How Do I Turn Off UAC (User Account Control) in Windows?

❌ User Access Control, or UAC, prompts you each time an application requires administrative access. Annoyance or feature?

❌ Turning off User Account Control (UAC)
User Account Control (UAC), introduced in Windows Vista, helps protect against malware and other unauthorized changes. Turning it off is possible via Settings: search for UAC, and set the resulting slider to Never. I recommend you keep it on for better security.

Chapters
0:00 Turn off UAC
1:00 Open UAC in settings
1:45 Implications of turning UAC off

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#askleo #uac #windows

[PBY]

I found it interesting that the person who asked the original question said that they wanted to turn it off because "I know what I am doing"... but yet they apparently didn't know how to turn it off?

[Raegoul]

If this person is such a pro user that they want UAC turned off why did they have to ask Leo? It's literally a 10 second google search.

[bmiller]

I have UAC set to the default in Windows 11. It is totally manageable and the rare popups are fine with me. I don't go to shady sites on my production machine. I have Linux on a small laptop for going to the dodgier sites on the internet. 😊

[LarcR]

I've kept UAC turned off for years and have never even once experienced an event that caused me to regret it.

[davinp]

UAC was first introduced in Windows Vista, but it opened too much annoying users, so they fixed and in Windows 7, you can adjust it so it is less annoying. It is not recommended to turn it off completely

[LauraKnotek]

UAC hasn't been an annoyance since Windows Vista (which was an annoyance itself).

[justrusty]

I usually get the popup for a single program which I know is safe. Yet there seems to be no way to designate a particular app as safe so at least I don't get nagged every time I fire it up.

[verdedoodleduck]

I think that the user who wrote the note might take back the part about really understanding the system. If (s)he understood their system, (s)he would already understand how to change the UAC setting and the ramifications of what turning if off are. As you say, don't turn it off. I would say particularly if you have to ask.

[mind_of_a_darkhorse]

I think it would be a major issue when it comes to malware and hackers!

[NYUFO]

User Profile Service Failed! Several Times this has occurred on win11 on my laptop. Is there an easy cure for this problem?

[kersi-sandiego]

Another informative nugget. Even my wife, who hates tinkering or listening to tech stuff liked and understood the UAC concept. In fact, she updated her UAC from default to a higher level instead of bothering me with "do this, do that, how long more?", etc. Thanks Leo.

[zone]

Any reason why Office 365 is prompting this Window every time launch any of its apps?

[gmsmolen]

I have WIN 11 and I get the UAC EVERY TIME I open FIREFOX. Why is the UAC popping up EVERY TIME I LAUNCH FIREFOX. Nothing is being downloaded so how do I stop it when I simply am launching the application. This is ONLY happening with Firefox. Some of the FireFox threads indicated it's because I am running as Administrator. I don't find that helpful information or what should be turned on or off as an administrator. Please create a video on how to correct this. I am with you 100% about not disabling the UAC, but this is just plain crazy. It only started about 3 months ago and I don't know why.

[maisydotes]

Dear Dr Leo, thank you for this excellent article on the importance of having UAC settings “ON”, and on the correct level.

My problem … I inadvertently reset my only Windows 11 User Account from “Administrator” to “Standard User”!
So now, for many actions, the UAC pop/up has the “YES” button missing, just the “NO” shows.

Have tried resetting using ‘Safe Mode’ & creating an ‘Administrator’ Account’, but alas to no avail … At 84 y.o., this is a challenge indeed.

I have checked your site for a method to reset a User Account to Administrator, but cannot find one. This article mentions, but not say how. Once again thank you for your useful articles, over the years.

Dr Leo, can you please help how to recove the Administrator status for my User Account? Cheers and best regards David P Steele

[alexrader]

Thank you sir was about to turn it off but now i dont think i will be lmao

[UltraZelda]

You need all the precautions you can get in Windows. Back with its introduction in Vista, UAC was the joke of the PC world that even Apple capitalized on. Back then, Windows programs were horribly designed under the assumption that you were operating under an administrator account on what was effectively a single-user system so UAC warnings really were obscenely frequent.

Now, about twenty years later... I sure hope application developers have dropped all those bad habits and piss-poor design choices by now! Most normal programs should never or rarely ever need special privileges. Linux has done it well over the last two decades I've been using it... at this point Windows has had just as long to play catch up.

[MrKlausR.M.A]

I'am having a problem that is not really a problem but it involves UAC. Basically I have one app on my computer that whenever i click to open the UAC pops up, this said app is a official client that i use to play hoyoverse games. Anyone knows how to disable the UAC just on that specific app? I know the importance of UAC and i dont want to fully disable on my computer.

And sorry for any grammar error, english is not my first language

[SuperLittleTyke]

I was planning on turning it off (Windows 10), but having listened to the commentary I've decided to keep it on, even though it can be irritating sometimes.

[tungchen]

Is there a way to turn off UAC for a specific application? for example, I just want to turn off UAC for "Command Prompt" with "Run as administrator"? Also for applications installed in my computer that I trust.

[JimE]

Thanks Leo. Often wonder about that. JimE