 7 on Windows 11/10

For beginners, PowerShell 7 is an upgrade to the previous version of PowerShell 6. With this update, Microsoft has added some of the nifty features that were previously missing, such as Pipeline Parallelization, new operators, and lots more. So here’s how you can Install PowerShell 7 on your Windows 10 PC right away:

• Follow the guide mentioned above and fire up a PowerShell Window, which comes pre-installed with Windows.
• Run the below-mentioned command in the command line.

  iex "& { $(firm https://aka.ms/install-powershell.ps1) } -UseMSI"

• Please wait for the package download to be completed and Install it as any other normal Windows Application.

How to Open PowerShell 7 or PWSH with Admin Privileges or Permission

Would you like to use the latest version of PowerShell on your PC but don’t know how to open it? Here’s how you can open PowerShell 7 with Admin Privileges on Windows 11/10.

1. Search Box
2. Run Prompt
3. Command Prompt

PWSH will not launch PowerShell in Windows but only PowerShell, which we installed from GitHub

1] Search Box

The latest PowerShell 7 can be accessed through the Search Box. Here’s how we can use it to open an Elevated PowerShell 7 window

1. Head over to the Start Search Box and type in “PWSH “
2. Locate the result stating PowerShell 7. Right-click the result, and Choose “Run as Administrator.”

Quick Tip: You can directly call the Search Menu by pressing the Win button on the keyboard.

2] Run Prompt

Similar to opening any other application or a file using Run, it can be used for accessing an Elevated PowerShell 7 window on Windows 11/10. Here’s how:

1. Head over to the Start Search Box and type in Run
2. Locate the result stating Run and press Enter.
3. In the opened Run Dialog, type in PWSH to open a PowerShell v7 Window.
4. Now press CTRL + SFT + ENTR to open the PowerShell 7 Window with Admin Privileges.

Grant Windows, the permission to open an Elevated Window by the User Account Control Menu that pops up, and you’re good to go.

3] Command Prompt

The Command could also be a way through to open an Elevated PowerShell 7 Window on Windows 11/10. Here’s how:

1. Open a Command Prompt, either a Basic or an Elevated one.
2. In the command line, type in PowerShell and press Enter.
3. Now, Type in the below-mentioned command and press the Enter key.

  Start-Process pwsh -Verb runAS  

Now, as usual, allow the User Access Control Menu to proceed, and you’ll have a completely functional elevated PowerShell 7 on your screen.

I hope this post was easy to follow, and you were able to open PowerShell with admin permission or privileges. That said, Windows has been updating PowerShell while adding nifty new features, so make sure to stay updated. Do you still prefer to use the old PowerShell, or have you shifted to PowerShell v7?