microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys
Cannot turn off admin mode elevation even in local JSON settings
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- Dominant language
- C
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Description
Microsoft PowerToys version
0.99.1
Installation method
GitHub
Area(s) with issue?
General
Steps to reproduce
Turn off always run as admin, close app, restart computer, edit JSON file, try anything - always comes back elevated
✔️ Expected Behavior
to be able to turn off admin mode
❌ Actual Behavior
admin mode always on
Upload Bug Report ZIP-file
PowerToysReport_2026-05-16-11-24-49.zip
Additional Information
OS Version: Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0
.NET Version: .NET 9.0.15
PowerToys is running as admin (elevated)
Install scope: per machine (system)
Operating System Language: English (United States)
System locale: en-US
Other Software
No response
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reproducing the issue with the local JSON settings: disable always-run-as-admin, close PowerToys, restart Windows, and check whether the setting is restored. Trace the admin-mode setting through its persistence and startup behavior. Done means the setting remains disabled after restarting the computer and PowerToys no longer starts elevated.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Domain
- desktop, operating-systems
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100