Vista Tutorial - User Account Control (UAC) - Blacking Out of Screen

Information

This is when the screen goes dark when the User Account Control window comes up. This is called the Secure Desktop mode. It is enabled by default in Vista. This will show you how to enable or disable Secure Desktop for UAC only.

NOTE

This is the same security mode used when you log on or press CTL+ALT+DELETE.

Tip

Disabling the UAC Secure Desktop will allow you to take screenshots of the UAC prompts, and will not freeze the whole computer screen while it waits for you to answer the UAC prompt.

WARNING

If you disable the Secure Desktop, you will be making your computer less secure. Displaying User Account Control elevation prompts on the Secure Desktop helps protect the user from unknowingly allowing a program to run with elevated privileges without their consent. Without this protection, it is much easier to create malware that tricks the user into approving an elevation request prompt that they really wanted to deny. The Secure Desktop helps protect against this because other software running on the machine is blocked from interacting with the user's interface. It is your computer and your choice.

• How to Turn UAC On or Off in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable the Real Built-in Administrator Account in Vista
• How to Take Ownership of a Item in Vista
• How to Disable or Enable the Security Center Alert Warning Notification in Vista
• How to Turn Windows Defender On or Off
• How to Elevate Administrators UAC Privilege Level in Vista
• Bypass UAC for Standard Users
• How to Make UAC Require Password for Extra Admin Security in Vista

NOTE

This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two below for the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions.

1. Open the Local Security Policy editor.

2. In the left pane, click on Local Policies to expand it. (See screenshot below)

3. In the left pane, click on Security Options.

4. In the right pane, right click on User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation and click Properties.

5. To Enable UAC Secure Desktop -

A) Dot Enable and click on OK. (See left screenshot below step 6)
NOTE: See the right screenshot below for a explanation of this.

B) Go to step 7.

6. To Disable UAC Secure Desktop -

A) Dot Disable and click on OK.
NOTE: See the right screenshot below for a explanation of this.

7. Close the Local Security Policy window. Your done.

NOTE

This method will work for all Vista versions.

Through a Download:

1. To Enable UAC Secure Desktop -

A) Click on the download button below to download the Enable_Secure_Desktop.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Disable UAC Secure Desktop -

A) Click on the download button below to download the Disable_Secure_Desktop.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click the .reg file (On Desktop) and click Merge.

5. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (On Desktop).

The Manual Way:

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

5. In the right pane, right click on PromptOnSecureDesktop and click on Modify.

6. To Enable UAC Secure Desktop -

A) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 7)

B) Go to step 8.

7. To Disable UAC Secure Desktop -

A) Type 0 (number zero) and click on OK.

8. Close regedit.