We all know about the Command Prompt, which provides access to the full range of command-line tools on the Windows Operating System. When one opens the Command Prompt directly, it launches in a restricted mode, which will execute most of the basic command tasks. However, some commands need Admin Privileges or Admin Permissions. It requires the command prompt to start with elevated privileges. In this post, I will share how you can open Open Command Prompt with Admin privileges on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
How to Open Command Prompt with Admin Privileges
Opening a Command Prompt with Admin permission isn’t a tedious task. It can be done in multiple ways.
- Search Box
- Power Menu
- Run Prompt
- Task Manager
- Regular Command Prompt
- Set Command Prompt to always Open as Administrator
Here is a list of methods that we follow:
1. Search Box
The Search Box near the Start menu can be used to search for files and search for applications and settings using it. To open an Elevated Command Prompt using the Search box:
- Head over to the Start Search Box and type in cmd or Command Prompt.
- Locate the Windows Command Prompt listed as the main result
- Right Click, and Choose Run as Administrator
One can also follow the first step by pressing the Windows Logo on the keyboard, triggering the search box. You can then type CMD or Command Prompt.
2. Power Menu
In Windows 11
Windows Terminal is the new Command Prompt in Windows 11 and is a replacement in the Power Menu. It works in the same way. It supports PowerShell, Azure, and Command Prompt.
If you still need the old Command Prompt, then click on the dropdown, and select it. This will add a new tab where you can use the old prompt. You can also use Ctrl + Shift + 2 to open it directly on an active Windows Terminal window.
In Windows 10
With the introduction of Windows 8, Microsoft introduced a new Power User Menu, which could be used to access multiple settings with a single click of a button. And the same can be used to start an Elevated Command Prompt as well. Here’s how it can be done:
- Place your cursor at the Windows Logo on the bottom left corner.
- Make a single right-click or (Win + X) to open the Power User Menu.
- Select the option stating Open Command Prompt (Admin)
Note: With the latest versions of Windows, Microsoft has started replacing the Command Prompt with PowerShell in the Power User Menu. But it can be brought back, here’s how:
- Open the Settings Page on Windows 10 using Win + I
- Move to Personalization Settings
- Head over to the Menu in the Sidebar, named Taskbar.
- Now Disable the option stating—Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell— in the menu when I right-click the start button or Win + X.
With this, the old Command Prompt will be brought back to the Power Menu, and now you will be able to easily access it using the Power User Menu.
3. Run Prompt to Open Command Prompt with Admin privileges
More of a keyboard user? Want to open an Elevated Command Prompt without actually needing to use the mouse cursor manually?. Here’s how you can do it using the Run Dialogue.
- Head over to the Start Search Box and type in Run.
- Locate and Open the Run App listed as the main result. Alternatively, the Run Dialog can be fired by pressing the Win + R button simultaneously.
- In the Run box, type in CMD and press the CTRL + SHFT + ENTR button simultaneously.
Now allow it to run as Administrator in the User Account Control Menu that pops up on the screen.
4. Regular Command Prompt
Want to open an Elevated Command Prompt window from a regular one?. There are multiple situations when one might need to. So here’s how you can open an Elevated Command Prompt via a regular one.
- Firstly, Open the Regular Command Prompt
- Now in the command line, type in
PowerShell -Command “Start-Process cmd -Verb RunAs"
where the user denotes the user’s name created while setting up the PC.
- Once done, press Enter, and you’ll witness an Elevated Command Prompt on your screen.
This method comes in handy when one doesn’t want to open a new window and lose all the previously applied commands.
5. Task Manager
While most people know about the Run Dialogue, which can be accessed by Win+R, the same can be done using the Task Manager while adding an option for “Creating the Task with Admin Privileges.” So here’s how it can be done:
- Open the Task Manager for Windows by pressing the CTRL + SHIFT + ESC keys.
- Under the Files Menu in the Task Manager, select the option with Run New Task; this will open a Run Dialogue.
- In the Run box, type in cmd. Check the checkbox stating—Create this task with administrative privileges.
- Press Enter.
While this seems to be a prolonged method of opening an Elevated Command Prompt on Windows, this method comes in handy in specific situations.
6. Set Command Prompt to Always Open as Administrator
If you do open an Elevated Command Prompt regularly by following one of the methods above, here’s a short trick which you can follow to set the Command Prompt to always automatically open with Elevated Privileges.
- Head over to the Start Search Box and type in cmd or Command Prompt.
- Locate the Windows Command Prompt listed as the main result
- Right-click and choose Open File Location.
- With the location opened, Find the shortcut for the Comand Prompt, Right Click, and Open Properties.
- In the properties, Under the shortcut Menu, navigate and choose the Advanced Menu.
- Under the Advanced Menu, Check the checkbox with Run as Administrator.
- Click OK, then Apply the Settings under Properties.
Command Prompt has come a long way, and Microsoft has started replacing it with PowerShell. The Windows PowerShell can perform all the functions that a Command Prompt could but will some additional functionality.
I hope this post was easy to follow, and you were able to open Command Prompt with admin permission or privileges. That said, PowerShell is slowly replacing Command Prompt almost everywhere. Do you still prefer to use Command Prompt, or has PowerShell replaced it for you?