[Fixed] Administrator Has Blocked You From Running This App

In today’s digital age, it’s common to rely on various applications to get work done or to stay connected with friends and family. However, you may have encountered a frustrating message that reads, “An administrator has blocked you from running this app.” This message can pop up for a variety of reasons and can leave you feeling confused and helpless. In this article, we will explore what this message means, why it may have appeared on your screen, and what you can do to resolve the issue and regain access to the app.

Why Am I Receiving This Error Message?

Here are three common causes of this error message:

• Group Policy Settings: Group Policy is a feature in Windows that allows administrators to control various settings on computers connected to a network. The administrator may have set a policy that prevents users from running specific applications. This could be to ensure security or to comply with company policies.
• Windows Defender SmartScreen: SmartScreen is a security feature in Windows that helps protect your computer from malicious software. If SmartScreen detects a potentially unsafe app, it may prevent it from running, and you may see this error message.
• User Account Control (UAC): User Account Control is a security feature in Windows that helps prevent unauthorized changes to your computer. If UAC is turned on, you may see this error message if the app you’re trying to run requires administrator privileges.

Start Fixing This Error by Trying These Quick and Easy Fixes

Execute the File via Command Prompt

Consider using a specialized tool for optimizing your PC to eliminate incorrect configurations, junk files, malicious applications, and security threats that can negatively impact your system’s performance or cause issues. Here is a useful technique to bypass the error message by using an elevated Command Prompt to run the installation file:

1. Right-click the file you want to install and select “Properties” from the context menu.

2. Go to the General tab and copy the Location entry. For instance, “C:\Users\test\Downloads.”

3. Press the Windows logo key and X, then choose “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu.

4. Paste the file location you copied in Step 2 into the elevated Command Prompt window.

5. Minimize the elevated Command Prompt and return to the file’s Properties window (as indicated in Step 1). Copy the file name from the box at the top of the page with a .exe extension, for example, “wlsetup-all.exe.”

6. Return to the elevated Command Prompt, type “,” and then paste the entry from Step 5. The result should be something like “C:\Users\test\Downloads\wlsetup-all.exe.”

7. Hit Enter on your keyboard to execute the command and check if the error message still appears.

Disable the Windows Smartscreen Feature

Windows 10 has a built-in cloud-based anti-phishing and anti-malware component called SmartScreen, which is automatically enabled. It works with Windows Defender to detect and prevent malicious threats. However, like similar software, Windows Defender SmartScreen may occasionally generate false positives. If you’re confident that the app you’re attempting to run is safe or willing to take a risk, you may disable this feature. Start by:

1. Open the search bar by clicking the magnifying glass icon on your taskbar or by using the Windows + S keyboard shortcut.

2. Type “SmartScreen” and select “App & browser control” from the search results. This will open a new window.

3. Click the “Reputation-based protection settings” link.

4. Confirm that the “Check apps and files” toggle is turned off.

5. Scroll down and turn off the “Potentially unwanted app blocking” toggle. With these changes, SmartScreen should no longer warn you about the applications you try to open.

6. Restart your PC and attempt to relaunch the software.

Run the App Using the Command Prompt

The Command Prompt is a powerful tool that can perform various actions, including running applications. By using commands, it’s possible to bypass the administrator check for running software.

1. You can open the Command Prompt in several ways:

a. Use the Search function in your taskbar or press Ctrl + S to bring up the search bar, then search for “Command Prompt.” Right-click it in the search results and choose “Run as Administrator.”

b. Press Windows + R on your keyboard to launch the Run utility, type “cmd,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt with administrative permissions.

c. Press Windows + X on your keyboard, then select “Command Prompt (Admin).”

2. When prompted by the User Account Control (UAC), click “Yes”. This will allow the app to launch with admin permissions.

3. Locate the software you want to run, right-click on it, and select “Properties.”

4. Copy and paste the file’s location into the Command Prompt. Type in the file name. For example, if the file is within the C:\Users\User\Desktop\Applications\Software.exe, the command should look like this:

5. Press Enter on your keyboard to launch the application through the Command Prompt.

Use Command Prompt to Install the Application

If you need to run an application on your non-administrative Windows 10 account, you can use the Command Prompt to launch it with administrative privileges. Follow these steps to do so:

1. Open the Search Bar and type “cmd”. Right-click Command Prompt from the results list and select “Run as administrator”.

