How to configure UAC in Windows 10

Introduction

When I was working on this article, I was trying to figure out something witty for the title, but all I kept coming up with was “Fear and Loathing in UAC.” Very few built-in Windows functions have caused as much teeth-grinding as when Windows Firewall was first implemented, but UAC certainly seems to have reached that level.

Just like Windows Firewall, however, UAC (User Account Control) has had a massive impact on the security of Windows workstation endpoints, increasing the relative security of these systems for the better.

What may surprise most users though is that this feature actually started with Unix, Linux and Mac’s OS X: running a typical user session in a low privilege state, then asking the user to temporarily authorize a specific task.

UAC began its life with Windows Vista. Honestly, this version was massively overtuned, repeatedly prompting users more than it had to. With Windows 7, they started to reduce the criteria that would trigger a UAC prompt while still keeping critical settings secured. They also introduced a slider value for how much a user wanted UAC to intervene, with four distinct levels of prompts. They have continued to use this feature with current versions of Windows.

Configuring User Account Control

To view this slider, you’ll want to go to the Control Panel and select “User Accounts.”

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Once here, you will see a number of options available. The one you’ll be looking for is “Change User Account Control Settings.”

After you have clicked on this option, you will be presented with Windows 10’s version of the Slider option values. These are as follows:

• High — Always Notify
  • Always notify me when apps try to install software or make changes to my computer
  • When I make changes to Windows Settings
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