Overview
It is UFV standard, and a widely accepted best practice, that regular user accounts are not given administrator access on Windows computers. This protects against most malware and prevents attackers from making major, damaging changes to the computer. It also helps standardize the computer's settings and software, making your workstation more reliable and your experience more consistent across UFV devices.
The Make Me Admin tool allows temporary elevation of your account access to ensure compliance with the University Security Authentication, Access, and Account Management Standard policy. Make Me Admin will grant administrator Rights for 2 hours, before automatically restoring the user account to its original state.
When to Use Make Me Admin
If you cannot install the software you need from the Microsoft Store or Software Center, and/or you get errors about insufficient account permissions, you can use the Make Me Admin tool to temporarily elevate your account permissions.
Note:
- Make Me Admin is for UFV employees only. Student employees and contractors cannot use this tool.
- Make Me Admin can be used on a workstation you have directly logged into. You cannot use Make Me Admin on a workstation you have connected to by using remote desktop (RDP).
Considerations for Using Make Me Admin
By using Make Me Admin you understand that in giving you additional control over your computer you have additional responsibility to ensure nothing you do or install jeopardizes the security of your computer or other UFV systems and data.
By using Make Me Admin you agree to the following:
- Only use Make Me Admin to install legal and necessary software. If in doubt, reach out to the IT Service Desk.
- The Service Desk and ITS staff may not be familiar with, and unable to support, the software you install on your own.
- Make Me Admin may not be used to bypass UFV security software or change device security settings. If in doubt, reach out to the IT Service Desk.
- Make Me Admin may not be used to remove or restrict ITS access to the device.
- If something causes a problem with your computer, ITS may need to wipe the computer and restore it to our standard configuration. We will of course discuss this with you first, but changes made with Make Me Admin may be lost.
Information Technology Services and the Cybersecurity Team may revoke your access to Make Me Admin if it is found to be misused per the above conditions.
How to Use Make Me Admin
- Launch Make Me Admin from the Start menu:
- The Make Me Admin tool will open. Select Grant Me Administrator Rights:
You will see a Windows toast notification in the corner of your screen, confirming you now have administrator access:
To fully activate your administrator access, log off and then log in again.
Your administrator access is now active, and you can proceed with your task.
- You will have 2 hours of administrator rights to install or make changes as you need.
To install or use programs as administrator, right-click the program or installer file and click Run as administrator:
If prompted for administrator login credentials, enter your usual UFV network username and password.
- After 2 hours have passed, Make Me Admin will display another toast notification stating you no longer have administrator access.
If needed, you can re-launch Make Me Admin and grant yourself administrator rights again.