To run a Steam game as admin, open the game’s install folder (in Steam, right-click the game in your Library and choose Manage > Browse local files), right-click the game’s .exe file, select Properties > Compatibility, tick Run this program as an administrator, and click OK. From then on the game starts with admin rights every time, even when you hit Play in Steam. Steam has no built-in “run as admin” button, which is why the option seems to be missing.
What Steam players get stuck on
The same handful of problems come up again and again on the Steam Community forums.
“Right-clicking the desktop shortcut gives me no admin option”
That’s expected. In a Help and Tips thread on the missing option, players explained that Steam’s desktop shortcuts are internet shortcut (URL) files that tell Steam to launch the game, and those can’t be run as administrator. The fix is to work on the game’s real .exe file in its install folder, or make your own shortcut to that .exe.
“I set the .exe to admin and nothing changed”
You may have picked the wrong file. When an XCOM 2 player asked how to run a Steam game as admin, the advice was to look for the executable in the game’s bin folder rather than the top-level folder. Lots of games keep a small launcher in the main folder and the real game .exe in a subfolder such as bin, BinariesWin64 or similar. If one doesn’t work, set the option on the other one too.
“Running as admin fixed my game but broke the Steam overlay”
A Morrowind player found that running the game as administrator stopped settings from resetting, but the overlay quit working. Their thread, marked solved, ended with running Steam as administrator as well. When a game runs as admin and Steam doesn’t, the two can’t fully talk to each other, so match them if the overlay matters to you.
“Now Discord push-to-talk doesn’t work in-game”
Players of Ring of Elysium, a game that ran with admin rights for its anti-cheat, reported having to start Discord as administrator too, or push-to-talk stopped working while the game had focus. Same root cause as the overlay: a normal program can’t read keys from a window running as admin. Run Discord as admin, or stop running the game as admin.
“Is there a launch option for this?”
Not one that works reliably. In a long Steam forum thread asking for an admin launch option, someone suggested a runas command, but nobody confirmed it working. The Compatibility checkbox is the method people actually use.
How to run a Steam game as admin every time
This is the permanent fix and the one game publishers give in their own support articles. Krafton’s Hi-Fi RUSH support page uses exactly these steps for its Steam version.
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click the game, then choose Manage > Browse local files. File Explorer opens the game’s folder, usually inside C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamappscommon.
- Find the game’s main .exe file. It usually carries the game’s name and icon.
- Right-click the .exe and select Properties.
- Open the Compatibility tab and tick Run this program as an administrator.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Launch the game from Steam as normal. Windows shows a User Account Control prompt; click Yes.
Want the setting to apply to every account on the PC? Click Change settings for all users at the bottom of the Compatibility tab and tick the box there instead.
Running it as admin just once
For a quick test, skip the checkbox. Open the game folder the same way, right-click the .exe and choose Run as administrator. The game gets admin rights for that session only. Have Steam open first, since most Steam games expect it to be running.
Should you run Steam itself as administrator?
Sometimes, yes. Epic’s Rocket League support page gives the steps for running Steam as admin, and Krafton lists it as a fix for Hi-Fi RUSH. One ARK: Survival Evolved player said in a Steam discussion that the game only launched once Steam was started as administrator. And as the overlay thread shows, it also keeps Steam and an admin-level game on the same footing.
To set it permanently:
- Close Steam completely (right-click its tray icon and choose Exit).
- Go to C:Program Files (x86)Steam, or right-click your Steam desktop icon and open its properties.
- Right-click steam.exe and choose Properties.
- On the Compatibility tab, tick Run this program as an administrator, then click Apply and OK.
- Start Steam again.
Here’s the catch: every game Steam launches then inherits admin rights, along with any mods or tools you start from it. Steam forum regulars describe running Steam as admin all the time as a troubleshooting step, not a default, and that’s the sensible view. Try the per-game setting first.
Game .exe or Steam.exe: which one?
| Setting | What gets admin rights | Good for | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game .exe, Compatibility tab | That one game | A game that can’t save settings, a mod that needs admin | Overlay and Discord push-to-talk may stop working in that game |
| Game .exe, right-click Run as administrator | That game, this session only | Testing whether admin rights help | Steam must already be open; repeat each time |
| Steam.exe, Compatibility tab | Steam and every game it launches | Launch failures and overlay problems with admin-level games | Everything you start from Steam gets admin rights |
When running as admin won’t help
Admin rights fix permission problems: a game that can’t write its settings or saves, a mod that patches files, a tool that hooks into the game. They don’t fix low frame rates, server disconnects or crashes caused by drivers. One Elder Scrolls Online player in the Steam forum wanted admin rights to solve load-screen disconnects, and the replies pointed at network drivers instead.
If the game still won’t start, Windows has a Program Compatibility Troubleshooter under Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, according to Microsoft. It tries different compatibility settings for you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop a Steam game running as administrator?
Open the game’s .exe properties, go to the Compatibility tab and untick Run this program as an administrator. If the box is greyed out, click Change settings for all users and untick it there, as a Microsoft Q&A answer on the same problem suggests.
Is it safe to run Steam games as admin?
It’s safe for games you trust, but it gives the game full access to your system. Turn it on only for the game that needs it, and avoid it for games running unknown mods or downloaded scripts.
Does running as admin improve FPS?
No. Administrator rights only change what the game is allowed to access on your PC. They don’t change how fast it runs.
Why does my game ask for admin permission every time?
Because Run this program as an administrator is ticked on its .exe or on Steam.exe, so Windows asks for approval through User Account Control at each launch. Untick it if you don’t need it.
Can I run Steam games as admin on a Mac or Steam Deck?
No. The Run as administrator option is a Windows feature. Steam on macOS and SteamOS doesn’t have an equivalent setting.
Sources
- Krafton Support: Hi-Fi RUSH, run the game as an administrator
- Epic Games Support: How do I run Steam as an administrator?
- Microsoft Support: Make older apps compatible with Windows
- Steam Community: Run As Administrator option missing
- Steam Community: Run as Administrator and the Steam overlay (Solved)
- Microsoft Q&A: How to stop running a program as an administrator
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