How do I fix my Pc? Shows i am admin but wouldn't let me run anything as admin

Question

Im on windows 11 for years now and a friend and i were trying to fix something when we then noticed from that I couldn't run anything as windows Admin so we checked all of that and my account is set as admin (only account on the PC) Getting access denied on everything and we have no idea what to do.

Answer 1

Hi @Emily Maclean

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum 

Regarding your issue, this happens when Windows 11 can see your account as an Administrator but can no longer grant administrative elevation, so Windows blocks admin tasks and returns Access denied even though you’re the only admin on the PC. 

Here are a few steps you can try: 

1. Fix your Main Account Permissions 

• Press Win + R, type netplwiz, and hit Enter. 
• Select your regular username and click Properties. 
• Go to the Group Membership tab. 
•  
• Ensure Administrator is selected. Even if it already is, switch it to "Standard," hit Apply, then switch it back to Administrator and hit Apply again to "force" the setting. 

2. Reset UAC (User Account Control) 

• Click Start and type UAC.  
• Move the slider down and then back up to the second from the top (the default). This often restarts the service properly.   
• 

3. Check for "File System" Locks 

• Right-click your C: Drive > Properties > Security  
• Select “Edit“. 
• Select the user account and check the “Full Control” box in the Allow column under the Permissions for User section. 
• 
•  Click “Apply” and then “OK“. 

4. Repair system file 

• Press the Windows Key, type cmd. 
• Right-click "Command Prompt" and select Run as Administrator. 
• Type the following command and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth && sfc /scannow 
• Wait: It will take a few minutes. 

Hopefully it will help work with your issue and if you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.  

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Answer 2

If you're unable to run applications as an administrator on your Windows 11 PC despite being the only account and having admin privileges, here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check User Account Control (UAC) Settings: Sometimes, UAC settings can prevent admin tasks. Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings and adjust the slider to a lower setting, then restart your PC.
2. Enable the Built-in Administrator Account: You can try enabling the built-in Administrator account, which may allow you to perform admin tasks. To do this:
   • Open Command Prompt as an administrator (if possible) or use Safe Mode.
   • Type the command: net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter.
   • Log out and log in to the Administrator account.
3. Run System File Checker: Corrupted system files can cause access issues. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following command:

      sfc /scannow
   

   This will scan and repair any corrupted files.
4. Check Group Policy Settings: If you have access to the Group Policy Editor, check if there are any policies that restrict admin access. Run gpedit.msc, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar, and ensure no policies are preventing admin tasks.
5. Reset Permissions: You can reset permissions on your user profile folder. Right-click on your user folder (C:\Users\YourUsername), go to Properties > Security > Advanced, and reset permissions to default.
6. Create a New Admin Account: If all else fails, consider creating a new admin account. You can do this from the Settings app under Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC. Make sure to set the new account as an administrator.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to consider more extensive repairs, such as a system restore or a reset of Windows 11.

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References:

• Enable and disable the built-in administrator account