Share this article

This article is translated in

Improve this guide

Fix Can’t Run CMD as Administrator in 7 Easy Steps

Try opening the Command Prompt in Safe Mode - it’s easy!

5 min. read

Updated onOctober 3, 2024

updated onOctober 3, 2024

Share this article

This article is translated in

Improve this guide

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

Resolve multiple Windows PC issues and speed up your PC effortlessly with specialized software.

Can’t run CMD as administrator and getting an error instead? This guide is for you. Besides using an account with no admin rights, your antivirus, or corrupt system files could also cause this.

Follow the steps below to get this error fixed ASAP:

What should I do if CMD is not running as administrator?

Begin with a simple PC restart and check if your antivirus is blocking CMD or related processes. It might show up in Threat History or the Quarantine list.

If these didn’t work, fret not! The ones listed next surely will help youdeal with the Administrator Access Denied error messagesin CMD.

1. Use Command Prompt

This way, you can run CMD as administrator from the command line in Windows 10 and 11.

2. Create a Command Prompt shortcut on your desktop

Since there are two shortcuts, you have non-administrative and administrativeCommand Promptavailable. You can easily recognize the administrativeCommand Promptas its window will be labeledAdministrator:Command Promptonce you start it.

Alternatively, you can create a new shortcut on your desktop without copying anything. To do that, follow these steps:

Now you have to force the new shortcut to run with administrative privileges. Here’s how you can do that:

You can double-click the new shortcut, and theCommand Promptwill start with administrative privileges.

Remember that this is a workaround, but this solution should be helpful until you fix the core problem.

According to users, sometimes your context menu can cause this problem to appear. For example, if you can’t run Command Prompt as an administrator, perhaps other applications are causing this error.

Sometimes applications will add their entries to the context menu, which can lead to many other problems. And,ShellExViewshould come to your aid in this case.

Almost any application can cause this problem, but a few users reported issues withExpress Zip File Compression (NCH Software). So ifyou’re using it, disable its entries from the context menu.

Keep in mind that this is an advanced solution, so you’ll need to get familiar with ShellExView a bit before you can fully apply this solution.

4. Create a new user account

Sometimes your user account can get corrupted, and that can cause an issue with Command Prompt. Repairing your user profile is difficult, but you can fix the problem simply by creating a new user account.

After creating a new user account, switch to it and check if the problem is still there. If the issue withCommand Promptdoesn’t appear on the new account, move your files there and start using it instead of your old one.

5. Install the latest updates

According to users, sometimes, you can’t run CMD as an administrator due to specific bugs in Windows. However, Microsoft is usually quick to fix any major bugs that affect the user experience. So, check for updates, and install them if any are available.

6. Run CMD as administrator from Task Manager

PressCtrl+Shift+Escto open theTask Manager.

2.Go to theFilemenu and selectRun new task.

3.Typecmd.exein the text field.

Check theCreate this task withadministrative privilegesbox, and clickOK.
Command Prompt will be launched on your PC.

The Task Manager can provide a solid alternative if you can’t run CMD as an administrator directly. Basically, you need to launch Task Manager and configure it to open Command Prompt.

Also, find out how toopen a file or a folder in the Command Prompt.

7. Try using Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a particular segment of Windows that runs with default settings, and it’s usually a good place to start the troubleshooting process.

For example, if you can’t runCommand Promptas anadministrator, perhaps you should be able to solve the problem byaccessing Safe Mode.

Once you enter Safe Mode, try launching CMD as administrator, and if you see a black screen, run the following two commands while replacing thepasswordin the second command with the one you want to set:

net user Administrator /active:yesnet user Administrator password

This fix has been confirmed by users and would help get things running when you can’t run CMD as an administrator.

Also, as an additional piece of advice, you may run CMD as an administrator in folder by right-clicking anywhere in the blank portion and selecting Open in Terminal.

Alternatively, Windows 10 users can navigate to the desired folder and pressAlt+F+S+A.

Tell us which solutions worked for you in the comments section below. Also, if you managed to fix things with another method, do let us know.

Fix Can’t Run CMD as Administrator in 7 Easy Steps#

What should I do if CMD is not running as administrator?#

1. Use Command Prompt#

2. Create a Command Prompt shortcut on your desktop#

3. Disable all non-Microsoft context menu items#

4. Create a new user account#

5. Install the latest updates#

6. Run CMD as administrator from Task Manager#

7. Try using Safe Mode#