Is PC Acting Strange After the Latest Windows August 2025 Update? Discover the Simple Fix for Unexpected Admin Prompts

Why Does Windows Keep Asking for My Admin Password? The Ultimate Guide to Solving the Troublesome UAC Update Issue.

A recent Windows security update is causing some everyday programs to unexpectedly ask for administrator permissions. This issue affects users on Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server who installed the updates released on or after August 12, 2025.

Understanding the Problem

You may have noticed something different after the last Windows update. When you open a program you use all the time, a box pops up. This box is from the User Account Control, or UAC, feature. It asks if you want to allow the program to make changes to your device. This is a normal safety feature. It acts like a guard, stopping programs from making important changes without your knowledge. You usually see it only when you install new software or change a major system setting.

The current problem is that this UAC box is appearing for common applications, like your office software or design tools, even when you are just trying to open them. This is not how it is supposed to work. For users who do not have administrator rights on their computers, which is common in many workplaces, this pop-up can stop them from using the program at all. Microsoft has confirmed that a change they made in the August 2025 security updates is the source of this behavior.

The Reason Behind the Pop-ups

This issue started because Microsoft was trying to make Windows safer. They released an update to fix a security weakness. This weakness was related to a core part of Windows called the Windows Installer, also known as MSI. Think of the Windows Installer as a helpful tool that Windows uses to install, manage, and remove software on your computer.

One of the jobs of the Windows Installer is to help programs perform “self-repairs.” A self-repair happens when a program detects that one of its own files is missing or has been corrupted. The program then automatically uses the Windows Installer to fix itself by restoring the missing file. This process usually happens quietly in the background.

To fix the security weakness, Microsoft changed the rules. The new rule states that any program trying to perform a self-repair must now get permission from an administrator. This permission is requested through the UAC pop-up. This change prevents a malicious program from using the self-repair function to gain control of your system. However, this safety measure has an unintended consequence. Many safe, legitimate programs use the self-repair function for normal operations, and now they are all triggering the UAC prompt.

Programs and Scenarios Causing the Issue

This problem is not limited to one or two specific applications. It can happen with any program that relies on the Windows Installer for its functions, especially for self-repair or initial setup. Users have reported seeing these unexpected administrator prompts with a wide variety of software.

Examples of Affected Software

• Design and Engineering Software: Autodesk products, including popular programs like AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and Inventor CAM, are frequently affected.
• Office Suites: Some versions of Microsoft Office, particularly older ones like Office Professional Plus 2010, can trigger the prompt.
• Business Applications: Enterprise software from companies like SAP has also been impacted.
• Web Browsers and Utilities: Even programs like the Firefox web browser and the PhotoFiltre image editor have caused the UAC prompt to appear for some users.

When You Might See the Pop-up

Microsoft has outlined several specific situations where a standard user might see the UAC prompt appear.

• A UAC prompt may appear when you launch a program for the first time after you have logged into your computer.
• The prompt can be triggered when you install applications that need to configure settings specifically for your user account.
• It can happen when the Windows Installer runs as part of a feature called “active setup,” which finalizes installation steps.
• In corporate environments, the issue can arise when IT departments use tools like Manager Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) to deploy software to user accounts.
• In some cases, a program’s self-repair might just fail without showing a UAC prompt. Instead, you might see an error message stating “The requested operation requires elevation” along with the error code 1730. This means the program tried to fix itself but was blocked because it could not get administrator permission.

All Affected Windows Versions

This issue affects a broad range of Microsoft operating systems, including most currently supported client and server versions of Windows. Check the lists below to see if your system is affected.

Windows Client Versions

• Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSC
• Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSC
• Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC
• Windows 10, versions 21H2 and 22H2
• Windows 11, versions 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2

Windows Server Versions

• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server, version 1809
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2025

How to Address the UAC Prompts

Microsoft is fully aware of the problem and has provided official recommendations for both home users and IT professionals. It is very important to follow this guidance to ensure your computer remains secure.

Solution for Home Users and Administrators

If you are using a computer where you have administrator rights, you have a simple but repetitive workaround. You can right-click the application’s icon, and from the context menu, select “Run as administrator.” You will then need to approve the UAC prompt. However, you will have to do this every time you want to use the program. For home users without administrator rights or for those who find this process tedious, the best advice is to wait for the permanent fix from Microsoft.

Solution for IT Administrators

For businesses and other managed organizations, Microsoft offers a more effective temporary solution called a Known Issue Rollback (KIR). A KIR is a special tool that allows an IT department to disable the specific part of the update causing this UAC problem. It does not require uninstalling the entire security update, so computers remain protected from the original security weakness.

To use this solution, the company’s IT administrator must contact Microsoft Support for Business. Microsoft will then provide a specific Group Policy file that can be deployed to the affected computers. This will reverse the change and stop the UAC prompts from appearing. The KIR is available for most modern Windows versions, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2022.

What You Should Not Do

Microsoft strongly warns against attempting to create your own workarounds. Some online articles or forum posts may suggest disabling the User Account Control feature entirely or making other changes to Windows security settings. This is dangerous. The UAC is a fundamental part of Windows security, and turning it off leaves your computer exposed to viruses and other malicious software. Always stick to the official solutions provided by Microsoft.

The Future Fix from Microsoft

The good news is that a permanent solution is on its way. Microsoft has announced that its teams are actively working on an improvement that will resolve this issue in a future Windows update.

The goal of the upcoming fix is to find a better balance between security and user convenience. The new solution will likely allow IT administrators to specify certain trusted applications. These approved programs will then be permitted to perform their self-repair operations without triggering a UAC prompt for standard users. This will keep the new security protection in place against unknown or untrusted programs while allowing everyday applications to run smoothly as they did before. Microsoft has not yet provided a specific release date for this update but will share more details as they become available.