New tabs open as administrator without UAC prompt/consent

[jamesaepp]

Windows Terminal version

1.24.11911.0

Windows build number

10.0.26200.0

Other Software

No response

Steps to reproduce

I only noticed this issue today. Last night my system updated to the new Windows Terminal version per the previous field

Control:

1. Win+A (Open PowerShell as administrator)
2. UAC prompt occurs on secure desktop under default out-of-box Windows settings. User consents (Yes).
3. Windows Terminal as administrator opens like normal

Experiment:

1. Win+R (Run)
2. powershell (Enter)
   1. Powershell opens in Terminal without admin privs and without UAC prompt
3. net session
   1. Should output "Access is denied".
4. Ctrl+Shift+1 (or via GUI, open new tab for powershell)
   1. Unexpected: New tab/shell opens with admin privs and without UAC prompt
5. net session
   1. Outputs any SMB sessions (this command is really just a poor-man's test if admin privileges are working)

Expected Behavior

MS terminal opened without admin token/UAC prompt should not be able to open new shells/tabs with admin token/privileges on Windows.

Actual Behavior

MS terminal opened without admin token/UAC prompt was able to open new shells/tabs with admin token/privileges on Windows.

[jamesaepp]

I'm not certain reproduce steps are accurate anymore.

I created a fresh 25H2 Windows 11 VM and even after updating everything I can't reproduce the issue.

It's possible some combination of software or configuration leads to my result, but my main system where I discovered this has lots of software.

Listing what I'd consider the first suspects in order of recent to older updates/installations:

• VSCode (1.129.1, updated yesterday)
• Git for windows (2.55.0.3, updated yesterday)
• Az CLI 2.88.0
• PowerShell (7.6.3.0)

[jamesaepp]

OK I think repro steps are instead this and this possibly points to the Terminal now possibly "sharing" a process or something inter-process?

I didn't take proper snapshots during my VM testing so I can't easily revert back to the bundled terminal version 1.18.10301.0 to gauge if it's in there. Maybe this is expected behavior and I've just never encountered it before.

Evolved repro steps:

1. Close all Terminal windows
2. Win+X , A to open terminal as admin, consent
3. Win+X , I to open terminal without admin
4. Open new tabs in terminal window from step # 3. Issue doesn't happen.
5. Win+R , powershell to open powershell process without admin
6. Open new tabs in window from step # 5. Issue happens, new tabs have admin

[jamesaepp]

Whether or not this is working as designed was driving me a little nuts, but I found this which might help indicate that no, this is not intended:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/terminal/faq#is-it-possible-to-mix-admin-and-non-admin-tabs-in-a-windows-terminal-window

Is it possible to mix admin and non-admin tabs in a Windows Terminal window?

No, mixing administrator-level permission tabbed shells with those that do not have elevated administrator permission is not supported due to security concerns.

[jamesaepp]

Worked again to get a fresh VM going. I setup my newest test VM to have all updates installed EXCEPT Terminal. All other updates from below list were installed:

• LCU (July 2026)
• Microsoft Store (itself and apps, excluding Terminal which was manually paused once it showed up)
• Windows Update in PC Settings (Defender intelligence, MRT, .NET 2026-07)
• winget update (manually installed everything except Terminal)

Issue does not occur in Terminal version 1.18.10301.0 (bundled with my 25H2 installer ISO). Issue occurs in Terminal version 1.24.11911.0.

New repro steps below (and throughout this guide) assume the user has Administrative rights already.

Issue does not occur with these steps:

1. Close all terminal windows
2. Update terminal to version 1.24.11911.0
3. Win+X , I to open terminal as non-admin
4. Win+X , A to open terminal as admin
5. Win+R, powershell, to open powershell in new terminal window

Result:

• Terminal window launched in step 5 does NOT have admin abilities

Issue does occur with these steps:

1. Close all terminal windows
2. Update terminal to version 1.24.11911.0
3. Win+X , A to open terminal as admin
4. Win+X , I to open terminal as non-admin
5. Win+R, powershell, to open powershell in new terminal window

Results:

• Terminal window from step 4...
  • Doesn't have the Windows shield graphic indicating privileged shells cannot be created
  • Opening new shells within this terminal window do not open with Administrative rights
• Terminal window from step 5...
  • Opens by default with a powershell shell without admin privileges
  • Has the Windows shield graphic indicating privileged shells can be created
    
  • New shells launched in this terminal have Administrative rights

QED

The order of how you launch your terminal windows with or without admin rights determines what behavior you end up with. Somehow the first Terminal window launched determines the behavior.

Other thoughts

This property appears transitive, even if the original window is closed. I haven't done extensive testing on that.

[DHowett]

Thank you so much.