What Is UAC in Windows and How to Disable It

If you have a network of computers in your home or workplace, one of the things you need to control is which users or apps get to change things in that system.

One way toprevent unauthorized changesis to have one person as the network administrator. However, it’s not enough just to have one person managing everything, which is where the User Access Control (UAC) feature comes in.

This guide explains what UAC is and how you can disable it in Windows 10.

What Is UAC?

UAC is asecurity feature in Windows 10that prevents unauthorized or inadvertent changes to the operating system. The feature was first a part of the Windows Vista security system and has since been improved with each new version of Windows.

Such changes can be initiated by users, viruses, malware, or applications. But if the administrator doesn’t approve the changes, they won’t be executed.

Among the changes that require administrative privileges include:

Each time you run a desktop app that requires admin permissions, the UAC pops up. You’ll also see it when you want to change important system settings that require admin approval.

Any users on your network can sign into their computers using a standard user account, but any processes they launch will be performed using access rights granted to a standard user.

For example, any apps started using Windows Explorer will run with standard user level permissions. This includes apps included with Windows 10 itself.

For legacy apps, which aren’t designed with security in mind, additional permissions are often required to run successfully. More permissions are required for actions such asinstalling new softwareandchanging Windows Firewall configurations, as this requires administrator account level permissions.

If you need to run an app that requires more than standard account user rights, you can restore more user groups to the token in order to manage apps that make system level changes to your computers or devices.

For families, there’s an option to create a dedicated Child account that comes with various limitations andintegrated parental controls and monitoring. Learn more in ourMicrosoft Family accountandhow to add a family member to your Microsoft accountguides.

UAC Slider Levels in Windows 10 and What They Mean

In Windows Vista, there were only two UAC options: On or Off. In Windows 10 however, there are four UAC levels to choose from:

How to Disable UAC in Windows 10

Note: We don’t recommend disabling UAC on your computer as doing this makes it easier for malicious programs to infect and manage your computer. If there are apps that keep triggering UAC, use Windows Task Scheduler to run those apps without admin rights and UAC prompts first, instead of disabling UAC altogether.

If you still want to disable UAC, you can do it via Control Panel, Group Policy, Registry Editor, or using a Command Line.

To turn UAC back on, drag the slider to the security level you want and then clickOK. Confirm your selection or enter your admin password if prompted to, and then restart your computer to keep the changes.

In the Command Prompt box, enter this command and press Enter:

If you want to enable or turn UAC on again,enterthis command:

You can also disable UAC via the Windows Registry. However, before you do that, make sure youback up the registryto avoid any system issues.

Take Control of Your Accounts

UAC makes all the difference between standard user accounts and administrator accounts. With the feature, you have a basic level system security that helps save your system from malicious processes even with a security suite in place.

Were you able to disable UAC on your computer? Share with us in the comments.

Elsie is a technology writer and editor with a special focus on Windows, Android and iOS. She writes about software, electronics and other tech subjects, her ultimate goal being to help people out with useful solutions to their daily tech issues in a simple, straightforward and unbiased style. She has a BCom degree in Marketing and currently pursuing her Masters in Communications and New Media.Read Elsie’s Full Bio

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What Is UAC in Windows and How to Disable It#

What Is UAC?#

UAC Slider Levels in Windows 10 and What They Mean#

How to Disable UAC in Windows 10#

Take Control of Your Accounts#