The majority of Windows users will never need to open Command Prompt as an administrator or elevated Command Prompt as most of the commands can be executed without the elevated Command Prompt.
That said, some tasks can only be performed from Command Prompt running with administrator rights, and you get “You may not have permission to perform this operation” or “Access is denied” error when you try to execute certain commands without admin rights.
In Windows 10, there are multiple ways to open Command Prompt as an administrator or run elevated Command Prompt. You can follow one of the below-mentioned methods to launch Command Prompt as an administrator in Windows 10.
NOTE: If you’re wondering how to know that the Command Prompt has been launched as an administrator, it’s easy. When the Command Prompt is launched with admin rights, the “Administrator” text will appear on the title bar (see the picture above) of the Command Prompt window.
Anyways, below are the methods to open Command Prompt as an administrator in Windows 10.
Method 1 of 8
Use shortcut keys to open elevated Command Prompt quickly
This is probably the easiest and fastest method out there to open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 1: Press the Windows logo key on the keyboard or click/tap the Windows logo button on the bottom-left corner of the screen to open the Start.
Step 2: Type CMD in the Start/taskbar search box (search box is automatically selected when you open Start) or in the Run command box, and then simultaneously press Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys.
Step 3: Click the Yes button when you get the User Account Control dialog box. That’s it!
Note: If you are using a non-admin account, you’ll be asked to enter the admin account password to open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
Method 2 of 8
Another easy way to open Command Prompt as admin in Windows 10
Step 1: Right-click on the Start menu (or use Windows logo + X keys) and then click the Command Prompt (Admin) option.
NOTE: If you cannot see Command Prompt entry, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and then turn off Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell in the menu when I right-click the Start button or press Windows key + X option.
Step 2: Click the Yes button when you get the User Account Control screen to open Command Prompt as admin.
Method 3 of 8
Use search to open elevated Prompt from Start
Step 1: Open the Start by either clicking the Windows logo key on the bottom left corner of the screen or by pressing the Windows logo key on the keyboard.
Step 2: Type Command Prompt or CMD in the search box to see Command Prompt entry in the result, right-click on the Command Prompt and then click Run as administrator.
Method 4 of 8
Open admin Command Prompt from Start menu
Step 1: Open the Start by clicking the Windows logo button on the extreme left on the taskbar (bottom left corner of the screen) or by pressing the Windows logo key on the keyboard.
Step 2: In the Start menu, scroll the apps list to see the Windows System folder, expand the Windows System folder to reveal the Command Prompt entry, right-click on Command Prompt entry, click More and then click or tap Run as administrator.
Click or tap the Yes button when you see the User Account Control box or enter the password of the admin account if you’re using the Admin account.
Method 5 of 8
CMD as administrator from File Explorer
Step 1: Open the Run command dialog box by simultaneously pressing the Windows logo and R keys.
Step 2: In the Run command box, type %windir%\System32\ and then press Enter key to open the System32 folder.
Step 3: Locate the file named cmd.exe, right-click on the same, and then click the Run as administrator option.
Click the Yes button or enter the admin account password when asked to do so.
Method 6 0f 8
Use Run to open Command Prompt as an administrator in Windows 10
Step 1: Open the Run command box by simultaneously pressing the Windows logo and R keys (Windows + R).
Step 2: In the Run command box, type CMD and then simultaneously press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys to open Command Prompt as administrator. Click on the Yes button when you get the UAC prompt.
Method 7 of 8
Open Command Prompt from Task Manager
This method is useful and works only if you signed in to an admin account.
Step 1: Open Task Manager. To do so, you either right-click on the Start button or taskbar and then click Task Manager. Task Manager can also be launched using Ctrl+ Shift+Esc hotkey.
If the Task Manager is launched with fewer details is launched, click More details to open the full version.
Step 2: Once the Task Manager is launched, click the File menu.
Step 3: Now, hold down the Ctrl key and then click Run new task open Command Prompt as administrator. In this method, you’ll not see the User Account Control dialog box.
That’s it!
Method 8 of 8
Open Command Prompt window here as administrator
UPDATE: This method no longer works.
As you likely know, when we hold down the Shift key and right-click on a folder, Open Command Prompt window here option appears in the context menu. If you want to open the Command Prompt as an administrator from a folder, you can use this method.
Step 1: Click the File menu, hover the mouse cursor over Open Command Prompt to see Open Command Prompt as administrator option. Click on the same option to run Command Prompt as administrator.
That’s all we know. If there is an easier way to open Command Prompt as an administrator, do let us know by leaving comments. You can also let us know if any of the methods mentioned above are not working for you.
Tip: You can configure Windows 10 always to open Command Prompt as administrator. Please go through our how to always run Command Prompt as an administrator guide for detailed instructions.
Jer01 says
Method 5 worked for me. I had been trying for hours to find a way to run sfc /scannow — but could not find a way to open the cmd box as administrator. All the usual methods did not work for me. Method 5 did. Thank you so much for taking the time to list/explain all these methods. Your explanations were very clear.
