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I want to run the command prompt as the administrator, using the keyboard.

These are the steps that I follow:

  1. Press the Windows Logo key
  2. Press the Up Arrow key to get to All Programs
  3. Press the Right Arrow key to access All Programs
  4. Press the Up Arrow key several times to get to Accessories
  5. Press the Right Arrow key to access Accessories
  6. Press the Down Arrow key several times to get to Command Prompt
  7. Press the Shift and F10 keys to access the context menu
  8. Press the Alt and A keys to access Run As Administrator

But instead of running the command prompt as the Administrator, pressing the Alt key makes the context menu disappear.

I know I can use the Down Arrow key several times, followed by the Enter button to access the Run As Administrator option.

I still want to use the accelerator key combination. It's there, so I want to use it.

Why does Windows 7 have accelerator key combinations that cannot be used?

4 Answers 4

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Er, if you hit Shift + F10 to open the context menu, you can just press A to select Run as Administrator and then hit Enter.

No need to hold Alt, as it just toggles menus, so I guess when it's already open and you press Alt it toggles it off.

Edit: The only reason I need to press Enter is that I have two options in my context menu that have A as the accelerator ( Run as administrator, Copy as path ), so pressing A switches between those two. If you choose any menu option that has a unique accelerator you just need to press that key.

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  • Do not forget about your application key, it is more handy than Shift+F10 and you do not need to depress it when hitting A. So you can use either AppsKey+A or AppsKey,A – based on your current mood :)
    – miroxlav
    May 4, 2014 at 22:29
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Win, type cmd, Ctrl+Shift+Enter

Or,

Win + R, type cmd, Ctrl+Shift+Enter

Or,

Create a shortcut to cmd.exe, assign a key combination to it, and edit its properties to run as Administrator

PS: it's not the Alt key, its the Edit key.

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  • 1
    Ctrl+Shift+Enter doesn't work from the run dialog box.
    – Joshua
    Dec 2, 2009 at 15:49
  • @Joshua, it's working for me here on Win7 Dec 2, 2009 at 16:13
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    @prestomation, the Run dialog box is different than the Search box in the start menu. Ctrl+Shift+Enter doesn't actually work from the run dialog box. It'll still run the app, it just won't be elevated. Dec 2, 2009 at 17:03
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The Alt key always closes menus. This has been that way for ages. In general, Alt allows for the following:

  • access top-level menus in an application
  • access accelerators of controls on the current form (needed when the focus is on text boxes for example; otherwise the accelerator key itself suffices)

As for menus, Alt simply toggles. It will switch into "menu mode" when pressed once and it will close any menu that is currently open when it's pressed when a menu is open.

As others have noted, there are faster ways to start a program as administrator, most notably Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

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Just press A and Enter for point 8.

Or press Menu (left to the right Ctrl) as 7. and A as 8.

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