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Enable Administrator Account

Windows has a built-in Administrator account that provides full system access without User Account Control (UAC) prompts. This account is disabled by default for security reasons.

When to Use the Administrator Account

You may need to enable the built-in Administrator account when:

  • Installing ProPay on a network server
  • Setting up hardware drivers that require unrestricted access
  • Troubleshooting permission issues that cannot be resolved with a standard account
  • Configuring network file sharing for ProPay

Important: Do not leave the Administrator account enabled after completing your task. Disable it when you're done.

Enable the Administrator Account

Follow these steps to enable the built-in Administrator account:

Windows 10 or 11

  1. Right-click the Start button.
  2. Select Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
  3. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.
  4. Type this command and press Enter:

_CODE_BLOCK_0_

  1. You should see: The command completed successfully.
  2. Log out of Windows.
  3. The Administrator account now appears on the login screen.

Set a password

The Administrator account has no password by default. Set a strong password immediately:

  1. Log in to the Administrator account.
  2. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete.
  3. Select Change a password.
  4. Leave Old password blank.
  5. Enter a strong password in New password and Confirm password.
  6. Press Enter to save.

Use the Administrator Account

Once enabled and logged in:

  1. Complete your administrative task (install ProPay, configure permissions, etc.).
  2. Test that ProPay works correctly with your regular account.
  3. Disable the Administrator account when finished.

Disable the Administrator Account

When you finish your administrative tasks:

  1. Log out of the Administrator account.
  2. Log in to your regular account (must have admin privileges).
  3. Right-click the Start button.
  4. Select Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
  5. Type this command and press Enter:

_CODE_BLOCK_1_

  1. The Administrator account is now disabled and won't appear at login.

Alternative Method (windows Pro/enterprise)

If you have Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro, you can use Local Security Policy:

  1. Press Win + R to open Run.
  2. Type secpol.msc and press Enter.
  3. Expand Local Policies in the left pane.
  4. Click Security Options.
  5. Double-click Accounts: Administrator account status.
  6. Select Enabled or Disabled as needed.
  7. Click OK and close the window.
  8. Log out and back in to apply the change.

Troubleshooting

Command doesn't work:

  • Verify you opened Command Prompt as Administrator
  • Check that you typed the command exactly as shown
  • Restart your computer and try again

secpol.msc not found:

  • This tool is only available in Windows Pro and Enterprise editions
  • Use the Command Prompt method instead

Can't log in to Administrator account:

  • The account has no password by default - leave password field blank
  • If someone set a password previously, you'll need that password

Security Considerations

Why you should disable this account:

  • The Administrator account has unrestricted access to everything
  • It bypasses all User Account Control (UAC) security prompts
  • Malware running under this account can damage Windows and access all files
  • Microsoft disables it by default for security reasons

Best practices:

  • Only enable when absolutely necessary
  • Set a strong password immediately
  • Complete your task quickly
  • Disable the account when done
  • Never use for everyday computing

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