How to run PowerShell as administrator

Running PowerShell with administrative privileges enables system-level tasks such as managing services, changing firewall settings, and editing protected locations without permission errors.

On Windows 11, elevation is controlled by User Account Control (UAC), which launches a separate elevated process when Run as administrator is used. The elevated session receives a higher-integrity security token, allowing access to operations blocked for standard sessions.

Administrative shells can change critical system settings and files, so elevation is best kept to the shortest time needed for the task. Start search may show Windows PowerShell (built-in) or PowerShell (PowerShell 7+), and the same elevation flow applies to both.

Related: How to open Command Prompt as administrator on Windows
Related: How to add a folder to the PATH environment variable in Windows

Steps to run PowerShell as administrator:

  1. Press the Windows key to open the Start search.

    Typing begins searching immediately in the Start menu.

  2. Type PowerShell into the Start search box.
  3. Select Windows PowerShell in the search results.

    Select the PowerShell result if Windows PowerShell is not listed, as elevation works the same way.

  4. Right-click the selected Windows PowerShell result.
  5. Click Run as administrator.

    Elevated sessions can modify protected resources such as C:\Windows\System32 and the HKLM:\ registry hive.

  6. Confirm the User Account Control (UAC) prompt by clicking Yes.

    Verify the application name in the prompt before approving, as elevation grants full administrative rights to the process.

  7. Verify that the elevated session reports an administrator role. 
    PS C:\Windows\system32> ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole]::Administrator)
True

    The title bar typically starts with Administrator: when elevation is active.