Elevated Apps

Why Elevation Matters

While AppSwitcher can trigger a focus switch to almost any window, Windows enforces a security boundary called UIPI (UI Privilege Isolation). This boundary prevents a standard process from “listening” to or intercepting keyboard events while an elevated (Administrator) window has focus.

Because AppSwitcher runs without admin rights by default, it loses its ability to manage your hotkeys the instant you switch to an elevated application, such as:

• Task Manager
• UAC-elevated terminals (e.g., Admin PowerShell or Command Prompt)
• System tools or apps launched via “Run as administrator”

The “Safety Reset” & Blackout Period

To prevent your keys from getting “stuck” in a down position (the “Ghost Modifier” effect), AppSwitcher detects when you are switching to an elevated app and automatically resets its internal state. Once you are inside an elevated app (like Task Manager), AppSwitcher enters a Blackout Period:

• Hotkeys are ignored: You cannot use your hotkeys to switch away from an elevated app, because AppSwitcher cannot “hear” your keyboard.
• Context Menu “Leak”: If your modifier is set to the Apps key, releasing it while an Admin window is focused will likely trigger that app’s standard Context Menu. This happens because AppSwitcher is blocked from suppressing the “Key Up” event.
• Automatic Recovery: As soon as you click back into a non-elevated window (or use Alt+Tab to leave the Admin app), AppSwitcher immediately regains control and your hotkeys will work again.

Identifying Elevated Apps

AppSwitcher identifies these windows in the Overlay with a Shield Badge (🛡️). If you see this badge, expect the “Safety Reset” to trigger upon switching.

Tip

Running AppSwitcher as Administrator eliminates this blackout period entirely, allowing you to switch between Admin and Standard apps seamlessly.

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How to Run AppSwitcher as Administrator

To allow AppSwitcher to work seamlessly across all windows without the “Safety Reset,” you can manually configure it to always run with elevated privileges.

1. Close AppSwitcher if it is currently running.
2. Locate AppSwitcher.exe in your installation folder.
3. Right-click the file and select Properties.
4. Go to the Compatibility tab.
5. Check the box for Run this program as an administrator.
6. Click OK and relaunch the app.

Startup Behavior

If you use the Start with Windows feature while running as Administrator, please be aware of two Windows security behaviors:

• UAC Prompt: Windows will show a User Account Control (UAC) prompt asking for permission every time your computer starts. This is a system-level security requirement.
• Startup Delay: Elevated applications sometimes take a few extra seconds to initialize during the Windows login process compared to standard apps.

Note

Power User Tip: If the startup UAC prompt is too annoying, you can bypass it by creating a custom task in the Windows Task Scheduler to run AppSwitcher at logon with “Highest privileges.”