This post shows students and new users the steps to open and run File Explorer as an administrator in Windows 11. File Explorer, also known as Windows Explorer or Explorer is a file and folder explorer found in all versions of Windows. It is used to search for hard drives (internal or external), folders and files on your PC.

By default, when you open File Explorer in Windows, it opens with normal or standard privileges. If you log into Windows as an administrator, File Explorer will open with administrative privileges. But in a typical environment, nobody logs in as an administrator.

If you are not logged in as an administrator but want to open File Explorer with administrator privileges, the steps below will show you how.

To run programs or services as an administrator, your account must be a member of the administrators group. By default, the first account created when you installed Windows is automatically added to the Administrators group.

How to open File Explorer in Windows as an administrator

As mentioned above, users can open File Explorer with administrative privileges. Since File Explorer opens with standard privileges, use the steps below to open it as an administrator.

To do that, first open File Explorer from the taskbar or press the Windows + E keys on your keyboard.

Then look for the C: Windows folder, find the explorer application, right-click and select Execute as an administrator.

run file explorer as Windows 11 administrator

A new File Explorer window will open with administrator privileges.

open file explorer as windows 11 administrator

Another way to run File Explorer as an administrator is to open Task Manager in Windows and run File Explorer as a task from there.

First, open the Task Manager in Windows 11.

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Then select More details if it is presented. Then click File ==> Run a new task as highlighted below.

task manager run a task in windows 11

In the pop-up window that opens, check the box that says «Create this task with administrative privileges.Then type the commands below into the box and press the GET INTO wrench.

explorer.exe
Windows 11 runs file explorer as a task manager manager

When you press the GET INTO , a new File Explorer window will open with administrator privileges.

You should do that!

Conclusion:

In this tutorial we have seen how to run File Explorer in Windows 11 as an administrator. If you find any errors above or have something to add, use the comment form below.

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