How to Run an App as a Different User on Windows 10

To run an app as a different user on Windows 10, hold Shift, right-click the app's executable file or shortcut, and choose Run as different user. Enter the other account's username and password, then select OK. Windows starts that program with the alternate account's credentials instead of signing you out of your current session.

This is useful for testing user-specific settings, opening an administrative tool with another account, or troubleshooting a program that behaves differently for another user. It is not the same as Run as administrator: using another account changes the security identity for that process, while elevation controls whether a process receives administrative privileges.

Windows 10 support note: Microsoft ended standard Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. The steps below still apply to Windows 10 systems that remain in use, but Microsoft recommends moving to a supported Windows release or using an eligible Extended Security Updates option. See Microsoft's Windows 10 end-of-support guidance.

Run an app as a different user from File Explorer

1. Find the app's .exe file or a normal desktop/File Explorer shortcut to it.
2. Press and hold the Shift key.
3. While still holding Shift, right-click the file or shortcut.
4. Select Run as different user.
5. Enter the username and password for the account you want the app to use, then select OK.

Microsoft documents this same Shift + right-click method for starting an application with another account. The feature can work with a local account or a domain account, as long as you provide valid credentials and the application supports running under another user. See Microsoft's Run as guidance.

Use the runas command instead

For repeatable tasks, scripts, or apps whose shortcut is easier to launch from a command line, Windows includes the runas command. Open Command Prompt and use this pattern:

runas /user:COMPUTERNAME\Username "C:\Path\To\App.exe"

For a domain account, replace the account portion with DOMAIN\Username. After you press Enter, Windows prompts for that account's password. The password is not displayed while you type it.

You can also create a desktop shortcut whose target begins with C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe, followed by the same /user: argument and application path. For security, do not add credential-saving options simply to avoid entering a password unless your organization's administrator has specifically approved that workflow. Microsoft's Windows command reference lists runas among the built-in Windows commands supported on Windows 10.

What to do if Run as different user is missing

The command does not appear for every application, and managed computers can restrict it. If it is missing, check these points:

• Use the executable or a standard shortcut. Try the app's actual .exe file in File Explorer instead of a special launcher, Store-style entry, or custom shell item.
• Hold Shift before right-clicking. A normal right-click often shows only Run as administrator.
• Check company policy. On managed PCs, an administrator can hide the command or restrict Run As behavior.
• Check Secondary Logon. The Windows Secondary Logon service is required for Run As features. If it has been disabled by policy, runas and the graphical command can fail.

Microsoft notes that the Start menu policy can show or hide the command, but disabling that Start setting does not necessarily block every other Run As method. The Shift + right-click route can still be available unless broader restrictions are in place. See the Microsoft Start policy documentation.

Run as different user vs. Run as administrator

Run as different user launches the program under another account's identity and normally loads that user's profile. Run as administrator is about elevation through User Account Control. Choosing another standard account does not automatically make the app administrative, and choosing an administrator account may still trigger elevation behavior depending on the app and system policy.

One final limitation: applications started with alternate credentials can encounter access problems with network shares if those shares were connected using different credentials. Microsoft also notes that some programs may not support Run As at all. For ordinary desktop applications, however, Shift + right-click is the simplest method, with runas providing a dependable command-line alternative.