How To Elevate File Explorer to Administrator Mode in Windows 11

Getting File Explorer to run as an admin isn’t exactly straightforward in Windows 11. Normally, you just open it, and that’s it—no option to always launch with elevated privileges unless you go the whole route of bypassing some default behaviors. If you need to access system files or tweak certain settings that require admin rights, creating a dedicated shortcut that always runs as admin can save a lot of hassle. It’s kind of a clunky workaround, but it works. Just be warned—this approach is handy for quick access but use it carefully, since running Explorer with admin rights can be risky if you’re not careful.

This method is more of a custom shortcut fix than a built-in way, and sometimes Windows can be a little stubborn about elevating Explorer because it’s deeply integrated into the system. Still, if you’re tired of right-clicking, choosing “Run as administrator” each time, here’s a simple way to make it happen with a shortcut that’s ready to go whenever needed.

How to Run File Explorer as an Administrator in Windows 11

Method 1: Create a Shortcut and Set it to Always Admin

This approach helps because Windows doesn’t normally allow direct “Run as administrator” for Explorer from the context menu—at least not without some workarounds. By creating a shortcut and configuring it to always run elevated, it becomes easy to double-click whenever admin access is needed. Keep in mind, sometimes it takes a restart or a bit of fiddling to get it right.

On your desktop, right-click somewhere blank, then select New > Shortcut. Because of how Windows handles Explorer, you’ll be creating a special shortcut here.
In the location field, type explorer.exe. This is just the default command to open File Explorer.
Click Next. Name this shortcut something like File Explorer (Admin) so you can find it easily.
Finish creating the shortcut. Right-click it and select Properties.
Navigate to the Shortcut tab, then click the Advanced button.
Check the box that says Run as administrator. This part is crucial because it tells Windows to always run this shortcut with elevated privileges.
Press OK, then Apply and OK to save everything. Now, you’ve got a shortcut that will launch File Explorer as an admin whenever you double-click it.

Why this helps? Because Windows doesn’t normally let Explorer run as admin from a regular shortcut, but this forces it. Nice workaround, if a little weird.

Method 2: Use Task Scheduler For Persistent Admin Access

If the shortcut method isn’t quite enough, or if you want a more reliable way, setting up a task in Task Scheduler can do the trick. This is a bit more involved but guarantees Explorer launches as admin. You basically tell Windows to run Explorer on demand with elevated rights, bypassing some of Windows’ permissions checks.

Open Task Scheduler (hit Win + S and type “Task Scheduler”).
Create a new task with Create Basic Task or Create Task for more options.
Name it something like “Run Explorer as Admin”.
In the trigger section, choose “At log on” or “On demand”.
Under Actions, select Start a program. In the program/script box, type: explorer.exe.
Check the box “Run with highest privileges”.
Finish setting up, then create a shortcut to launch this task via schtasks command. For example, run in PowerShell or CMD:
schtasks /run /tn "YourTaskName"

This is overkill for some, but on certain setups, it’s the most reliable way to always get a fully elevated Explorer.

Other tips & quirks

Heads up: sometimes Windows can be weird about elevating Explorer, especially if UAC is tight or policies block it. It might ask for permission every time, or sometimes the admin prompt just doesn’t show up as expected. On some setups, after creating the shortcut, a quick reboot helps it register properly. And yes, running Explorer as admin can sometimes lead to permission mismatches—so don’t forget to close this version before opening your regular Explorer afterward.

Also, because of how deeply integrated Explorer is with Windows, some updates or security patches might interfere with this setup. It’s kind of a hack, but it’s been a lifesaver in many cases. Just remember: always be cautious when browsing or moving files with elevated rights—mistakes here can mess up your system files quicker than you think.

Summary

Create a shortcut with explorer.exe and set it to run as administrator.
Use Task Scheduler for a more persistent, on-demand elevated Explorer.
Be cautious—running Explorer as admin isn’t standard and can be risky if not careful.

Wrap-up

Getting Explorer to run as admin isn’t super elegant, but these workarounds usually do the job. Just remember, Windows is designed to restrict Explorer for a reason, so use this for specific needs only. Hope this helps speed things up or makes life easier when dealing with system files. Fingers crossed this helps someone avoid the usual hassle.