The number of UAC prompts in Windows 7 has been reduced significantly by Microsoft compared to Windows Vista. To increase security, applications are limited to standard user privileges in Windows Vista and Windows 7 (as well as newer versions of Windows that came out afterwards).
The UAC prompt informs the user that an application requires elevated privileges to run.
This is especially helpful if new applications have been installed on the system, but more of a nuisance if the program has to be used on a regular basis and is developed by a trusted developer.
For instance, why would you require an UAC prompt each time you run regedit or Revo Uninstaller?
It is also likely that most users click on yes just to run the program without considering for a moment what the prompt that is displayed actually means or asks them to do.
There are quite a few ways to limit UAC prompts further in Windows. One of the easiest ways for instance is to change a program's properties to always run with administrative privileges.
Another option, less commonly known, is to use the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit to whitelist applications so that they do not display an UAC prompt when they are run.
Windows users need to download the software program from the Microsoft website and install it afterwards.
It comes with both a 32-bit and 64-bit Compatibility Administrator that you can run. 32-bit programs need to be added to the 32-bit Compatibility Administrator while 64-bit apps to the 64-bit Compatibility Administrator.
Start with a right-click on the New Database(1), then Create New and from the context menu that opens "Application Fix". This opens a new window where a program name, developer name and executable can be selected.
The next page lists the compatibility modes. Locate and select RunAsInvoker from the list and click the Test Run button afterwards to see how the program starts with that new compatibility mode.
If it starts without UAC prompt click next, if an error message is displayed it won't work at all. Most programs will however work without problems here.
Click Next two times after a successful test to add the application to the list. It should be displayed with its name underneath the database entry. Repeat the above steps for other applications that require an UAC prompt.
Save the database of programs by clicking on File > Save As in the menu, e.g. uac-whitelist.
The Compatibility Administrator saves the database as an sdb file on the local computer system. The database needs to be installed once. This needs to be done from an elevated command prompt.
Click the Windows start button, then All Programs > Accessories. Right-click the Command Prompt entry and select to Run as Administrator from the context menu.
Now issue the command
It is then possible to test the new setting immediately to see if the changes have been successful. Most programs should start now without UAC prompt while some might refuse to start. It is possible to revert the changes by deleting the non-working applications from the database and running the sdbinst command afterwards again.
Have a different way of automating UAC prompts in Windows? Let us know in the comments.Advertisement
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