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.
