How Can I Grant My Windows Application Elevation Privileges to Modify Protected Registry Keys?

Granting Elevation for Registry Modifications in Modern Windows Environments

In the world of Windows programming, modifying registry keys under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT was once a straightforward task. However, with the advent of Windows 7 and its emphasis on user account control (UAC), developers may encounter the error "Requested registry access is not allowed."

This limitation stems from the fact that most applications run with standard user privileges in Windows 7 and later. To modify protected registry keys such as those under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, applications require administrative privileges.

Augmenting Your Code for UAC Support

To grant your tweak utility the necessary elevated privileges, you must implement the following solution:

1. Utilize an Application Manifest:

Create a manifest file with the ".manifest" extension in your application directory.

2. Configure the Manifest:

Within the manifest file, define the following XML structure:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<asmv1:assembly manifestVersion="1.0" xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" xmlns:asmv1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" xmlns:asmv2="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
   <assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0" name="MyApplication.app" />
   <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2">
      <security>
         <requestedPrivileges xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
            <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
         </requestedPrivileges>
      </security>
   </trustInfo>
</asmv1:assembly>

3. Link the Manifest:

In your C code, add the following line to the preprocessor directives section:

#pragma comment(linker,"/manifestdependency:\"MyApplication.manifest\"")

By implementing these steps, you instruct the system that your application requires administrator privileges to perform registry modifications. When the application is launched, Windows will automatically prompt the user to grant elevation, allowing your tweak utility to access the protected registry keys.

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