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Check the UAC Setting from the Registry (PowerShell)

Read whether User Account Control is enabled and which admin-approval prompt level Windows uses.

WindowssecurityuacpowershellLow risk
Run Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' | Select-Object EnableLUA, ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin — EnableLUA 1 means UAC is on.

01Command

Command
$ Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' | Select-Object EnableLUA, ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin

02What it does

EnableLUA 1 means UAC is active, while 0 means the "tweak" that silently elevates everything was applied — a serious downgrade in security. ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin sets the prompt level: 5 is the default "dim and ask", 0 elevates without asking, and 2 always asks for credentials. Registry tweakers and some "optimizer" scripts silently flip these, so it is worth checking on any second-hand or shared PC.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
!Warning: Reading is safe, but do not edit these values casually — with UAC fully off, malware can install without any prompt.

04Undo

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

05Sources

  • User Account Control: Settings and configuration
    Microsoft Learn · vendor-doc · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Documents the UAC registry values under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System, including EnableLUA and ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin prompt levels.

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

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