Microsoft Confirms UAC Bug Breaks App Install On Windows 11 And 10 Versions

Microsoft has acknowledged a notable issue stemming from its recent security updates, which has led to application installation and repair failures across various versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server. This complication arises from a security enhancement introduced in the August 2025 updates, which inadvertently triggers User Account Control (UAC) prompts for standard users attempting routine application tasks.

The root of the problem can be traced back to the security update KB5063878, released on August 12, 2025. While this update was aimed at addressing a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Installer, identified as CVE-2025-50173, it has inadvertently enforced administrator-level permissions for Windows Installer (MSI) repair and related functions. Consequently, standard users are now faced with unexpected UAC prompts, which can halt their operations if they lack the necessary administrator credentials—a scenario often encountered in corporate and educational settings.

Users attempting to perform certain actions are met with “Error 1730,” indicating insufficient access rights. The bug disrupts several common scenarios, including:

• Executing MSI repair commands, such as msiexec /fu.
• Launching applications that require self-repair or initial user configuration, notably Autodesk products like AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and Inventor CAM.
• Installing applications that configure themselves on a per-user basis.
• Deploying software packages through Microsoft Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr).

This issue poses a significant challenge for organizations utilizing multi-user devices, such as university computer labs and shared workstations in enterprises. IT administrators have reported that applications relying on a “secondary” MSI installer for per-user setup are particularly affected. One university IT administrator remarked, “We have several applications behaving this way, not just those from Autodesk. All software running a secondary MSI installer exhibits this behavior.”

Mitigations

In response to the situation, Microsoft has documented the issue and provided temporary solutions while working on a permanent fix. For individual users, an immediate workaround is to right-click the application and select “Run as administrator.”

For managed IT environments, Microsoft has made a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) available, allowing administrators to revert the specific change causing the UAC prompts by deploying a special Group Policy. However, obtaining this KIR necessitates direct contact with Microsoft Support for business. Microsoft has strongly advised against alternative workarounds, such as disabling related security features.

The company is actively developing a long-term solution, which will be included in a future Windows update. This fix aims to enable administrators to specify which applications can perform MSI repair operations without triggering a UAC prompt.

The bug impacts a broad spectrum of platforms, including various versions of Windows 10 and 11, as well as Windows Server editions from 2012 to 2025. Below is a summary of the affected operating systems:

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