What’s the Difference Between Standard-Permission and Administrator-Permission Startup?
The website version of Float Translate offers two ways to start on Windows.
They differ in whether Float Translate runs as administrator and whether it can reliably work with software that is also running as administrator.
The comparison below covers only the effect of Windows permission differences. Either startup option may fail to capture text when the target software does not expose a readable text selection.
| Start with standard permissions (default) | Start with administrator permissions (recommended) | |
|---|---|---|
| Select text and show the Floating Capsule in normally running software | ✓ | ✓ |
| Select text and show the Floating Capsule in software running as administrator | ✕ | ✓ |
| Requires a Windows confirmation when first enabled | ✕ | ✓ |
| Requires a Windows confirmation on every later start | ✕ | ✕ |
| Gives Float Translate administrator permission | ✕ | ✓ |
Which option should I choose?
Section titled “Which option should I choose?”Start with standard permissions
Section titled “Start with standard permissions”When Float Translate starts with standard permissions, it does not receive administrator permission and does not ask you to confirm administrator access in Windows.
It can select text, show the Floating Capsule, and translate in normally running software. You can keep this option if the software you use does not run as administrator.
When the target software runs as administrator, Float Translate has lower permission than the target. You may see issues such as:
- Nothing happens after you select text
- The Floating Capsule does not appear
- Selected text cannot be read reliably
- Actions that need to be sent to the target software do not complete
If this happens, you can switch Float Translate to start with administrator permissions.
Start with administrator permissions
Section titled “Start with administrator permissions”When Float Translate starts with administrator permissions, it runs at the same permission level as software running as administrator. This Windows permission difference no longer blocks text capture or the Floating Capsule.
Windows shows a confirmation the first time you enable this option. If your current Windows account is not an administrator account, Windows may also ask for an administrator account and password.
After you confirm, Float Translate remembers this startup option. Opening Float Translate later does not show the confirmation every time.
Float Translate itself receives administrator permission, so install and use only the version from the official Float Translate website.
How do I switch startup options?
Section titled “How do I switch startup options?”Open Float Translate, select Permissions in the main navigation, and find Windows startup.
Choose the startup option you want, then select Apply and restart. The choice applies to this restart and later starts, not just the current session.
When you switch back to standard-permission startup, Float Translate stops running as administrator and removes the previously saved administrator startup setting.
Why does Float Translate start with standard permissions when my Windows account is an administrator?
Section titled “Why does Float Translate start with standard permissions when my Windows account is an administrator?”An administrator account does not automatically give administrator permission to every program it opens.
Windows usually starts programs with normal permission. A program runs as administrator only when it explicitly requests higher permission and you approve the Windows confirmation.
Even when you use an administrator account, you must select Start with administrator permissions in Float Translate before it receives that permission.
How can I tell whether the target software runs as administrator?
Section titled “How can I tell whether the target software runs as administrator?”If Float Translate works in most software but does nothing in one particular program, try this check:
- Close the target software.
- Open it normally without selecting Run as administrator.
- Try selecting text again.
If it now works, the target software was probably running as administrator before.
You can also switch Float Translate to start with administrator permissions.
Why did the Windows confirmation appear again?
Section titled “Why did the Windows confirmation appear again?”After the first confirmation, Float Translate normally starts without asking again.
If the saved administrator startup setting in Windows is removed or changes, Float Translate must create it again and Windows shows another confirmation.
Can the Microsoft Store version switch startup options?
Section titled “Can the Microsoft Store version switch startup options?”The Microsoft Store version does not offer these two startup options.
If you use the Microsoft Store version and text selection fails only in some software, see solutions for software running as administrator.