What Are the Characteristics of the UAC Feature?
While working with a Windows Vista- or Windows 7-based computer, you may occasionally see a window with the title "User Account Control." Microsoft Added User Account Control to Windows with the release of Windows Vista. Although some users may dislike the feature, its purpose is to make your computer safer to use.
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Identification
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When Windows invokes the UAC feature, a pop-up window with the title "User Account Control" appears. The window displays a message explaining why the process cannot continue or requires your permission to continue. The four messages a UAC prompt may display are "Windows needs your permission to continue," "A program needs your permission to continue," "An unidentified program wants access to your computer" and "This program has been blocked." You can allow the process to continue by clicking "Yes" or "Continue," or deny it by clicking "No" or "Cancel."
Purpose
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The purpose of UAC is to increase security and stability by warning the user when a program is about to make a change to the computer's configuration. If this happens while you are installing a program, UAC gives you an opportunity to confirm the change before the process continues. If a UAC prompt appears unexpectedly, it may indicate that a program is attempting to change the configuration of your computer without your permission.
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Ability to Disable
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If you do not find the UAC feature useful, you can disable it by opening the Start menu in Windows 7 and typing "UAC" in the search field at the bottom. Click the "Change User Account Control Settings" link when it appears on the result list. In Windows Vista, you can disable UAC with the "Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off" option on the Control Panel.
Windows 7 vs. Windows Vista
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According to Paul Thurrott of WinSuperSite.com, some users of Windows Vista disliked the frequency with which UAC prompts appeared during common tasks. As a result, Microsoft adjusted the default UAC settings in Windows 7. In Windows 7, UAC no longer displays prompts when you change the settings on your computer -- it only displays prompts when programs try to change your computer's settings. Using the Control Panel, it is possible to increase the security level if desired to make UAC behave as it did in Windows Vista.
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