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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aplus-uac-prompt

What does User Account Control (UAC) do when a change needs administrator permission?

UAC notifies the user and lets them approve or deny the change.

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  1. Automatically approves it
  2. Encrypts the changed files
  3. Prompts the user to approve or deny it ✔

Why: UAC protects Windows from unauthorized changes. When a task needs administrator rights, it asks first, which limits what malicious code can do silently.

Huh, didn't know that: UAC is turned on by default, and only someone with administrative privileges can change its settings.

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UAC is the only friend who asks 'Are you sure?' and then lets you do it anyway.
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References

Answer: Prompts the user to approve or deny it. UAC protects Windows from unauthorized changes. When a task needs administrator rights, it asks first, which limits what malicious code can do silently.

  1. User Account Control overview, Microsoft Learn learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/user-account-control
    UAC notifies the user, giving the opportunity to approve or deny the change.
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. User Account Control overview, Microsoft Learn learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/user-account-control
    UAC is enabled by default, and you can configure it if you have administrative privileges.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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