By the way, sfc /scannow did run and found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Mike M says
Here’s how I open Command Prompt as Administrator easily where I may need to. Simply create a shortcut on taskbar for Command Prompt, right click that, right click Command Prompt again and choose Run as Administrator.
Carrie Price says
I can’t download my messages on messenger on Facebook
Jay says
Your instructions for Windows 10 worked perfectly on my first try. Thanks for providing the steps…
walter n moore says
whatever happen to a simple why to create a shortcut why is it so complicated for something so basic
Tim says
I have tried all six methods. I can get to the window about command prompt admin but there is no YES button, just a NO which takes me back to the original.
Any suggestions
Haligoneex265 says
Method 3 of 6
Admin Command Prompt from Start menu
Worked for me. Thanks
Milto says
Method 2 worked a treat first time when I was trying to run chkdsk and had to get elevated admin rights. Thank you very much.
gloria boyd says
waste of time
Frank says
I resently tried ALL your ways to get Admin Prompt and more than HALF DID NOT WORK or brought up a page totally UNRELATED to command prompt , it might be because of a resent update number 1803 , but YOU need to go back and rewrite your instructions ! A CHILD ? Can do better than this , you should be ashamed being a SELF PROCLAIMED EXPERT !!! Get your act together !
Ray Silva says
I want to be able to open and administrator mode (elevated) command prompt from any folder I select in the file explorer. The method offered everywhere for this only opens a normal level (non-admin) command prompt. Is there simply a command one can type at the un-elevated command prompt to switch to the administrator level? This should be easy to do. None of the methods suggested do this without having to enable show full path in title window option in explorer, copy the full path, open an elevated command prompt, type cd and a space, then paste the copied path, then enter to change the path to the location you want (from the file explorer). That’s a lot of work to do to be able to do this. It seems to me Windows could have a much simpler command to allow opening an elevated command prompt from a desired directory. Maybe I’m asking too much? I need the elevated command prompt because I’m going to do some installations that require it.
Paul says
What do you mean by the “Yes button?”
Lamers says
Yet another article not telling you how to turn your command prompt to be run as administrator.
Waseem says
Hi. Friends,
I have a problem and after trying various methods I failed so today I would like to ask for your professional help. Around five months back I Downloaded an Extension from Chrome App Store, by the name BROWSEC VPN after that my system was controlled by Remote Access and when I Found out it was too late all my Data was Hacked I had to change my Hard Drive. Well after that I again Downloaded that Extension in order to find out if it was the Extension or something else but my doubt has cleared as it is true now he is again in my system and I am unable to update Windows my mails are Hacked etc.. Now Please help me Disconnect the Remote Access It says Network Authenticated I even followed the TechNet solutions But no Luck I have noticed that if there are 100 solutions to a problem they have 101 Ways to Heck. There are so many Loop holes to Penetrate.I think he has Off Line access to my Laptop and he has some kind of shadow App system too I know it because when I reverse or undo PC settings or Change my Passwords he somehow Knows it right away and yesterday he Blocked me Out of my System by Disabling Send or Delete options from me I was Helpless not being able to contact Support or do what he had set check the Apps they are installed without my Knowledge and when I Delete them they come back Please help me out Please and if you suggest a solution explain it in Layman’s terms so I understand it Thank you.
Robert McMillan says
I am logged in as the admin when I try an IP reset it tells me access denied, now what?
Lawrence says
Method 1, worked for me.
Thanks a lot.
Regards
Lorraine Traylor says
The majority of these methods are incorrect. found one that does work and dont see why anyone would go that far out of their way to do it. Laughable.
Chip Pearson says
This is the dumbest article I’ve ever read. Who cares how many ways there are to open the command window. You miss the point entirely. What is important about the command interface is NOT how to open it,but what you can DO with it once it is open. It is like describing 10 ways to get on a bicycle, without a word about pushing the pedals and making it go. The readers are all now uttering a collective “Now what?” In any case, forget the command line and use a grown-up’s tool: PowerShell.
priya says
I hv windows 10 on my pc and command prompt is not open..i m click on cmd then it’s open and suddenly it’s close..what was problem is that…can u plz ask me
OTTOWARE says
As Administrator there are no drive mappings anymore
Pine Sap says
With all these ways to get into ADMINISTRATOR [trouble] mode, I guess the more general, useful help on this subject would be: How does one switch In and Out of ADMINISTRATOR mode?
Pine Sap says
Following advice from:
hxtp://windowsreport.com/start-menu-not-working-windows-10/
in attempt to ‘fix’ my Windows 10 Critical Error START Menu is not working problem, I executed COMMAND Prompt (Admin)/PowerShell and apparently, successfully ran:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
Now, L-click on START Menu seems to do nothing; no more Critical Error. R-click on START Menu brings up Admin list-type of Start Menu.
Now, how do I get out of the ADMIN user mode and the ‘Normal’ START Menu?
admin says
@Andy
it’s Ctrl + Shift + Enter. Pressing Ctrl + Alt + Enter will open CMD without admin rights.
andy says
its control+alt+enter not control+shift+enter
Chuck says
When I try these, I get prompted for admin password. I enter that, but the cmd window never appears.