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Have you noticed that when Windows Vista prompts you to allow a program to take action, that the screen blacks out? This is to show you that you are moving to an elevated desktop – where you will allow the program to continue. This can be annoying but you can disable this feature.

Please Note: This guide involves the use of the Group Policy Editor, which is not included with Vista Home Premium/Basic or Windows XP Home. There is a workaround using the registry editor included. Please follow this workaround if you use any of the above operating systems. If this is the first time you are using the Group Policy Editor, read this guide.

Vista Business and Ultimate Users (Group Policy Editor)

1. Type in security to the start menu search box and click on Local Security Policy.

Stop User Account Control blacking out the screen in Windows Vista

2. In the Local Security Policy window, in the left pane, click Local Policies and then Security Options.
Now in the right hand pane, scroll down near the bottom and find the item titled User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation.

Stop User Account Control blacking out the screen in Windows Vista

3. Double-click on the item, select disabled and then click OK.

Stop User Account Control blacking out the screen in Windows Vista

Vista Home Users (Registry Editor)

If you don’t feel confident working with the Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor, then you can download this registry hack. Simply extract the file and double click on DisableUACBlackout.reg to re-enable the blackout, double click on ReEnableUACBlackout.reg

Editing the Registry Manually

1. Click on the start menu and type regedit and press enter.

Stop User Account Control blacking out the screen in Windows Vista

2. Browse to the following registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]

Stop User Account Control blacking out the screen in Windows Vista

3. You should see a key called PromptOnSecureDesktop. Double-click this and change the value to 0

Stop User Account Control blacking out the screen in Windows Vista

4. Press OK. You are done!



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Comments

  • Mel
    Heh - some people get scared of registry hacks but I find so many of them to be very useful!
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  • Angad
    Haha! Nice tip, Thanks!
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