Windows 10: Change UAC prompt Behavior for Standard Users in Windows

How to: Change UAC prompt Behavior for Standard Users in Windows

How to Change User Account Control (UAC) prompt Behavior for Standard Users in Windows


When administrator account before starting a program or task that requires a full administrator access token. This prompt ensures that no malicious software can be silently installed or run.

With the Always notify or Default secure desktop when you get an elevation request by the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.

A user that is a member of the Administrators group can log on, browse the Web, and read e-mail while using a standard user access token. When the administrator needs to perform a task that requires the administrator access token, Windows 10 automatically prompts the user for Y/N approval. This prompt is called an elevation prompt for UAC consent prompt.

The user experience for standard users is different from that of administrators in Admin Approval Mode. The recommended and more secure method of running Windows 10 is to make your primary user account a standard user account. Running as a standard user helps to maximize security for a managed environment. With the built-in UAC elevation component, standard users can easily perform an administrative task by entering valid credentials for a local administrator account. The default, built-in UAC elevation component for standard users is the UAC credential prompt.

See also: How User Account Control works (Windows 10) | Microsoft Docs

The standard users.

The options are:

[table][tr][td]Policy[/td] [td]Description[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Automatically deny elevation requests[/td] [td]When an operation requires elevation of privilege, an access denied error message is displayed. An enterprise that is running desktops as standard user may choose this setting to reduce help desk calls.[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Prompt for credentials on the secure desktop[/td] [td]When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted on the secure desktop to enter a different user name and password. If the user enters valid credentials, the operation continues with the applicable privilege.[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Prompt for credentials (Default)[/td] [td]When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted to enter an administrator user name and password. If the user enters valid credentials, the operation continues with the applicable privilege.[/td] [/tr] [/table]

This tutorial will show you how to change the User Account Control (UAC) prompt behavior only for standard users in Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10.

*Warning You must be signed in as an administrator to change the UAC prompt behavior for standard users.

*note This will not affect the administrators.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Change UAC prompt Behavior for Standard Users in Local Security Policy
• Option Two: Change UAC prompt Behavior for Standard Users using a REG file

EXAMPLE: User Account Control (UAC) credential prompt








OPTION ONE [/i] Change UAC prompt Behavior for Standard Users in Local Security Policy

*note The Local Security Policy is only available in the Windows 7/8/10 Pro, Windows 7/8/10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.
1. Open the Local Security Policy (secpol.msc).

2. Expand open Local Policies and Security Options in the left pane of Local Security Policy, and double click/tap on the User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for standard users policy to edit it. (see screenshot below)



3. Select the UAC behavior you want in the drop menu, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



4. When finished, close the Local Security Policy window if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] Change UAC prompt Behavior for Standard Users using a REG file

*note The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

ConsentPromptBehaviorUser DWORD

0 = Automatically deny elevation requests
1 = Prompt for credentials on the secure desktop
3 = Prompt for credentials (default)


1. Do step 2 (Automatically deny), step 3 (Prompt for credentials on secure desktop), or step 4 (DEFAULT - Prompt for credentials) below for what you would like to do.


2. Set UAC Behavior for Standard Users to "Elevate without prompting"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Standard_users_UAC_Automatically_deny_elevation_requests.reg

Download

3. Set UAC Behavior for Standard Users to "Prompt for credentials on the secure desktop"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Standard_users_UAC_Prompt_for_credentials_on_secure_desktop.reg

Download

4. Set UAC Behavior for Standard Users to "Prompt for credentials"
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Standard_users_UAC_Prompt_for_credentials.reg

Download

5. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

6. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Enable or Disable User Account Control (UAC) in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable User Account Control (UAC) prompt for Built-in Administrator in Windows
• How to Change User Account Control (UAC) Settings in Windows 10
• How to Change User Account Control (UAC) prompt Behavior for Administrators in Windows
• How to Hide or Show Administrators in UAC prompt for Standard Users in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Dimmed Secure Desktop for UAC prompt in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Ctrl+Alt+Delete Secure Desktop for UAC prompt in Windows

:)

 

Changing the UAC Setting Prompt for Built-In Admin account?

Thanks! Appreciate the support and detailed explanation.

However, slightly off topic here, but what about setup programs that a user can just change to their User Profile instead of a System folder like the Program Files folder? If a Standard User installs an app like Utorrent for example without changing the installation destination (C:\Program Files), then of course, the UAC will prompt for the Admin credentials. But when the user changes the installation path to their User Folder or wherever a directory does not need Admin rights to install, then its bad news...

So I guess there is a slight flaw in this UAC prompt thing when it comes to applications like these.

Best UAC setting if one likes to be more secure, then UAC setting for Standard Users should be: Automatically deny elevation requests.

Change UAC prompt Behavior for Standard Users in Windows

Utorrent is one example, see the image.

 

Windows 10Home UAC prompts for the original user's password.

Hi Marks,

User Access Control asks for the standard user password because of the Local Security Policy set on your computer. For us to isolate this issue, we suggest that you follow these steps:

• Open the Local Security Policy Editor:
  • Right-click on Start, and then select Control Panel.
  • Select or search Administrative Tools.
  • Now double click on Local Security Policy.
• In the left pane, expand Local Policies. Click on
  Security Options.
• In the right pane of Security Options, double-click on
  
  User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for standard users.
• In your case, you have to select Automatically deny elevation requests.
• Close the Local Security Policy
  Editor.
• Restart your computer to save changes.

Let us know how it goes.

 

the User Account Control - UAC

Suggestion to read

• What is UAC (User Account Control) and why you should never turn it off
  
• User Account Control - Wikipedia
  
• User Account Control (Windows 10) | Microsoft Docs
  
• Change User Account Control (UAC) Settings in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials
  

 

Problem with UAC in win 10

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. Appreciate your interest in using Windows 10.

To disable UAC prompts, I suggest you to follow the steps provided below:

• In the search bar, type Control Panel and press Enter.
• Click on User Accounts and again click on User Accounts.
• Click on Change User account control settings.
• Provide password for the UAC prompt.
• Drag the box from Always Notify to Never Notify and click on OK.
• Provide password for the UAC prompt (if asked again).

Important: Turning off UAC reduces the security of your computer and may expose you to increased risk from malicious software. We do not recommend leaving UAC disabled.

Hope the information is helpful. Feel free to write to us for any other assistance with Windows, we’ll be glad to assist you.

 

Any way to enable an admin password for UAC in windows 10?

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft community.

I suggest you to follow the steps below and check if this helps:

• Open User Account Control Settings by clicking the Start button.
• Then type uac, and then click Change User Account Control settings.
  
• 
  Do one of the following:
  

• To turn off UAC, move the slider to the Never notify position, and then click
  OK. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. You will need to restart your computer for UAC to be turned off.
• To turn on UAC, move the slider to choose when you want to be notified, and then click
  OK. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Hope this information was helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance. We will be glad to assist.