How To Run Powershell As Administrator In Windows 10? 5 Easy Ways

Some commands require running Powershell with elevated privileges to perform system-level changes, and running PowerShell as an administrator provides the necessary access. PowerShell is a powerful and versatile command-line tool used in Windows operating systems for scripting, automation, and administrative tasks.

In this article, we will explore different methods to run PowerShell with administrative privileges to execute commands and scripts that require higher access rights.

Methods To Run PowerShell As Administrator

1. Using the Search bar In windows.
2. Run PowerShell as an administrator Using A Pinned Menu Item
3. How To Run PowerShell as Admin Using the File Explorer File Menu
4. Run PowerShell as Administrator Using WinX Menu
5. Using the Run Command Window
   

To run PowerShell as an administrator using the Search Bar in Windows, follow these steps:

• Click on the Windows icon located in the bottom-left corner of your screen to open the Start Menu.
• In the Search Bar (usually labeled “Type here to search”), type “PowerShell.”
• In the search results, you should see “Windows PowerShell” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin).” The “(Admin)” version indicates that it will run with administrative privileges.
• Right-click on “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” in the search results.
• From the context menu that appears, select “Run as administrator.”

• If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) to allow the app to make changes to your device, click “Yes.”
• Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges should now open, and you can run administrative commands and scripts.

Please note that running PowerShell as an administrator gives it elevated privileges, so exercise caution while executing commands, as they may have a broader system impact. Only run commands that you fully understand and trust.

2. Run PowerShell as an administrator Using A Pinned Menu Item

To run PowerShell as an administrator using a pinned menu item in Windows, follow these steps:

• Locate the “Windows PowerShell” or “PowerShell” icon on your taskbar. It is usually pinned to the taskbar by default, but if you haven’t pinned it yet, you can find it in the Start Menu.
• Right-click on the “Windows PowerShell” or “PowerShell” icon on the taskbar.
• In the context menu that appears, you should see a list of actions related to PowerShell. Look for “Run as administrator” or “Run as admin” (the exact wording may vary depending on your Windows version).

• Hold down the “Shift” key on your keyboard and then click on the “Run as administrator” option. Holding “Shift” while clicking will ensure that PowerShell runs with elevated privileges.
• If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) to allow the app to make changes to your device, click “Yes.”
• Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges should now open, and you can run administrative commands and scripts.

3. How To Run PowerShell as Admin Using the File Explorer File Menu

To Open Windows PowerShell as an administrator using the File Explorer File Menu in Windows, follow these steps:

• Open File Explorer by pressing the “Windows key + E” on your keyboard or by clicking the File Explorer icon on the taskbar.
• Navigate to the location where you want to open PowerShell with administrative privileges. It could be any folder or directory.
• In the File Explorer window, click on the “File” menu located at the top-left corner of the window.
• In the File menu, hold down the “Shift” key on your keyboard.
• While holding the “Shift” key, right-click on any blank area within the File menu. This will reveal additional context menu options.

• Look for the option that says “Open PowerShell window here” or “Open PowerShell window here as administrator.” The exact wording may vary depending on your Windows version.
• If you see both options (regular and administrator), choose “Open PowerShell window here as administrator.” If you only see one option, it will likely run PowerShell without administrative privileges.
• If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) to allow the app to make changes to your device, click “Yes.”
  Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges should now open at the selected location, and you can run administrative commands and scripts.

4. Run PowerShell as Administrator Using WinX Menu

To run PowerShell as an administrator using the WinX menu in Windows, follow these steps:

• Press the “Windows key + X” on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can right-click on the Start button (Windows icon) in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
• This will open the WinX menu, a context menu with various system tools and options.
• In the WinX menu, you should see “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” listed as one of the options. It may also be labeled as “Windows PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows PowerShell (Elevated).

• Click on “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” or the corresponding administrator-labeled option.
• If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) to allow the app to make changes to your device, click “Yes.”
• Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges should now open, and you can run administrative commands and scripts.

5. Using the Run Command Window

To run PowerShell with administrator privileges using the Run command prompt window in Windows, follow these steps:

• Press the “Windows key + R” on your keyboard. This will open the command prompt window.
• In the Run window, type “PowerShell” and press “Ctrl + Shift + Enter” on your keyboard. This key combination runs the command with administrative privileges.

• If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) to allow the app to make changes to your device, click “Yes.”
• Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges should now open, and you can run administrative commands and scripts.