2. In the Command Prompt, use the “cd” command to navigate to the folder where the application is stored.

3. Once you are in the correct folder, type the name of the file you want to run, followed by the file extension.

4. Press Enter to launch the application with administrative privileges.

Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus App

Many third-party antivirus programs are known to cause conflicts with various features in Windows 10, including the administrator block. If you suspect your antivirus software is causing the issue, you can try disabling it temporarily to see if that helps.

1. Open the Task Manager by right-clicking on a space in your taskbar and choosing Task Manager.

2. If the Task Manager is in compact mode, click the “More Details” button to expand it.

3. Switch to the Start-up tab at the top of the window and find your antivirus program in the list.

4. Select the antivirus program by clicking on it, then click the Disable button at the bottom-right of the window. This will prevent the antivirus program from launching automatically when you start your computer.

5. Restart your computer and try to relaunch the application. If you want to enable your antivirus program again, follow the same steps and click the Enable button.

Use a Hidden Administrator Account

Windows 10 includes an administrator account hidden by default and has all permissions. This account can be activated using a command prompt.

1. Use one of the earlier methods to open the Command Prompt with administrative permissions.

2. Type the following command: net user administrator /active:yes. If you receive the message “, The command completed successfully,” the command worked.

3. Sign out of your local user account and enter the newly activated administrator account. You should be able to run the software from this account.

4. To disable the hidden administrator account, log back into your local user account and run the command net user administrator /active:no.

Convert the Affected Account to the Administrator Account

If you encounter this error when trying to install an application, it may be because your account doesn’t have the necessary privileges. This issue can arise if you’re not using an administrator account on your PC. Follow these steps to convert the affected account to an administrator account:

1. Check that you’re signed in with an administrator account. You can log in with the hidden administrator account if you’re not.

2. Quickly open the Settings app by pressing Windows Key + I.

3. Navigate to the Accounts section and click on Family & other people in the left pane.

4. Click on your account in the right pane and click the Change account type button.

5. In the Change account type window, set the account type to Administrator and click OK to save changes.

Note that this solution may not be suitable if you prefer only one administrator account on your PC.

Relocate the Setup File

After attempting to install certain applications, some users have experienced issues with the necessary setup files being extracted to a Temp directory, preventing them from installing the application.

To resolve this problem, locating the problematic setup file and moving it to a different location is recommended. After doing so, attempt to run the setup file once again.

In some cases, users have succeeded by moving the setup file to their Desktop. If the setup file requires additional files for installation, those files must also be transferred to the new location.

Check Your Antivirus Software

Users have reported that antivirus software can sometimes enforce policies that prevent the installation or running of certain applications.

To resolve this issue, you should check your antivirus settings to see if it is blocking the application, whether it is Windows Defender or third-party antivirus software.

Suppose your antivirus software is the cause of this problem. In that case, switching to a different antivirus solution that does not interfere with administrator permissions may be necessary, provided you have configured it not to do so.

Log in and Out of Your Local Account

If you’re faced with the warning, you may need to refresh your account on Windows 10. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Click on the Start menu icon on your taskbar or press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.

2. Select your local account’s username from the Start menu.

3. Choose the “Sign out” option from the context menu to log out of your local account and end the session.

4. Once on the home screen, sign back into your account with your password.

Make Changes to the Group Policy

Group Policy allows you to make changes that are not easily accessible in other areas of your computer. To enable apps to bypass the administrator check using the User Accounts Control (UAC), follow the steps below:

1. Press your keyboard’s Windows + R buttons to initiate the Run dialog box.

2. Type in “gpedit.msc” and press Enter.

3. Expand Windows Settings, Security Settings, and Local Policies under Computer Configuration.

4. Click on Security Options (do not expand it, click on it).

5. Scroll to the bottom and double-click “User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode”.

6. Choose Disable, click Apply, and then click OK.

Unlock Your Windows PC: How to Solve “Administrator Has Blocked You From Running This App” Error

Encountering such an error can highlight the importance of understanding how to navigate system settings and troubleshoot common issues. It may also remind you to be mindful of the risks and benefits associated with administrator permissions on a device.