How to create a batch file to run cmd as administrator

I need to run a batch file which needs to register a DLL. The DLL registration is failing because the Batch file is not starting the command prompt as "administrator".

Is there any way to start the "Command Prompt" as administrator through the batch file.

Environment: Win7/Vista


This script does the trick! Just paste it into the top of your bat file. If you want to review the output of your script, add a "pause" command at the bottom of your batch file.

This script is now slightly edited to support command line args.

@echo off
:: BatchGotAdmin
::-------------------------------------
REM  --> Check for permissions
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
    echo Requesting administrative privileges...
    goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    set params = %*:"="
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/c %~s0 %params%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    exit /B

:gotAdmin
    pushd "%CD%"
    CD /D "%~dp0"
::--------------------------------------

::ENTER YOUR CODE BELOW:

You might have to use another batch file first to launch the second with admin rights.

In the first use

runas /noprofile /user:mymachine\administrator yourbatchfile.bat

Upon further reading, you must be able to type in the password at the prompt. You cannot pipe the password as this feature was locked down for security reasons.

You may have more luck with psexec.


Press Ctrl+Shift and double-click a shortcut to run as an elevated process.

Works from the start menu as well.


(This is based on @DarkXphenomenon's answer, which unfortunately had some problems.)

You need to enclose your code within this wrapper:

if _%1_==_payload_  goto :payload

:getadmin
    echo %~nx0: elevating self
    set vbs=%temp%\getadmin.vbs
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^)                >> "%vbs%"
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "%~s0", "payload %~sdp0 %*", "", "runas", 1 >> "%vbs%"
    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
goto :eof

:payload
    echo %~nx0: running payload with parameters:
    echo %*
    echo ---------------------------------------------------
    cd /d %2
    shift
    shift
    rem put your code here
    rem e.g.: perl myscript.pl %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
goto :eof

This makes batch file run itself as elevated user. It adds two parameters to the privileged code:

  • word payload, to indicate this is payload call, i.e. already elevated. Otherwise it would just open new processes over and over.

  • directory path where the main script was called. Due to the fact that Windows always starts elevated cmd.exe in "%windir%\system32", there's no easy way of knowing what the original path was (and retaining ability to copy your script around without touching code)

Note: Unfortunately, for some reason shift does not work for %*, so if you need to pass actual arguments on, you will have to resort to the ugly notation I used in the example (%1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9), which also brings in the limit of maximum of 9 arguments


To prevent the script from failing when the script file resides on a non system drive (c:) and in a directory with spaces.

Batch_Script_Run_As_Admin.cmd

@echo off
if _%1_==_payload_  goto :payload

:getadmin
    echo %~nx0: elevating self
    set vbs=%temp%\getadmin.vbs
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^)                >> "%vbs%"
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "%~s0", "payload %~sdp0 %*", "", "runas", 1 >> "%vbs%"
    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
goto :eof

:payload

::ENTER YOUR CODE BELOW::   





::END OF YOUR CODE::

echo.
echo...Script Complete....
echo.

pause