If you’re getting the error “An administrator has blocked you from running this app” on your Windows 10 PC, it might be a cause for concern. Users report that even when you are logged into the administrator account, Windows 10 still throws the same error and blocks you from accessing many system and third-party apps. There have been instances where mmc.exe has blocked access to system applications such as Device Manager and Disk Management. So, if you are having these issues on your Windows 10 computer, follow our four-point guide below.

Fix “An administrator has blocked you from running this app” error (2021)

Here we have mentioned four different methods and each has its own application. Some are workarounds, others give you instant access, and one method gets to the root of the problem. So, to find the solution for the error “An administrator has blocked you from running this application”, let’s go ahead and learn all the methods.

  • Disable Windows SmartScreen

You should use this technique when you try to open a third-party program such as a game or utility application and encounter the error “An administrator has blocked you from running this application”. This will disable the unverified editor popup when you try to access the file.

1. Press the Windows key once and type “ smart screen in the search field. You will find “App & Browser Control” at the top. Open it.

2. Next, open “ Reputation-based protection in Windows Security.

2. Here, disable “ Check apps and files and you’re done.

3. Open the blocked app this time and you should be able to access it. Just to be on the safe side, you should re-enable the “Verify apps and files” option in Windows Security for file checks in the future.

  • Scan your PC

This might sound like common advice, but trust me, if you can’t open system programs like Device Manager or Disk Management, your PC has probably been compromised by malware. Windows 10 usually throws the error “An administrator has blocked you from running this application” when it is unable to verify digital signature such programs. Basically, the integrity check fails and that’s why your system does not allow you to run the program even when you are the administrator.

So I strongly recommend that you in-depth scan of your PC using Windows Security. If you are looking for a powerful third-party antivirus for Windows 10, I would recommend Malwarebytes (To free, offers in-app purchases). After the scanning process, quarantine all threats and restart your PC. You should now be able to access blocked programs.

In case it still doesn’t work, you should clean install Windows 10 on your PC to remove virus completely from System. You can also reset your PC via cloud to clean install Windows 10.

  • Force open program with command prompt

If you are hit with the error “An administrator has blocked you from running this application”, this method will act as a temporary solution. You will be able to access system programs like Device Manager or run any third-party application from the command prompt. That said, you still need to install Windows 10 cleanly if you want the problem to go away completely.

1. Press the Windows key once and type “ cmd“. After that, click on “Run as administrator”.

2. Here, type the system name for the program and press Enter. For example, devmgmt is the system name of Device Manager. Similarly, diskmgmt is the system name for disk management. You can find system names for built-in apps on the web and run the command on CMD to access those programs.

3. If you want to run a third-party program, copy file path of the application from the address bar of the window and run it on the command prompt. You will then be able to run the application without any problem.

  • Disable UAC

This is our final solution to overcome the error “An administrator has blocked you from running this application”. This method works fine as you are basically disable the entire User Account Control (UAC) system on your computer. However, I wouldn’t really recommend this process unless you urgently need to access a program. I maintain that if antivirus does not fix the problem, a clean install of Windows 10 is the only safe option.

1. Press the Windows key once and type “ regedit in the search field. Now click on “Run as administrator”.

2. In the registry editor address box, paste the path below and press Enter. It will take you directly to the right folder in seconds.

ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem

3. Here, double click on “ EnableLUA and replace the value data with “0”. Now click “OK” and restart your computer.

4. Once done, you will now be able to run all kinds of programs from system applications to third-party programs.

Fix mmc.exe dialog box on Windows 10

This is how you can fix “An administrator has blocked you from running this application” error on your Windows 10 PC and resolve the mmc.exe dialog box that keeps popping up. As I repeated above, this error most likely occurs when a system is compromised, so it is recommended to backup your files and properly install Windows 10.

Anyway, it all comes from us. In case your PC has slowed down over time, follow our guide and speed up Windows 10 in a few simple steps. And if you have any questions, let us know in the comments section below.

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