How to Run Device Manager as Admin [CMD, PowerShell & Run]

To run Device Manager as admin, press Win + R, type devmgmt.msc and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter, or type devmgmt.msc in a Command Prompt or PowerShell window opened with Run as administrator.

The steps below work on Windows 11 and Windows 10 and cover the Run box, CMD, PowerShell, Windows Terminal, a desktop shortcut, Windows Tools, runas for another account, and what to do when elevation fails.

Method 1: Run Device Manager as Admin from the Run Box

The Run box is the quickest route because Ctrl + Shift + Enter tells Windows to start the command as administrator instead of as your normal user.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type devmgmt.msc in the Open box.
3. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter instead of plain Enter.
4. Select Yes on the User Account Control prompt, or enter an administrator password if Windows asks for one.
5. Device Manager opens with administrator rights, ready for driver updates, rollbacks and uninstalls.

The Run box also accepts mmc devmgmt.msc, which starts the same console through the Microsoft Management Console host.

What “Run Device Manager as Admin” Means

Device Manager is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in saved as devmgmt.msc in the System32 folder. Any account can open it, but only members of the Administrators group can change devices.

What you get depends on the account you are signed in with.

Your account	What happens	Can you change drivers?
Member of the Administrators group	Windows asks for approval through User Account Control before it grants admin rights	Yes, after you approve
Standard user	A message says you cannot make changes to the devices; select OK to open Device Manager in read-only mode	No, unless you launch it with an administrator account's credentials
Built-in Administrator account	Device Manager opens directly	Yes
Windows 11 with Administrator protection turned on	Windows asks you to verify with Windows Hello, then issues a temporary admin token that is discarded when Device Manager closes	Yes, after verification

Administrator protection arrived with update KB5120998 and is off by default, so most PCs still show the classic User Account Control prompt.

Which route should you use?

Your situation	Use this	Why
You want it open in five seconds	Method 1: Run box with Ctrl + Shift + Enter	No menus and no console window left behind
You already work in an admin console	Method 2 or 3: type devmgmt.msc in CMD or PowerShell	Device Manager inherits the console's administrator rights
You script or support other PCs	Method 3: Start-Process with -Verb RunAs	One line elevates from a normal PowerShell window
You open it several times a week	Method 5: a desktop shortcut set to run as administrator	A double-click replaces the whole routine
You are signed in as a standard user	Method 7: runas or Run as different user	It borrows an administrator account without signing out
Explorer or the taskbar is frozen	Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc for Task Manager, then use the Run box or an admin terminal	Microsoft does not document a Task Manager route to run Device Manager as admin, so the documented routes are safer

Method 2: Run Device Manager as Admin from Command Prompt

An elevated Command Prompt passes its rights to anything you start from it, including Device Manager.

1. Select Start and type cmd.
2. Right-click Command Prompt in the results and select Run as administrator, or press Ctrl + Shift + Enter while it is highlighted.
3. Select Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
4. Confirm the window title begins with Administrator:.
5. Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.
6. Make your driver or device change in the window that opens.

To open Computer Management instead, type compmgmt.msc. Device Manager sits under System Tools in its left pane.

Method 3: Run Device Manager as Admin from PowerShell

On Windows 11, the admin terminal is one keyboard shortcut away. You can also elevate from a normal PowerShell window with a single command.

1. Press Win + X to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Select Windows Terminal (Admin), then select Yes on the prompt.
3. Check that the tab title shows Administrator.
4. Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.
5. From a PowerShell window that is not elevated, run Start-Process -FilePath "mmc.exe" -ArgumentList "$env:windir\system32\devmgmt.msc" -Verb RunAs instead, then approve the prompt.

-Verb RunAs is the documented Run as administrator verb for .exe files, which is why the command starts mmc.exe and hands it the console path. Windows Terminal cannot mix elevated and normal tabs, so an admin terminal always opens in its own window.

On Windows 10, search Start for PowerShell, right-click Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator.

Method 4: Run Device Manager as Admin from File Explorer

The console file itself can be elevated from File Explorer, which helps when search is broken.

1. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
2. Paste %windir%\System32 into the address bar and press Enter.
3. Type devmgmt in the folder's search box and wait for devmgmt.msc to appear.
4. Right-click devmgmt.msc. On Windows 11, select Show more options if Run as administrator is not visible.
5. Select Run as administrator and approve the prompt.

File Explorer also has a route without elevation: right-click This PC, select Manage, then select Device Manager under System Tools.

Method 5: Create a Desktop Shortcut That Opens Device Manager as Admin

A shortcut that points at mmc.exe can be marked to always run as administrator. The basic shortcut steps are also in this guide to creating a Device Manager shortcut.

