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How to disable User Account Control ( UAC ) in Windows 7

 

User Account Control ( UAC ) is a new technology made by Microsoft that was introduced for the first time on Microsoft Windows Vista and 2008. The purpose of this "technology" is to change the security settings for all future Windows products by improving it. What this technology does is to limit all software ( programs ) that you want to install on your computer in order to prevent any infections. For example, you should have administrator privileges on your Windows but a new application that wants to install on your PC do not have the same privileges unless you approve it. Skipping the history part, you are probably here because you searched for a way to disable this annoying feature and I will show you how to disable user account control ( UAC ) in Windows 7. That doesn't mean that anyone should turn off this security feature. I will show you how to disable it but that doesn't mean that everyone should do it. If you're asking me there are two good reasons to disable this feature. The first reason is because I find this extremely annoying and the second reason is because it's completely useless and I will try to explain myself. If you're another computer professional you already know how to protect your Windows against all kind of threats and even if your PC will be infected I am pretty sure that UAC cannot prevent this. Even if you are a beginner and you don't know how to react each time that you will be prompted for an action, in a short time you will treat each warning without paying attention. I mean it will become a part of your daily routine and there is a high chance for you ( as a beginner ) to get used to it. Now, why it's completely useless ? This is simple, the professionals don't need it and the beginners don't know how to react or should I say, how to answer to security issues. This is why I chosed to disable UAC feature on Windows 7. Let's get started, there are three simple steps :

 

Step 1 - From your Windows 7 desktop click on the Start Menu button.

 

Windows 7 Start Menu

 

Step 2 - Type UAC in that small search box and then click on "Change User Account Control Settings"

 

Access - Change User Account Control settings

 

Step 3 - Drag the slider all the way down to the bottom and you will disable Disable User Account Control ( UAC ) completely on Windows 7.

 

If you choose the last option called "Never notify" you will disable user account control ( UAC )

 

As you can see, you can choose to customize the way that Windows 7 UAC alerts you if you don't want to disable this feature completely. If you will drag the slider up or down, you can choose from 4 different modes and here they are :

 

1. Always notify me when:

 

- Programs try to install software or make changes to my computer
- I make changes to Windows settings

 

Notice: Recommended if you routinely install new software and visit unfamiliar websites.


2. Default - Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer

 

- Don't notify me when I make changes to Windows settings


Notice: Recommended if you use familiar programs and visit familiar websites.


3. Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer ( do not dim my desktop )

 

- Don't notify me when I make changes to Windows settings

 

Notice: Not recommended. Choose this only if it takes a long time to dim the desktop on your computer.


4. Never notify me when :


- Programs try to install software or make changes to my computer.
- I make changes to Windows settings.


Notice: Not recommended. Choose this only if you need to use programs that are not certified for Windows 7 because they do not support User Account Control.

 

Conclusion: Now you know how to disable user account control ( UAC ) in Windows 7, probably it's not the best method available but I am pretty sure that this is the easiest one. I know that the purpose of this article is to show you how to completely disable AUC but it's very dangerous if you're using for the first time a computer and you have no idea about security or anything else. Microsoft does not recommend to turn off completely this feature and use it only when some programs that you use are not "certified for Windows 7 because they do not support User Account Control". If you want to post a comment you can leave one here.

 

This page was last modified on 06 September 2009