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In previous versions of Windows, you could simply hold the Shift key and right-click on an application to run it as a different user, which was useful for running multiple versions of an application at once. In Windows 8, it works a little different.

Enabling the Run as Different User Option

Press the Windows + R key combination to bring up a run box, type gpedit.msc and hit enter.

Now you will need to drill down into:

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar

On the right-hand side you will see a setting called Show "Run as different user” command on Start, double click on it.

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Now switch the radio button from “Not Configured” to “Enabled”,  then click on the OK button.

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Now we will need to force the policy to take effect on your PC, to do this press the Windows + R key combination, when the run box opens the following then hit enter:

gpupdate /force

That is all there is to it. Now you can easily run applications as a different user from the Start Screen.

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