Unfortunately, this error doesn’t seem to resolve itself, no matter how many times you try re-opening your app. In this article, we’ll show you how you can easily tackle this User Account Control (UAC) issue, including what UAC is and how it works.
What Is User Account Control on Windows?
User Account Control (UAC) is a Windows security feature that manages everything you run or download on your PC. Its main purpose is to protect your Windows PC from threats and unauthorized changes.
When the tool is enabled, certain changes can only be made with approval from the administrator. So, any changes that are not approved by the administrator will automatically be denied.
Are you seeing the “App can’t be activated when UAC is disabled” error when using someone else’s PC? If so, then maybe the administrator disabled the UAC tool so that others won’t run unauthorized software. In this case, you need to check with the device owner first before proceeding with the troubleshooting steps.
If you’re encountering this error on your own PC, then let’s check out how you can resolve the issue.
1. How to Configure UAC Settings Using the Run Command Dialog Box
The Run Command dialog box makes it easy for you to open various programs on your Windows device. In this case, we’ll use this tool to quickly access the UAC settings:
Press Win + R to open the Run command box. Type useraccountcontrolsettings and press Enter to open the UAC settings window. In the next window, you should see a UAC slider on the left-hand side pane.
If the button on the slider is at the bottom (on the “Never notify” option), then the UAC tool will be disabled. In this case, you might not be able to run or download some apps.
To get rid of the “UAC” issue, drag the button on the slider to the “Always notify” option at the top. From there, press OK and then restart your PC to apply these changes.
2. How to Configure UAC Settings Using the Control Panel
Are you having trouble accessing the UAC settings using the Run command dialog box? In this case, you can access these settings directly on the Control Panel.
So, here are the steps for configuring the UAC settings using the Control Panel:
Type Control Panel in the Start Menu search bar and select the Best match. Click the View by drop-down menu and select Large icons. Select User Accounts from the menu items.
Next, select Change User Account Control settings. This should display the UAC slider and various options to choose from.
Drag the button on the slider to the “Always notify” option at the top and then press OK. Finally, restart your device and see if this helps.
3. How to Configure Settings in the Local Group Policy Editor
The Local Group Policy Editor (LGPE) is an incredible tool that can help you troubleshoot various issues on your Windows device. However, you can only access the LGPE if you’re using the Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
If you’re using Windows Home, you’ll need to first check out tips on how to access the LGPE on Windows Home.
Otherwise, here’s how you can tackle the “this app can’t be activated when UAC is disabled” error using the LGPE:
Type Edit group policy in the Start Menu search bar and select the Best match. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options. Scroll down on the right-hand side and double-click on the User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator account option. Select the Enabled option, press Apply, and then press OK to apply these changes.
Next, apply the same changes to the User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode option. Finally, restart your device to implement these changes.
If the issue persists, here’s what you can do:
Open the LGPE and navigate to the Security Options as per the previous steps. Enable all the options that have “User Account Control:” in their names. Close the LGPE and restart your device.
4. How to Configure Settings in the Registry Editor
In some instances, the issue at hand might be caused by some changes in the Windows Registry. So, you could resolve the problem by tweaking a few Registry keys.
However, the Registry editor carries sensitive Windows data. So, you always need to be careful when handling it. In fact, the best thing to do is back up the registry (or even set up automatic registry backups) before proceeding with these steps.
Now, here’s how you can tackle the “UAC” error using the Registry Editor:
Type Registry Editor in the Start Menu search bar and select the Best match. Clear the address bar. From there, copy and paste the following command into the address bar and press Enter:
This should take you to the System key. Now, double-click on the EnableLUA value on the right-hand side.
Set the Value data to 1 and then press OK. Finally, close the Registry Editor and then restart your device to save these changes.
5. Install the Latest Windows Updates
Installing the latest Windows updates often helps resolve various system issues. So, as a last resort, try updating your device and see if this resolves the problem.
Now, here are the steps for updating your Windows device:
Type Settings in the Start Menu search bar and select the Best match. Next, select Update & Security from the menu items. Select the Windows Update option in the left-hand side pane. Finally, press the Check for updates button on the right-hand side and follow the on-screen steps to finalize the process.
Run Any App on Your Windows Device, Anytime
It’s quite irritating when you’re suddenly unable to open some apps on your Windows device. Fortunately, there are some steps you can apply to get rid of such issues.
If you bump into an error message that reads “this app can’t be activated when UAC is disabled,” try any of the fixes we’ve recommended. If all else fails, you might have to try resetting your device.
