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Check the User Account Control (UAC) level on Windows

Read EnableLUA and ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin from the registry to see the current UAC settings.

WindowsregistrysecurityuacLow risk
Run `reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System" /v EnableLUA` — 0x1 means UAC is on; check ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin the same way for the prompt level.

01Command

Command
$ reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System" /v EnableLUA & reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System" /v ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin

02What it does

UAC is the prompt that appears when something tries to run with admin rights, and 'optimization' tweaks or malware sometimes weaken it. EnableLUA set to 0x1 means UAC is active, and ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin controls how loudly it warns (0 = elevate silently, 5 = default prompt for non-Microsoft apps). A read-only reg query shows both without changing anything.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
!Warning: Do not disable UAC to stop the pop-ups — it is a core malware barrier. If the prompt level feels wrong, adjust it in Control Panel > User Accounts instead of editing the registry.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • Reg - Read and edit the registry
    SS64 · technical · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: reg query syntax for reading the UAC values.
  • How User Account Control works
    Microsoft Learn · vendor-doc · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Describes the UAC registry values under HKLM Policies\System, including EnableLUA and ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin.

Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Security & Privacy

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