If you’ve encountered an increase in User Account Control (UAC) prompts or faced issues with application installations and repairs on Windows, the root cause may stem from a recent security update intended for Windows and Windows Server. Fortunately, Microsoft has shared a straightforward workaround designed for home users. However, those utilizing work computers without administrative rights may need to seek assistance from their IT department.
Many applications typically prompt users for administrator privileges during installations or repairs to prevent unauthorized changes. However, due to the recent update, non-administrative users may be compelled to provide admin credentials even for actions like running MSI repair commands or installing certain applications.
If standard users attempt to execute an operation that triggers an MSI repair, they may encounter an error indicating failure without any accompanying user interface. The temporary fix to circumvent this issue is to right-click the application’s shortcut (or installer) and select "Run as administrator" from the context menu. Users can also access this option from the Start menu by right-clicking the app and selecting "More" followed by "Run as administrator."
For IT administrators faced with this problem, there’s a method to "install and configure a special Group Policy using Known Issue Rollback (KIR)," which addresses the issues caused by the problematic update.
Microsoft has indicated they’re working on a solution that will enable IT admins to permit specific applications to conduct MSI repair operations without requiring UAC prompts for password input. This solution is anticipated to be included in an upcoming Windows update. For more information, you can check the comprehensive official documentation here.