How to open Command Prompt as administrator in Windows 11 and 10

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Many repair commands, such as sfc /scannow, DISM and netsh resets, only work in an elevated (administrator) window. In a normal window they fail with messages like “Access is denied” or “The requested operation requires elevation”. Here are the quickest ways to open one.

From the Start menu

1. Click Start (or press the Win key) and type cmd.
2. With Command Prompt highlighted, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter, or click Run as administrator on the right side of the search results. You can also right-click the result and choose it there.
3. Click Yes when User Account Control asks for permission.

From the Win + X menu (Terminal)

Press Win + X (or right-click Start) and choose Terminal (Admin). On Windows 10, this menu shows Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin), depending on your settings.

Terminal usually opens PowerShell. To get Command Prompt in the same elevated window, click the down arrow next to the tab and choose Command Prompt. To make it the default, open Terminal’s Settings, go to Startup and set Default profile to Command Prompt.

From the Run box

Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter instead of just Enter. Clicking OK opens a normal, non-elevated window.

From Task Manager

This works even when the Start menu or taskbar isn’t responding:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click Run new task (Windows 11) or File > Run new task (Windows 10).
3. Type cmd, tick Create this task with administrative privileges, and click OK.

Always open it as administrator

If you need an admin window often, make a shortcut that always asks for elevation:

1. Right-click the desktop, choose New > Shortcut, type cmd.exe as the location, and name it.
2. Right-click the new shortcut, choose Properties, and on the Shortcut tab click Advanced.
3. Tick Run as administrator and click OK twice. Pin it to the taskbar or Start if you like.

If you’re already in a normal Command Prompt, you can open an elevated one from it with powershell Start-Process cmd -Verb RunAs. On recent Windows 11 versions you can also turn on Sudo in Settings (under System > Advanced, or System > For developers on some versions) and then run a single command elevated with sudo in front of it.

How to tell the window is elevated

• The title bar starts with Administrator:.
• The prompt usually starts in C:\Windows\System32 rather than your user folder.
• Running net session shows “Access is denied” in a normal window, and either a list or “There are no entries in the list” in an admin window.

If you can’t get an admin window

• UAC asks for a password instead of Yes/No. You’re signed in with a standard account. Type an administrator’s password, or ask whoever manages the PC.
• Nothing happens after Yes, or the option is missing. A work or school PC may block it through policy. Ask your IT department.
• You need a different account’s rights. See how to run as a different user for running programs under another account.
• Windows won’t start. Command Prompt in the recovery environment (Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt) or Shift + F10 during Windows Setup already runs with full rights, which is how SFC offline works.

Related guides

• How to run sfc /scannow in Windows 11 and 10
• Windows Update from the command line: CMD and PowerShell commands
• Windows 11 run as different user: 4 ways
• SFC offline: how to run sfc /scannow from recovery

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own pages:

• Microsoft Learn: cmd command reference
• Microsoft Learn: Sudo for Windows

Frequently asked questions

What is the keyboard shortcut for Command Prompt as administrator?

Press Win, type cmd, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. The same shortcut works in the Run box.

Is it safe to use Command Prompt as administrator?

Yes, as long as you only run commands you understand. An admin window can change system files and settings, so close it when you’ve finished.

Is Terminal (Admin) the same as Command Prompt as administrator?

Almost. Terminal is a host for PowerShell and Command Prompt. Open a Command Prompt tab in an elevated Terminal and you get the same rights.