Get Rid Of UAC Prompts With Microsoft's Application Compatibility Toolkit
The number of UAC prompts in Windows 7 has been reduced significantly by Microsoft compared to Windows Vista. To increase security, applications are limited to standard user privileges in Windows Vista and Windows 7 (as well as newer versions of Windows that came out afterwards).
The UAC prompt informs the user that an application requires elevated privileges to run.
This is especially helpful if new applications have been installed on the system, but more of a nuisance if the program has to be used on a regular basis and is developed by a trusted developer.
For instance, why would you require an UAC prompt each time you run regedit or Revo Uninstaller?
It is also likely that most users click on yes just to run the program without considering for a moment what the prompt that is displayed actually means or asks them to do.
There are quite a few ways to limit UAC prompts further in Windows. One of the easiest ways for instance is to change a program's properties to always run with administrative privileges.
Another option, less commonly known, is to use the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit to whitelist applications so that they do not display an UAC prompt when they are run.
Windows users need to download the software program from the Microsoft website and install it afterwards.
It comes with both a 32-bit and 64-bit Compatibility Administrator that you can run. 32-bit programs need to be added to the 32-bit Compatibility Administrator while 64-bit apps to the 64-bit Compatibility Administrator.
Start with a right-click on the New Database(1), then Create New and from the context menu that opens "Application Fix". This opens a new window where a program name, developer name and executable can be selected.
The next page lists the compatibility modes. Locate and select RunAsInvoker from the list and click the Test Run button afterwards to see how the program starts with that new compatibility mode.
If it starts without UAC prompt click next, if an error message is displayed it won't work at all. Most programs will however work without problems here.
Click Next two times after a successful test to add the application to the list. It should be displayed with its name underneath the database entry. Repeat the above steps for other applications that require an UAC prompt.
Save the database of programs by clicking on File > Save As in the menu, e.g. uac-whitelist.
The Compatibility Administrator saves the database as an sdb file on the local computer system. The database needs to be installed once. This needs to be done from an elevated command prompt.
Click the Windows start button, then All Programs > Accessories. Right-click the Command Prompt entry and select to Run as Administrator from the context menu.
Now issue the command
sdbinst pathToUAC-Whitelist.sdb
e.g.
sdbinst c:\users\martin\downloads\uac-whitelist.sdb
It is then possible to test the new setting immediately to see if the changes have been successful. Most programs should start now without UAC prompt while some might refuse to start. It is possible to revert the changes by deleting the non-working applications from the database and running the sdbinst command afterwards again.
Have a different way of automating UAC prompts in Windows? Let us know in the comments.
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277