Windows 10 › Configuration › User Accounts

Configure User Account Control (UAC) Notifications in Windows 10

4/22/2015

User Account Control (UAC) has been introduced in Windows Vista. Its purpose is to prevent a potentially dangerous software from starting up and executing. But the UAC alertings may be annoying if they appear every time when an application is attempting to make changes to the computer or operating system.

In Windows 10 UAC still remains an important part of the security, but it has been improved, considering the past experience. In particular, since Windows 10 users can choose when to be notified.

1. Open Control Panel and click User Accounts.

2. Click Change User Account Control settings.

User Account Control

3. Move the slider to choose the most suitable level of the available four:

Always notify. Notifications are displayed when users or programs attempt to install software or change the system settings.

Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer (default level). When a program attempts to make changes, the notification appears. When a user makes changes, no alert is displayed.

Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer (do not dim my desktop). The same as the second position, but the desktop isn't dimmed before the notification window appears.

Never notify me. Turns off all notifications.

4. Click OK and provide the confirmation if it is requested.

Admin Approval Mode options

If your edition of Windows 10 contains the Group Policy Editor, you can configure the following additional settings to change the behavior of UAC for administrator user accounts.

Elevate without prompting. If this setting is enabled, administrator user accounts are allowed to perform any operations without providing confirmation and credentials.

Prompt for credentials on the secure desktop. If this setting is enabled, the desktop is dimmed and user is prompted to enter a privileged credentials to perform an operation that requires an elevated privileges. If the privileged user name and password are provided, the operation is being performed with the applicable privilege.

Prompt for consent on the secure desktop. If this option is enabled, the desktop is dimmed and user is prompted to choose either Permit or Deny before performing an operation that requires elevation of privilege. If the Permit option is chosen, the operation is being performed with the applicable privilege.

Prompt for credentials. If this setting is enabled, the user is prompted to enter a privileged credentials to perform an operation that requires an elevated privileges. If the privileged user name and password are provided, the operation is being performed with the applicable privilege.

Prompt for consent. If this option is enabled, the user is prompted to choose either Permit or Deny before performing an operation that requires elevation of privilege. If the Permit option is chosen, the operation is being performed with the applicable privilege.

Prompt for consent for non-Windows binaries. If this option is enabled, the desktop is dimmed and user is prompted to choose either Permit or Deny before performing an operation for a non-Microsoft application that requires elevation of privilege. If the Permit option is chosen, the operation is being performed with the user's highest available privilege.