7

I'm accustomed to opening a shell in Windows with the keyboard, but when I want admin privileges, the only way I know is to right click on the start menu icon.

There must be a keyboard-only way, right?

7 Answers 7

19

Option 1 - requires that you use the Vista-style Start Menu

  • Hit Windows key
  • Type cmd
  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter
  • Done!

Option 2 - works with Classic Start Menu, requires Quick Launch to be enabled

  • Create a shortcut to cmd.exe on your Quick Launch bar
  • Right-click the shortcut, select Properties, Advanced, and check the "Run as administrator" box
  • Quick Launch icons can be launched using Windows key + NUMBER, where NUMBER is the position of the icon, so if your new cmd shortcut is the 1st icon, use Win + 1
  • Done!
4
  • For which versions of windows are these options working ? Would be nice to precise. Typically, the first one requires Vista, it's written, but second for example doesn't work for XP. Does it work on Vista, or only Windows 7 ?
    – Gnoupi
    Aug 25, 2009 at 15:17
  • 1
    XP doesn't apply since you don't need to run as administrator, and the solution will work in Vista and up? Aug 25, 2009 at 15:39
  • 2
    In a properly configuerd XP environment you do often need to runas admin.
    – EBGreen
    Aug 25, 2009 at 16:37
  • TBH, I don't think the question is relevant to XP. My answer applies to Vista and 7. Aug 25, 2009 at 18:21
15

Do this:

  1. Press WINDOWS + R to open the run prompt
  2. Type runas /user:ADMINUSERNAME cmd.exe
1

i'm using ColorConsole instead of the windows command prompt (the reason being not so much the variety of colour schemes but the favorite commands, copy/paste, tabbed interface and HTML export. you're probably asking this question to save time, so CC will save you even more). i have set CC to run always as admin from the advanced shortcut properties menu, of course you can do that with CMD.EXE too. just create a new shortcut for cmd.exe, make it to run always as admin and assign a hotkey to this shortcut.

1

My preferred way:

  1. Press WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog
  2. Type cmd into the text field
    (only the first time, will be saved afterwards, use cmd.exe if cmd gives you problems)
  3. Press Crtl + Shift + Enter
    (Crtl+Shift+Enter or +OK runs the command as admin)

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Depending on your settings you might need to press Enter to acknowledge UCA promt.

This only works if your user has admin rights, if not I would recommend EBGreen's answer (runas /user:administrator cmd.exe).

0

already discussed good options (possibly better than mine) however I personally press start / Windows flag button on my keyboard and type cmd, then press the context menu button (between right windows flag and Ctrl then press down and enter.

0

Windows 10:

Method 1

  • Hit WIN+R
  • Type cmd in the textbox
  • Hit CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER

Method 2

  • Hit CTRL+SHIFT+ESC
  • Hit ALT+F
  • Hit ENTER
  • Type cmd in the textbox
  • Hit TAB
  • Hit + in Numpad
  • Hit ENTER

Method 3

  • Hit WIN+S
  • Type cmd
  • Hit RIGHT ARROW
  • Hit DOWN ARROW
  • Hit ENTER

Method 4 (If you have Replace Command Prompt with Powershell in Win+X menu setting enabled)

  • Hit WIN+X
  • Use DOWN ARROW key to navigate to Command Prompt (Admin)
  • Hit ENTER

Some ways can work with earlier versions to (Especially 1).

-1

You can launch Command Prompt with admin privileges without using a mouse. First, you need to open a Run box by pressing Windows + R keys. Type “cmd” into the box and then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run the command as an administrator.

1
  • 1
    I think that's what the accepted answer said -- eleven years ago. :) If you are still using Vista in 2020, I'm sorry to hear that. Sep 16, 2020 at 13:58

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