Introduction
User Account Control (UAC) prompts are one of Windows’ core security defenses, but for power users and IT admins, they can be a daily frustration—especially when trusted, legitimate apps demand elevation every time they launch. If you’re searching for a way to bypass UAC for a specific program—that is, run just one application without constant admin prompts or exposing wider security risks—you’re not alone. In fact, tens of thousands of system administrators and power users each month are asking the same questions.
But while messy forums and registry tweaks offer workarounds, the wrong solution could compromise the security of your entire organization. In this guide, we’ll analyze the realities of UAC, survey the most common “bypass” techniques, detail their risks, and show you how to achieve this goal securely—using Advanced RunAs.
What is UAC and Why Does It Matter?
UAC (User Account Control) is a security feature first introduced in Windows Vista, and heavily strengthened in Windows 7 and later. Its core job: prevent silent elevation of privilege by malware, and warn users when an application wants to run with admin rights.
Whenever a program requests admin rights, UAC displays a prompt asking for permission (or credentials, if you’re running as a standard user). This protects against:
- Malware sneaking in with user privileges and silently elevating itself
- Users making accidental system changes, like editing the registry or system files
- Unauthorized installation of drivers and system-level tools
But UAC is far from perfect, and isn’t always well-tuned to enterprise or advanced home setups.
Why Would You Want to Bypass UAC for a Specific Application?
Common reasons IT admins and users seek per-app UAC bypasses:
- Legacy or line-of-business app requires admin for simple functions
- Power users launch a trusted app (e.g., hardware controller or custom tool) daily and are tired of prompts
- Standard users need to run a specific program—with no option to grant full admin rights
- Kiosk or automated environments where pop-ups break workflows
The Temptation: Disabling UAC (Why You Should Never Do This)
It’s easy to find advice online about “disabling UAC.” But this setting is all-or-nothing: you can’t disable UAC for just one application via normal system settings. Turning off UAC entirely disables a fundamental Windows security boundary and is strongly discouraged.
Disabling UAC systemwide means:
- Malware can silently gain admin rights
- Accidental system damage is much easier
- Compliance failures (PCI, HIPAA, SOX, etc.)
- No memory or audit of elevated actions
Common “Workarounds” and Their Dangers
Registry Hacks & Manifest Changes
Some attempt to edit the program’s manifest, or apply registry tweaks to turn off elevation. This is rarely effective and often breaks the application or causes major security holes.
Using “RunAsInvoker” or Compatibility Shims
Advanced users sometimes use compatibility shims (Application Compatibility Toolkit), or launch apps using special environment variables:
textcmd /C "set __COMPAT_LAYER=RunAsInvoker && app.exe"
This can suppress UAC prompts for some apps, but only by preventing the app from ever getting real admin rights. If the app genuinely needs elevation, it will fail to function properly. If it was coded with “requireAdministrator” in its manifest, it almost always breaks.
Scheduled Tasks or Scripting
Some create a scheduled task, pre-approved to run with admin rights, then use scripts/shortcuts to trigger it. This may work but:
- Complex to set up and maintain
- Still leaves a gap for unauthorized privilege escalation
- Not granularly auditable or secure
UAC Bypass “One-Liners” and Pen-Testing Tricks
There are many “UAC bypass methods” (fodhelper.exe, eventvwr.exe hijack, computerdefaults.exe, etc.), as seen on Github and penetration testing blogs. These are explicitly attacker tools—not legitimate solutions for IT operations. They exploit Windows for arbitrary elevation, and using them on production endpoints is a critical security vulnerability.
In summary: Most “workarounds” are either incomplete (app runs but features break) or introduce critical security holes. They are not sustainable for legitimate, audited environments.
Secure Solutions: What Actually Works
Principle: Least Privilege and Controlled Elevation
- Only elevate what is necessary
- Do not lower Windows’ security baseline
- Audit every privilege escalation
- Never share admin passwords
The Native Windows Approach: RunAs
You can use the RunAs command to launch a program as admin. But this requires you to enter an admin username/password each time, or (dangerously) use /savecred, which is a security anti-pattern. It’s impractical for daily use or for non-technical end users.
Granular, Secure Per-App Elevation: Advanced RunAs
This is where tools like Advanced RunAs come in:
- Whitelists specific applications allowed to run elevated (by group or user)
- No admin password is exposed to the user
- No UAC prompt — the application simply launches with the correct privileges
- Comprehensive audit logging (who, what, when)
- No reduction of overall system security (UAC remains for all other apps)
- Integrated with AD/group policies
Typical workflow:
- Admin/IT configures which apps are allowed elevated on each machine
- User clicks a shortcut for the approved app
- App launches with admin rights, without any UAC prompt or password dialog
- Every action is logged—no hidden privilege escalation vectors
Bonus: Easy to roll back permissions, instantly remove access, and review activity.
Step-by-Step: How to Let Users Run a Specific App as Admin Without UAC Prompts
- Define which app needs elevation (example: legacy accounting tool).
- Install Advanced RunAs on the machine(s).
- In the Advanced RunAs console:
- Add the target application to the whitelist
- Assign permission to target user or group
- Enable audit logging
- Distribute shortcut/launcher to user (no admin password needed).
- User launches the app—it runs with correct rights, no UAC interrupt, nothing else is exposed.
Result: Only trusted app gets elevated. No UAC. No risk of admin password leaks. No extra privileges.
Why Not Use a UAC Bypass Hack? Real-World Security Risks
If you script a UAC bypass or run a Github pen-test trick on a business system:
- You blow up audit and compliance (these are indicators of active exploitation)
- Untracked privilege escalation is now trivial for malware
- One “bypassed” app could serve as a launch point for attackers
- You have zero technical/logical controls for roll-back, removal, or tracking
Microsoft and security best practice: Never use UAC bypass techniques for daily operations.
Summary Table: Solutions for Per-App Elevation
| Approach | UAC Prompt | Security | Usability | Auditability | Risks/Downsides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turn off UAC | None | None | Good | None | System-wide risk—never do! |
| RunAs / Savecred | Once/each | Poor | Low | None | Password sharing, audit fail |
| Task Scheduler hack | None | Fair | Complex | Weak | Setup/maintenance nightmare |
| Compatibility shims/invoker | None | High | Unreliable | None | App may fail; no elevation |
| Github UAC “bypass” tricks | None | None | Dangerous | None | Exploit/attack only |
| Advanced RunAs | None | Strong | Easy | Full | Secure, supported, granular |
Real-World Example
At a manufacturing company, machine supervisors needed to launch a controller app daily. IT didn’t want to grant full admin or deal with calls about UAC prompts. Advanced RunAs was deployed to allow only the controller app to elevate for these users. Supervisors stopped seeing UAC, the business kept strong security, and audit logs tracked usage for compliance—no headaches, no compromises.
Conclusion: Advanced RunAs—Bypass UAC for Specific Apps, Securely
If you care about both usability and security, do not fall for UAC “bypass” hacks or all-or-nothing system changes. The right way to bypass UAC for a trusted, specific application is to use a managed, audited per-application elevation tool.
Key takeaways:
- Never disable UAC globally just for one app
- Avoid ad hoc hacks, registry edits, or task scheduler workarounds
- Only use tools that allow you to approve, log, and control exactly which apps get elevated
- Advanced RunAs gives you all this—plus security, auditability, and rollback
Ready to finally solve the UAC prompt pain for users—without compromising your security?
Learn more about Advanced RunAs and start a secure trial.
Further Resources
- Microsoft: User Account Control settings and configuration
- r/sysadmin: How to disable UAC for specific apps
- Application Compatibility Toolkit from Microsoft