elevate is a simple, friendly application that lives in your menu bar (Mac) or system tray (Windows). It helps you get temporary, "just-in-time" access to important Microsoft tools—like Azure and Microsoft Entra—without needing to be a tech expert.
Think of it as a smart remote control for your work permissions. Instead of having permanent access to sensitive systems (which can be risky), elevate lets you request access only when you need it, right when you need it. This keeps your company safer while making your job easier.
This guide will walk you through downloading and running elevate on your Windows computer. We'll keep it simple and clear.
First, you need to get the elevate application file onto your computer.
Visit this link to download the application.
When you click the link, you'll go to a page with a list of files. Look for the file that fits your computer. Since you're on Windows, find a file that has "Windows" or ".exe" in its name. Click on that file to start downloading.
Your web browser will start downloading the file. It might ask you where to save it. Choose an easy-to-remember place, like your Downloads folder or your Desktop. Wait for the download to finish completely.
Once the download is complete, find the downloaded file. It will be named something like elevate-setup.exe or similar.
Double-click the file to run it. That's it! The application will open and you'll see the elevate icon appear in your system tray (the bottom-right corner of your screen, near the clock).
Tip: If Windows shows a blue or yellow pop-up asking for permission, click "Run anyway" or "Yes" . This is normal safety check by Windows.
elevate is packed with features to make your work life easier. Here's what you can do with it:
- 🧩 One App, Many Accounts: Manage access across multiple Microsoft accounts and different organizations (tenants) all from one place.
- 🛡️ Smart Role Activation: Activate privileged roles in Microsoft Entra (your company's identity system), Azure (Microsoft's cloud), and PIM for Groups (special access groups).
- 👤 User-Friendly Profiles: Save your most common access requests as "profiles." This way, you can request the same set of permissions with just one click, instead of setting everything up every time.
- ⌨️ Powerful Shortcuts: Use keyboard shortcuts to quickly open the app, see pending requests, or activate a favorite role without using your mouse.
- ✅ Approval Workflow: When you request access, you can see if it needs a manager's approval. The app keeps you updated on the status.
- ⏰ Expiry Alerts: elevate keeps an eye on your active sessions. You'll get a friendly reminder before your temporary access expires, so you're never locked out of your work unexpectedly.
Most companies have special security tools like Azure and Microsoft Entra. If you're an administrator, a developer, or an IT person, you probably need access to them sometimes to do your job.
But having permanent access to these powerful tools is a security risk. If your account is ever compromised, a bad actor could do a lot of damage.
elevate solves this by giving you access only when you need it. It's like a security guard who lets you into the server room only when you show your badge for a specific reason. This is called "Just-in-Time Access," and it's a best practice for modern security.
To run elevate smoothly, your computer should have the following:
- Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit).
- Memory: At least 4 GB of RAM.
- Storage: 100 MB of free space.
- Connection: An active internet connection is required to work with Azure and Microsoft Entra.
If you're on a Mac, elevate is also available for macOS. The process is very similar.
We're here to help! If you have any questions or run into any problems, check out these resources:
- 📚 Documentation: Detailed guides and explanations can be found in the official elevate documentation. (A link is usually provided on the main project page).
- 💬 Community: Join the conversation and ask questions from other users on the project's GitHub Discussions page.
- ✉️ Contact: If you need direct support, you can reach out to the developers through the project's feedback system on the download page.
Here are a few common issues and how to fix them:
Problem: The app won't start after downloading.
- Solution: Make sure you've downloaded the correct file for your system (Windows vs. Mac). If you're sure you have the right one, try right-clicking the file and selecting "Run as administrator" .
Problem: The app opens, but I can't sign in.
- Solution: Check your internet connection. Also, make sure you're using the email and password for your work or school account that has access to Azure or Microsoft Entra.
Problem: I don't see any roles or groups to activate.
- Solution: elevate only shows roles and groups that you are eligible for. If you don't see anything, you likely don't have any eligible assignments. Contact your IT administrator to check your permissions.
elevate is a powerful yet simple tool that puts you in control of your digital access. It's safe, efficient, and designed for everyday professionals. Download it today and see how easy it is to manage your privileged access!
Ready to get started? Head over to the download page and give elevate a try.
Keywords: azure, homebrew-cask, just-in-time-access, macos, menu-bar, microsoft-entra-id, microsoft-entra-pim, pim, privileged-identity-management, swiftui, windows, winui-3