Quick answer: In Windows 11, hold Shift and right-click the program’s .exe file or desktop shortcut, then select Run as different user and enter the other account’s user name and password. From a command prompt you can do the same with runas /user:NAME "program". Both need the Secondary Logon service, and the other account must have a password.
Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10, Home and Pro. The Start menu option in Method 4 uses Group Policy, which is in Pro, Enterprise and Education; Home users can use the registry value given there.
In this guide
When to run an app as another user
Running a program as a different user starts it under that account’s identity and permissions while you stay signed in. It’s handy when you need to:
- Open an admin tool (Computer Management, Active Directory Users and Computers) with a separate admin account.
- Test what a standard user sees in an app, or reach a share that only another account can open.
- Open a second copy of an app such as Edge or Teams signed in to a different profile.
It isn’t the same as Run as administrator. That elevates the program for your own account (or asks for an admin’s credentials if you’re a standard user). Run as different user switches the account, and the program runs with that account’s normal, non-elevated rights.
Method 1: Shift + right-click
- Find the program’s .exe file in File Explorer, or a shortcut to it on the desktop.
- Hold Shift and right-click it. In Windows 11, Shift + right-click opens the full classic menu, so you don’t need Show more options.
- Select Run as different user.
- Enter the account and its password, then select OK.
How to type the account name:
| Account type | What to type |
|---|---|
| Local account on this PC | PCNAME\username or just username |
| Domain account | DOMAIN\username or [email protected] |
| Microsoft account | MicrosoftAccount\[email protected] |
The option appears on .exe files, shortcuts to them, and .msc, .bat and .cmd files. It doesn’t appear for Microsoft Store apps, which can’t be started as another user this way.
Method 2: The runas command
Open Command Prompt (it doesn’t need to be elevated) and run:
runas /user:PCNAME\username "C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe"Windows asks for the account’s password; the characters don’t show as you type. Useful switches:
/user:DOMAIN\nameruns as a domain account./netonlyuses the other credentials only for network access, while the program runs locally as you. This is the usual choice for admin consoles that talk to a server in another domain./noprofileskips loading the other user’s profile, which starts faster but breaks apps that need their settings./savecredstores the password so you aren’t asked next time. Avoid it on shared PCs, because anyone signed in as you can then run programs as that account.
Put the program path in quotes if it contains spaces. Run runas /? for the full list.
Method 3: PowerShell
In PowerShell, Start-Process takes a credential object:
Start-Process notepad.exe -Credential (Get-Credential)A sign-in box asks for the user name and password, then the program starts as that user. You can’t combine -Credential with -Verb RunAs, so this method can’t also elevate the program in one step.
Method 4: Add it to the Start menu
By default, right-clicking an app in Start doesn’t offer Run as different user. You can turn it on:
- Press Win + R, type
gpedit.mscand press Enter. - Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar.
- Open Show “Run as different user” command on Start, select Enabled and OK.
- Sign out and back in. Right-click an app in Start and look under More.
On Windows Home, which has no Group Policy Editor, create this registry value instead and sign out and back in:
reg add HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer /v ShowRunAsDifferentUserInStart /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /fMicrosoft’s documentation lists this policy for Windows 10 and 11. If it doesn’t show on your Windows 11 build, the Shift + right-click method still works.
Make a shortcut that always runs as another user
- Right-click the desktop and select New > Shortcut.
- For the location, enter
runas /user:PCNAME\username "C:\Path\To\App.exe", then name it and select Finish. - Opening the shortcut shows a Command Prompt window that asks for the password, then starts the app.
If Run as different user is missing or fails
- The option isn’t in the menu: make sure you’re holding Shift and right-clicking the .exe or a shortcut, not a Start or taskbar pin. Then check the next point.
- Nothing happens, or you see error 1058: the Secondary Logon service is disabled. Press Win + R, run
services.msc, open Secondary Logon, set Startup type to Manual or Automatic and select Start. - Error 1327 or “user account restriction”: the other account has a blank password. Windows blocks network-style sign-ins for accounts without a password, so set one first.
- The password is rejected for an account that uses a PIN: runas needs the account’s actual password, not a Windows Hello PIN. For a Microsoft account, use its online password.
- “Access is denied” when opening files: the other account doesn’t have rights to that folder. See you don’t currently have permission to access this folder.
- The account is locked: too many wrong passwords can lock it; see the referenced account is currently locked out.
- At work: your IT team may block the option or the Secondary Logon service by policy.
Related guides
- “You don’t currently have permission to access this folder”: how to fix it
- “The referenced account is currently locked out”: how to unlock it
- Windows Hello PIN “This option is currently unavailable”: how to fix it
- How to upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro (3 ways)
Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own pages:
- Microsoft Learn: Enable and use the Run As feature
- Microsoft Learn: Start policy settings
- Microsoft Learn: Runas command reference
Frequently asked questions
Is Run as different user the same as Run as administrator?
No. Run as administrator elevates a program; Run as different user starts it under another account without elevating it. If you’re signed in as a standard user, Run as administrator asks for an admin’s credentials and runs the program elevated under that admin account.
Can I run a Microsoft Store app as a different user?
Not with these methods. Store apps run in the signed-in user’s session. Use a desktop version of the app, or switch user from the Start menu.
Why does runas not show the password as I type?
That’s by design. The password is accepted even though nothing appears; press Enter when you’ve finished typing it.
Does the other user need to be signed in?
No. The account only needs to exist on the PC or domain, have a password and be allowed to sign in.
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