Add Run as administrator context menu item to MSI files

It is useful to have an open to run Windows Installer files (*.msi) as administrator. There are some desktop apps which have issues installing correctly when UAC is enabled. Also, when you install an MSI package in a limited user account, it requires an elevated command prompt and a number of additional actions. To avoid this, you can add a context menu command for MSI files to the File Explorer app which will allow you to run the selected MSI file as administrator. Here is how.

This can be done with a simple Registry tweak. Follow the instructions below.

1. Open Registry Editor.
2. Go to the following Registry key:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell

   Tip: You can access any desired Registry key with one click.
   If you have no such Registry key, then just create it.

3. Create here a new subkey named "runas". You will get

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\runas

4. Under the runas subkey, create a new string value named HasLUAShield. Don't set its value data, leave it empty. This value is only required to add the UAC icon to the context menu item you are creating. You should get it as follows:
5. Under the runas subkey, create a new subkey called "command". You will get the following path:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\runas\command

   Set the default parameter of the command subkey to the following text:

   C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe /i \"%1\" %*

   You will get something like this:

Now right click any *.msi file to test the context menu item:

A UAC prompt will appear.

You are done. To undo this change, delete the mentioned "runas" subkey.

The same can be done using Winaero Tweaker. Go to Context Menu -> Run as Administrator:
Use this option to avoid Registry editing.
Also, I made ready-to-use Registry files, so you can avoid manual Registry editing. An undo file is also included.

Download Registry files

That's it.