1. Right-click an empty area of the desktop and select New > Shortcut.
2. Enter %windir%\system32\mmc.exe %windir%\system32\devmgmt.msc as the location and select Next.
3. Name it Device Manager (Admin) and select Finish.
4. Right-click the new shortcut and select Properties.
5. On the Shortcut tab, select Advanced.
6. Tick Run as administrator, then select OK twice.
7. Double-click the shortcut and approve the prompt to open Device Manager elevated.

The target starts mmc.exe, the program that hosts the console, and hands it the full path to devmgmt.msc.

Method 6: Open Device Manager as Admin from the Start Menu or Windows Tools

Ctrl + Shift + Enter works in Start search as well as in the Run box. Windows Tools gives you a mouse-only route through Computer Management.

1. Select Start and type devmgmt.msc.
2. With the result highlighted, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter and approve the prompt.
3. For the mouse route, open Control Panel and select Windows Tools (called Administrative Tools on Windows 10).
4. Right-click Computer Management and select Run as administrator.
5. In the left pane, expand System Tools and select Device Manager.

Right-clicking Start and selecting Device Manager is the quickest way to reach the tool for reading. When you need elevation, use the Windows Terminal (Admin) entry in the same menu and follow Method 3.

Method 7: Run Device Manager as a different user

On a standard account, borrow an administrator account's credentials without signing out. The runas command accepts saved MMC consoles such as devmgmt.msc.

1. Open a normal Command Prompt from Start.
2. Run runas /user:<ComputerName>\<AdminAccount> "mmc %windir%\system32\devmgmt.msc", replacing the two placeholders.
3. Use <Domain>\<AdminAccount> instead on a work PC joined to a domain.
4. Type the administrator password when prompted and press Enter.
5. For the mouse route, hold Shift, right-click the shortcut from Method 5, and select Run as different user.
6. Enter the administrator user name and password in the Windows Security window and select OK.

How to Tell Whether Device Manager Is Running as Administrator

Device Manager has no admin badge of its own, so check how it was launched and whether admin-only actions work.

1. If you launched it from a console, confirm that console's title bar says Administrator.
2. Recall whether a User Account Control or Windows Hello prompt appeared and you approved it.
3. Watch for a message saying you cannot make changes to the devices when Device Manager opens. That message means read-only mode.
4. If you launched it with runas or Run as different user, confirm you typed the administrator account, not your own.
5. Make the change you came for, such as Update driver or Roll Back Driver. Microsoft requires administrator permissions for a rollback, so a rollback that completes proves the session is elevated.

Common Device Manager Admin Commands

Every command below is typed exactly as shown. The pnputil rows change devices without the graphical console and need an elevated prompt.

Command	What it does	Where to run it
devmgmt.msc	Opens Device Manager	Run box, CMD, PowerShell or Start search
mmc devmgmt.msc	Opens Device Manager through the MMC host	Run box, CMD or Start search
compmgmt.msc	Opens Computer Management, which contains Device Manager	Run box, CMD or PowerShell
Start-Process -FilePath "mmc.exe" -ArgumentList "$env:windir\system32\devmgmt.msc" -Verb RunAs	Starts Device Manager elevated from a normal session	PowerShell
runas /user:<ComputerName>\<AdminAccount> "mmc %windir%\system32\devmgmt.msc"	Starts Device Manager under another account	CMD
pnputil /enum-devices /problem	Lists devices that have a problem (Windows 10 version 1903 and later)	Elevated CMD or PowerShell
pnputil /scan-devices	Scans the system for device hardware changes (Windows 10 version 2004 and later)	Elevated CMD or PowerShell
pnputil /restart-device "<instance ID>"	Restarts one device by its instance ID (Windows 10 version 2004 and later)	Elevated CMD or PowerShell

When You Actually Need Admin Rights in Device Manager

Reading device information never needs elevation. Changing a device or its driver does.

Task in Device Manager	Admin rights needed?
Browse devices, check status and read the General or Details tabs	No, read-only mode is enough
Spot a yellow exclamation mark and read its error message	No
Update driver, including Browse my computer for drivers	Yes
Roll Back Driver on the Driver tab	Yes, Microsoft states it outright
Uninstall device, disable or enable a device	Yes
Change settings on a device's Advanced or power tabs	Yes

If you only need to read a hardware ID or check an error code, open Device Manager normally and skip the prompt.

What to Do If Device Manager Will Not Run as Admin

Device Manager says you cannot make changes to the devices

You are signed in with a standard account, so Device Manager opened read-only.

