Tasks that trigger a UAC prompt
Tasks that require administrator privileges will trigger a UAC prompt (if UAC is enabled); they are typically marked by a 4-color security shield symbol. In the case of executable files, the icon will have a security shield overlay. Ed Bott's Windows Vista Inside Out lists the following tasks which require administrator privileges:[6]
- Running an Application as an Administrator
- Changes to system-wide settings or to files in %SystemRoot% or %ProgramFiles%
- Installing and uninstalling applications
- Installing device drivers
- Installing ActiveX controls
- Changing settings for Windows Firewall
- Changing UAC settings
- Configuring Windows Update
- Adding or removing user accounts
- Changing a user’s account type
- Configuring Parental Controls
- Running Task Scheduler
- Restoring backed-up system files
- Viewing or changing another user’s folders and files
- Running Disk Defragmenter
Common tasks, such as changing the time zone, do not require administrator privileges[7] (although changing the system time itself does, since the system time is commonly used in security protocols such as Kerberos). A number of tasks that required administrator privileges in earlier versions of Windows, such as installing critical Windows updates, no longer do so in Vista.[8] Any program can be run as administrator by right-clicking its icon and clicking "Run as administrator".