Just about everything you need to in Windows PowerShell, you can do in a normal window. However, occasionally, you’ll need to open and run PowerShell as an administrator (admin) to run certain commands where you need to have elevated privileges.
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Here’s 4 ways you can open Windows 11 PowerShell to run as an admin.
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1. Windows Search
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One of the easiest ways to run PowerShell is using Windows Search. Here’s what you need to do.
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1. Open Windows Search by clicking the search icon from the Windows 11 Taskbar.
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2. Type “Windows PowerShell” and click Run as administrator.
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3. Once you confirm the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, Windows PowerShell as an admin will open in a new window.
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2. Windows 11 Power User Menu
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Another quick and easy way to launch Windows PowerShell as an admin is by using the Power User Menu. In order to access the Power User Menu, right-click on the Start menu (Windows icon) on your Windows 11 Taskbar. Alternatively, you can use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu right away.
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When the Power User menu appears, click Windows PowerShell (Amin)
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Once you confirm the UAC prompt, Windows PowerShell will open as an administrator.
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3. Use the Run application
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One of the fastest ways to open Windows PowerShell in administrator mode is by using the Run application. after using a couple of keyboard shortcuts, you can have a Windows PowerShell window open and running in no time, here’s what you need to do.
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1. Open the Run application by using the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut.
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2. Type powershell in the text box.
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3. Use the Ctrl + Shift + Enter keyboard shortcut and confirm the UAC prompt to run and open PowerShell as an admin.
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4. Switch to Windows PowerShell Admin
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If you are already using PowerShell and want to switch to admin mode, just copy and paste this command and press Enter: start-process powershell -verb runas
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Once you confirm the UAC prompt, a new PowerShell instance will open with administrator privileges.
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If you don’t use or have Windows PowerShell installed on your PC and feel more comfortable using Command Prompt, you can follow the first 3 ways in this guide to open Command Prompt in admin mode.
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Obviously, you’ll need to type “cmd” in the Windows Search, using the Run application, and the Power User menu from the Start menu, but the steps largely remain the same.
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If you are already using Command Prompt, you can change to Command Prompt (Admin). Just copy and paste this command and press Enter: powershell -Command Start-Process cmd -Verb RunAs
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Once you confirm the UAC prompt, Command Prompt will open as a new instance in admin mode.
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Which do you prefer to use Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt? Let us know which one you use and why in the comments!
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