The Run box is a convenient way to run programs, open folders and documents, and even issue some Command Prompt commands. You can even use it to run programs and commands with administrative privileges.
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The Run box has been around since the early days of Windows. It’s become a less-used feature since Windows 7 enhanced the Start menu search to accommodate most of what you can do with the Run box, but the Run box can still be useful. It offers a super fast way to launch things when you know their names. You can even use it to quickly open hidden system folders with the Shell command. Today, though, we’re going to look at how to run a program or command as an administrator. This technique is super easy and works in Windows 10, 8, and 7.
Hit Windows+R to open the Run box.
Type the name of whatever command—or program, folder, document, or website—you want to open. After typing your command, hit Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run it with admin privileges. Hitting Enter runs the command as a normal user.
And by the way, if you favor using the Start menu search over the Run box, the Ctrl+Shift+Enter trick will work there, too. Just search for the app or command, highlight using your keyboard arrows, and hit Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
