In Windows, Run as different user launches an application as a separate process using another account’s credentials. It is useful when you normally use one account but need to open a particular app under a different account, such as an administrator account. It does not sign that account in to a second desktop.
What “Run as different user” does
The option starts the selected application under the alternate account’s credentials. The app runs as a process for that account, while your own Windows desktop session remains open. Microsoft recommends using your usual credentials for ordinary workstation tasks and providing alternate credentials only when needed to run a particular application.
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This is different from signing in as the other user. In particular, launching an app this way does not trigger Group Policy processing for that account as an interactive sign-in does. A profile created during an earlier sign-in may contain settings from that time, but it is not a substitute for Group Policy processing during this launch. Microsoft describes this behavior as by design.
How to launch an app with another account
- Find the application executable or its shortcut.
- Hold Shift and right-click it.
- Select Run as different user.
- Enter the alternate account’s username and password in the Windows Security prompt.
These steps are documented by Microsoft. The option may not work with every application.
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Command-line alternative: Runas.exe
Windows also provides Runas.exe, which starts a process using alternate credentials. The command and switches depend on the program and account, so consult Microsoft’s Runas documentation for the syntax suited to your situation. The command line can be useful when you need to repeat or script a launch; the context menu is a direct interactive option. Neither method is universally preferable.
Limitations to keep in mind
- It is not a second desktop: use an interactive sign-in when the task depends on the other user’s desktop session or Group Policy processing.
- Compatibility varies: some applications may not support being started as a different user.
- Network access can be affected: an application, MMC console, or Control Panel tool launched from a network location may be unable to access a share if that share connection uses credentials different from those used to start the application.
These compatibility and network-share limitations are noted in Microsoft’s guidance.
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When this is useful
One practical example is checking how an application behaves under a standard user account when your usual account has administrative privileges. Microsoft Q&A includes this scenario, though its answer is community content rather than product documentation: testing an app as a normal user while having admin privileges.
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