12 Ways to Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 10

Using the instructions here you will have the ability to open Command Prompt as administrator in Windows 10 from Start, Search, Run, taskmgr, PowerShell, and more. This application allows executing commands that help you fix multiple issues, change settings, and access different files. When you stuck in anything on Windows 10 the first tool you remember is CMD. Administrative authority makes you capable to run a task in elevated mode.

Previously, we discussed How to Launch Elevated Command Prompt on Windows 10 but after time spent new development evolved providing new ways for the same. So here we have come with a collection of additional methods to open cmd with admin rights.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 10

Here are 12 Ways to Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 10 –

1] Quickest and easiest way to run cmd as admin

Step-1: Click on Start icon from the left end of the taskbar and type cmd. Press ctrl+shift+enter on keyboard.

Step-2: Once User Account Control (UAC) dialog locks your screen, select Yes.

2] Open command prompt as administrator from Run dialog

• Press Win+R and let the Run dialog box appear.
• Write down either cmd or cmd.exe in the empty text field onward to Open and then press ctrl, shift, and enter simultaneously.

• Click Yes when a UAC dialog prompts to seek permission.

3] Take the help of Windows search bar

Step#-1: Press Windows and S keys in one go to invoke Windows search bar.

Step#-2: Type “cmd” in the provided field at the bottom and when you see the result, click Run as administrator.

Step#-3: A UAC will prompt up for authentication; choose Yes button.

4] Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 10 Via Win+X menu

In the recent versions of Windows 10, you notice rather Windows PowerShell (Admin) in the Power user menu (Win+X). But for your convenience, you can change it with Command Prompt (Admin) with a small tweak in Settings. This will help you to open cmd with administrative privilege in only 2 clicks. Here’s how –

• Open Windows Settings with a synchronized hit on Win and I keys.
• Select Personalization.

• On the consequent page, select Taskbar from the left-pane and then shift to the right.
• Toggle on the option – “Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell in the menu when I right-click the Start button or press Windows Key+X” by dragging the button to the right.

• From now onward, whenever you will open the Power user menu, you will view Command Prompt (Admin) in the list. Simply press Win+X and choose the same.

5] Open command prompt as administrator by means of Task Manager

Important – Before proceeding forward, make sure that you have signed in as administrator.

• Either right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager or directly press “Ctrl+Alt+Esc” for the same result.
• From the menu bar, click on File option. Keep pressing and holding the Ctrl key and at the same time click Run new task.

• It will right away open cmd as admin.

6] Again using Task Manager

• Open Task manager using the method given in the previous way.
• Click on File from the uppermost menu bar and choose Run new task.
• Type either cmd.exe or cmd the provided space and check the box for “Create this task with administrative privileges”.
• Click OK.

7] Through Start menu

• Press Windows key to bring up the Start menu and then click on # from the top.

• Select W alphabet from the list.

• Click Windows System from here and to expand its options.
• Right-click on Command Prompt, hover the cursor over “More” and subsequently choose “Run as administrator”.

• When you see a User Account Control popup, click the Yes to give consent.

8] Switch PowerShell to Command Prompt

• Press “Win+X” hotkey and select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” from the Power user menu.

• When the User Account Control shows up in the display, click the Yes button to allow it.
• In the “Administrator: Windows PowerShell”, type cmd after the blinking PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> cursor and hit the Enter key.

• This will immediately switch the PowerShell utility to Command prompt.

9] Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 10 From System32 Directory

• Use Win+E keyboard shortcut combination to put forward File Explorer.
• Select This PC in Quick access and then Perform a double click on “(C:)” (we assume that this is your system drive).

• Open Windows folder by either double-clicking or right-clicking on it and selecting Open.

• From the next window, locate System32 and make double-click on the same to enter into it.

• Once this directory appears, find cmd.exe.
• Right click on the same and opt Run as administrator from the list.

• Finally, hit the Yes button once the UAC arrives.
• Alternatively, to get access to the location you may copy-paste “C:\Windows\System32” into the Run dialog box and hit Enter.

10] Via Run command

• Press Win+R, paste C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe in Run dialog and then press ctrl+shift+enter.

• Choose Yes when User account control prompt appears.

11] Create Desktop shortcut

• Right-click on a blank field on the desktop and hover the mouse cursor over New and select Shortcut.

• A wizard entitled Create Shortcut will show up. Copy C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe paste into the given area and then click Next button.

• Provide a suitable name for this shortcut and lastly click on Finish.

• You will notice a new shortcut for the “CMD” on the desktop. Right-click on the same and select Properties.

• In the Shortcut tab, move down to the bottom of the wizard and click the Advanced button.

• Mark the checkbox located adjacent to Run as administrator and then hit the OK button.

• Finally, click on Apply and thereafter OK button to save the changes.

• In future, whenever you need to open command prompt as administrator, just double-click on the shortcut.

12] Assign a shortcut key to open cmd as admin

• Follow the previous method to create a shortcut key of Command Prompt and give it administrative authority.
• Thereafter, right-click on the same and select Properties from the fly-out menu.
• In the opened wizard, go to Shortcut key area and click on the box located beside it.
• Now, press your preferred key from the keyboard. When you will type C and the system automatically generated a shortcut key Ctrl+Alt+C.
• Lastly, click on Apply and then OK to make the changes effective.

• To open cmd as admin, you just require hitting the shortcut key you just created.

That’s all!!!