The command prompt in Windows 10 is the shell environment where you can run text-based console tools and utilities by typing commands. Its UI is very simple and does not have any buttons or graphical commands. In this article, we'll see how to add "Open Command prompt here as Administrator" to the context menu in Windows 10.
Note: Microsoft has removed the command prompt entries from both the Win + X menu and the context menu in Windows 10 Creators Update. See Add Command Prompt back to Win+X Menu in Windows 10 Creators Update and Add Command Prompt to Context Menu in Windows 10 Creators Update to restore this functionality.
You can add the "Open Command prompt here as Administrator" command to the context menu of File Explorer in Windows 10. This will open a new elevated command prompt instance in the current directory that you right clicked on or are browsing with File Explorer.
To add "Open Command prompt here as Administrator" to the context menu in Windows 10, do the following.
Apply the Registry tweak listed below. Paste its contents inside Notepad and save as a *.reg file.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\OpenElevatedCmd] @="Open command prompt here as administrator" "Icon"="cmd.exe" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\OpenElevatedCmd\command] @="PowerShell -windowstyle hidden -Command \"Start-Process cmd.exe -ArgumentList '/s,/k,pushd,%V' -Verb RunAs\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\OpenElevatedCmd] @="Open command prompt here as administrator" "Icon"="cmd.exe" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\OpenElevatedCmd\command] @="PowerShell -windowstyle hidden -Command \"Start-Process cmd.exe -ArgumentList '/s,/k,pushd,%V' -Verb RunAs\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\OpenElevatedCmd] @="Open command prompt here as administrator" "Icon"="cmd.exe" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\OpenElevatedCmd\command] @="PowerShell -windowstyle hidden -Command \"Start-Process cmd.exe -ArgumentList '/s,/k,pushd,%V' -Verb RunAs\"" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\background\shell\OpenElevatedCmd] @="Open command prompt here as administrator" "Icon"="cmd.exe" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\background\shell\OpenElevatedCmd\command] @=
In Notepad, press Ctrl + S or execute the File - Save item from the File menu. This will open the Save dialog. There, type or copy-paste the name "cmd.reg" including quotes.
Double quotes are important to ensure that the file will get the "*.reg" extension and not *.reg.txt. You can save the file to any desired location, for example, you can put it in your Desktop folder.
Double click the file you created, confirm the import operation and you are done.
Now right-click any folder.
To save your time, I made ready-to-use Registry files. You can download them here:
The undo tweak is included.
Alternatively, use you can use Winaero Tweaker.
You can download Winaero Tweaker here:
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Hello,
you can change
“Icon”=”cmd.exe”
by
“Icon”=”imageres.dll,-5324”
Thanks.
Btw, what is the reason for this change?
CMD window opens quite slow but the trick works.
Using this function seems to affect library functions
When I use Winaero to “Add Command Prompt as Administrator to Context Menu”, I get the following error when I launch the cmd window: “The system cannot find the drive specified”.
I think this issue is related to the one reported by Nazar on https://winaero.com/blog/add-command-prompt-to-context-menu-in-windows-10-creators-update/.
You told him what to change in the .txt file to fix the issue. I can’t seem to change what Winaero uses though.
Can you apply the changes you told him to WInaero and release an update with those changes?
Upon further investigation, It seems I get that error only when I am trying to open a cmd file with admin privileges on a folder in a networked drive, such as my H drive.
Do you know how to fix this?
Can you tell me please which Windows version/build has this issue?
I used WinAero to add the Open Command Windows in the contect menu, but it doesn’t work anymore, It worked on previous windows 10, and using Previous versions of Winaero.
Not working on 1909 Windows 10, using the latest Winaero as of today.
I will check it out.
It depends on powershell.
Do you have it installed?
Thanks a lot! Spend 30 min googling to find this method, it works with UAC instead just deleting HideBasedOnVelocityId from registry
You are welcome.
Hi my dear friend,
Could you tell me I have to change the registry below so that it is shown only when the “S” key like in yours is pressed?
**** ****
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
“[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\SendTo]
@=”{7BA4C740-[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Abrir Controle Contas de Usuário]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Abrir Controle Contas de Usuário Avançadas\command]
@=”Control userpasswords2″
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Abrir Registro do Windows]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Abrir Registro do Windows\command]
@=”Regedit”
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Abrir Conta do Usuário Atual]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Abrir Conta do Usuário Atual\command]
@=”Control userpasswords”
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Adicionar ou Remover Programas e recursos]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Adicionar ou Remover Programas e recursos\command]
@=”control appwiz.cpl”
**** ****
Thanks in advanced.
Best Regards
Jeepwillys58
For example:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\background\shell\Abrir Controle Contas de Usuário Avançadas\command]
@=”Control userpasswords2″
“Extended”=””
Hi my dear friend and mentor…
I added as you indicated, but it still shows the commands even without using the “s” key together with the click and what I wanted is that these commands only appear when using the combination of “S” + the right mouse click. ..
Look at the picture: https://i.ibb.co/9Z5r79v/image.png
Thanks in advanced
JeepWillys58
Hi again my friend,
I got confused and asked you wrong, sorry for my little experience, I mean I want to show hidden menu items only when using the right click of the maouse combined with the “Shift” key, as shown in Winaero Tweaker in the option ” Show only if Shift + Richt click (extend) menu.
Forgive me for the mess…
Regards
JeepWillys58
Could it possible to add “Terminal As Admin” instead of CMD in right-click context menu?
Here you go: Add Windows Terminal Profiles to Context Menu