How do I force my .NET application to run as administrator?

c# .net windows-7 administrator elevated-privileges
Gold picture Gold · May 12, 2010 · Viewed 494.2k times · Source

Once my program is installed on a client machine, how do I force my program to run as an administrator on Windows 7?

Answer

Hans Passant picture Hans Passant · May 12, 2010

You'll want to modify the manifest that gets embedded in the program. This works on Visual Studio 2008 and higher: Project + Add New Item, select "Application Manifest File". Change the <requestedExecutionLevel> element to:

 <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />

The user gets the UAC prompt when they start the program. Use wisely; their patience can wear out quickly.

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