1. Close Device Manager.
2. Start it again with Method 7 and an administrator account's credentials.
3. If you do not know an administrator password, ask the person who manages the PC.

Ctrl + Shift + Enter does not elevate Device Manager

The key combination only elevates while the Run box or a Start search result has focus.

1. Press Win + X and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. Approve the prompt and check for Administrator in the title.
3. Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.

runas fails or rejects the password

The Secondary Logon service is not running, or the account name or password is wrong.

1. Run compmgmt.msc, expand Services and Applications and select Services.
2. Find Secondary Logon and check its status.
3. Retype the account as <ComputerName>\<AdminAccount> or <Domain>\<AdminAccount>.
4. Test the account by signing in with it once.

Run as administrator is missing from the right-click menu

Windows 11 hides some classic items behind the compact menu.

1. Right-click the file or shortcut again.
2. Select Show more options.
3. Select Run as administrator.

Windows asks for Windows Hello instead of Yes or No

Administrator protection is turned on in Windows 11. This is expected behaviour, not a fault.

1. Verify with your PIN, fingerprint or face.
2. Keep Device Manager open until you finish; the temporary admin token ends when the process closes.

Admin Safety Tips Before Changing Devices or Drivers

Before you	Know this	Safer habit
Update a driver manually	A driver must match your Windows version and 32-bit or 64-bit architecture	Download it from the device maker's own site
Uninstall or disable a storage or boot device	A problem with a device the PC needs to boot can stop Windows from starting	Leave boot-critical controllers alone unless you have a recovery plan
Run pnputil with /force	It disables or removes a device even when that device provides critical system functionality	Omit /force unless you know exactly why you need it
Tick Run as administrator on a shortcut	Microsoft advises against always running apps as administrator because it can expose the system to security risks	Keep one admin shortcut for Device Manager and use normal launches for everything else
Replace a working driver	Roll Back Driver on the Driver tab is the way back, and it also needs admin rights	Change one device at a time and test before moving on

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I run Device Manager as administrator?

Press Win + R, type devmgmt.msc and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter, then approve the User Account Control prompt. You can also type devmgmt.msc into a Command Prompt or PowerShell window opened with Run as administrator, because Device Manager inherits that window's rights.

How do I run Device Manager as admin on Windows 11?

On Windows 11, press Win + X, select Windows Terminal (Admin), approve the prompt and type devmgmt.msc. The Run box with Ctrl + Shift + Enter also works. If Administrator protection is on, Windows asks for Windows Hello verification instead of a Yes button.

How do I run Device Manager as admin on Windows 10?

On Windows 10, search Start for cmd, right-click Command Prompt, select Run as administrator and type devmgmt.msc. The Run box shortcut, Win + R then devmgmt.msc then Ctrl + Shift + Enter, works the same way it does on Windows 11.

How do I run Device Manager as admin from CMD?

Open Command Prompt with Run as administrator, confirm the title bar starts with Administrator, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter. From a normal Command Prompt, use runas /user:<ComputerName>\<AdminAccount> "mmc %windir%\system32\devmgmt.msc" and enter that account's password when asked.

How do I run Device Manager as admin in PowerShell?

In an elevated PowerShell window, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter. From a normal window, run Start-Process -FilePath "mmc.exe" -ArgumentList "$env:windir\system32\devmgmt.msc" -Verb RunAs and approve the prompt. RunAs is PowerShell's documented Run as administrator verb.

What is the Run command for Device Manager?

The Run command for Device Manager is devmgmt.msc. Press Win + R, type it and press Enter to open Device Manager normally, or press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open it as administrator. The longer form mmc devmgmt.msc opens the same console.

How do I run Device Manager as a different user?

Hold Shift, right-click a Device Manager shortcut that points to mmc.exe, select Run as different user and enter the other account's user name and password. From Command Prompt, the runas command with /user: does the same job and prompts for the password.

Why can't I run Device Manager as admin?

Usually your account is a standard user, so Device Manager opens read-only and says you cannot make changes. Start it with an administrator account through runas or Run as different user. If runas fails, check that the Secondary Logon service is running and the account name is correct.

What is the purpose of Device Manager?

Device Manager lists every device installed in the PC and shows its type, status, manufacturer, properties and driver details. It flags faulty hardware with a yellow exclamation mark and an error message, and lets administrators update, roll back, disable or uninstall drivers.

How do I get to Device Manager?

Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager, or search Start for Device Manager. In File Explorer you can also right-click This PC, select Manage and pick Device Manager under System Tools. These routes open it without forcing administrator rights.