8 methods to run app as Administrator in Windows 11

Most applications or programs run with Standard (limited) privileges, however, some apps need administrative permissions to run properly or perform specific functions. Apps also need administrative privileges whenever they need to make system-level changes or access system files. So, if you need to run an app as an administrator, here are the 8 different ways to do it in Windows 11.

8 Methods to Run App as Administrator in Windows 11

Method 1: From the Right-click Menu

The easiest way to launch an app or program as an administrator is from the context menu.

1. Right-click the app (in the Desktop or the Taskbar).

2. Select “Run as administrator“.

If the app is in the Taskbar, it may need an extra click.

1. Right-click the app, click the app’s name from the jump list, and then select “Run as administrator“.

Method 2: From the Windows Search

1. Click the Start button or the Search bar in the Taskbar.

2. Type the app’s name from the Start menu.

3. Click the “Run as administrator” option from the right pane.

4. Alternatively, press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter shortcut while the app is selected from the result.

Method 3: From the Start menu

1. Open the Start menu.

2. Right-click the app or program and select “Run as administrator“.

3. If your app is not among the Pinned apps, click the “All apps” button at the top left corner to view all the apps.

4. Then, right-click the app, select “More“, and then choose “Run as administrator“.

Method 4: From the Run Command

1. Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type the app’s executable name in the Run dialog box. For example – explorer.exe

3. If you’re trying to run a third-party app, make sure to enter the app’s path. For example:

C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ROGLSLoader\AsusAppxLauncher.exe

4. Then, press the Ctrl + Shift shortcut and click “OK“.

Method 5: From the File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Navigate to the app’s installation folder and find the app’s executable file (.exe).

3. Then, right-click the app’s executable file and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.

Method 6: Using Command Prompt

1. Search “Command Prompt” in the Start menu and select the top result.

2. Type the following command and press Enter:

runas /user:"Computer-Name\Administrator-User" "C:\Path\App.exe"

Replace Computer_Name with the name of your computer, Administrator_User with the user name with administrative privileges, and C:\Path\App.exe with the application path and executable name.

Example:

runas/user:"RajSTK\rajth" "C:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\obs64.exe"

3. Enter your account password and press Enter.

4. Alternatively, you can use the Sudo command to run an app with administrative privileges:

sudo Path\App.exe

In the above command, be sure to replace Path and App.exe with executable path and name respectively. E.g. sudo sudo C:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\obs64.exe. If it’s a system application, you don’t need to provide the executable path.

Note: Check out this guide to enable the Sudo command in Windows 11.

If you’re already in an elevated Command Prompt, you can directly type the name of the app or its full path to launch it. For example, type “notepad” to open Notepad.

Method 7: Using App Properties

1. Right-click the app and select “Properties“.

2. Switch to the Shortcut tab and click “Advanced“.

3. In the Advanced Properties dialog, check the “Run as administrator” option and click “OK“.

4. Then, click “Apply” and close the Properties window.

Some apps, especially system programs and UWP apps, might not support running as administrator. If you see the “Run as administrator” option grayed out, it means this option is not available for that specific app.

Method 8: From Task Manager

1. Right-click the Taskbar and select the “Task Manager” option or press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut.

2. In the Task Manager, click the “Run new task” button.

3. Enter the app’s executable (.exe) name.

4. Check the “Create this task with administrator privileges” option and click the “OK” button.

Video guide

Here’s a video guide that demonstrates above mentioned methods:

That’s it.