Running programs on your computer is as easy as double-clicking the shortcut or icon to execute the launcher. The program should automatically run after you click the executable file.
But what if you want to run a security scan in the middle of the night when the computer is not in use or if you want to schedule your PC cleaning software to run on a specific date and time? What if you need to run multiple apps at the exact same time?
For instances like these, you can use the RunAsDate tool. It is a very handy tool that allows you to schedule apps for execution at a specific time. This tiny and portable app can be used to schedule one program to run on a specific schedule or to launch multiple apps simultaneously.
What is RunAsDate.exe?
RunAsDate is a small and portable utility that allows you to schedule applications to be executed on the date and time that you specify. The app is very easy to install and use, without needing for other software to run.
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Unlike other tools that change the computer’s date and time settings, this utility does not modify the current system date and time of the device. Instead, it injects the schedule that you specified into the application you wish to run. You can schedule multiple applications to run simultaneously,with each application working with a different date and time, while the actual date and time of your system continues to run unaffected.
The RunAsDate.exe app was developed by Nir Sofer, the web developer behind NirSoft. NirSoft offers a wide collection of portable and handy freeware utilities, including password recovery utilities, network monitoring tools, internet-related utilities, MS Outlook tools, command-line utilities, Desktop utilities, and other freeware system tools.
RunAsDate.exe works with Windows 2000, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10/11 computers. The app also has a 64-bit version to be used for scheduling 64-bit applications.
What Does RunAsDate.exe Do?
RunAsDate cuts off the kernel API requests that returns the current date and time (GetSystemTime, GetLocalTime, GetSystemTimeAsFileTime) for the app you want to schedule, then the tool replaces the current date and time with the date and time that you specified.
How to Install the RunAsDate.exe App
When you download the installer from the NirSoft website, you will get a zip file. You can extract the file to get the RunAsDate.exe executable file. You don’t need to install the app to use it. You can just drop it to your Desktop or any folder and run it immediately.
You can also copy the RunAsDate.exe program to a USB drive or an external hard drive and you can use that copy to run the program on any computer without needing to install or download anything. The program has a minimal impact on your computer’s performance, requiring only a low amount of CPU and RAM to run.
The app does not need access or does need to modify your computer’s registry files so it should pose no harm to your system. There are also no leftover files stored on your hard drive when you decide to remove the app.
How to Use RunAsDate.exe?
Once you’ve downloaded and launched the program, you’ll be greeted by a simple and user-friendly interface like this:
You can see all the options displayed in the interface when you start the app. Under Application to run, you can select the program you want to run. Click Browse to get the path of the application.
Next, select the date and time you want to run the program and add the necessary parameters. Click on the Run button to start the program on the selected date and time and with the specified parameters.
When you tick off the Immediate Mode, the app injects the date and time immediately once the process runs without waiting for the kernel to be fully loaded. However, this mode can cause performance issues to some programs, particularly those that were written in .Net. If you encounter any problem when using this mode, such as the app crashing or failing to respond, uncheck the Immediate Mode immediately.
To make the RunAsDate easy to access, you can create a desktop shortcut by clicking the Create Desktop Shortcut option. But if you’re having trouble running the app due to some permission issues, you can click Run as Administrator to get it to work.
If you’re more comfortable with running the RunAsDate app using commands, you can open a Command Prompt window and type in the following command:
RunAsDate.exe {/immediate} {/movetime} {/startin [folder]} {/returntime [seconds] } [dd\mm\yyyy] {hh:mm:ss} [Program to run] {Program parameters}
Here are some example commands if you want to run Microsoft Office Outlook:
- RunAsDate.exe 22\10\2002 12:35:22 “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\OUTLOOK.EXE”
- RunAsDate.exe 14\02\2005 “c:\temp\myprogram.exe” param1 param2
- RunAsDate.exe /movetime 11\08\2004 16:21:42 “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\OUTLOOK.EXE”
- RunAsDate.exe /movetime /returntime 15 10\12\2001 11:41:26 “c:\temp\myprogram.exe”
- RunAsDate.exe Hours:-10 “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\OUTLOOK.EXE”
Can RunAsDate.exe Harm my Computer?
Is RunAsDate.exe a safe file? By itself, RunAsDate.exe is a safe and legitimate file. But just like other utilities, it is possible for the RunAsDate.exe to be exploited by malware and be injected with malicious software. This happens when you download the tool from an untrustworthy website. The malicious software can be bundled with the RunAsDate.exe app and can infect your system once the legitimate app is installed. The malware then gets into the system without the user’s knowledge.
It is also possible for the RunAsDate.exe app you downloaded to be fake. Instead of downloading the real RunAsDate.exe program, you might have downloaded a bogus app that mimics the real RunAsDate.exe tool. This fake app can be used to download other malicious apps or deliver malware to the computer. So if the app you downloaded does not work as it should or has a different interface than the one shown above, you’ve probably downloaded a fake RunAsDate.exe app.
To make sure that you don’t download a fake app or one that contains malware, you should download the installer from trustworthy sources only. It is best to get it from the developer’s website to be safe.
How to Remove RunAsDate.exe From Your PC
If you no longer need the RunAsDate.exe app from your computer or you suspect it to be malicious, you can simply delete the RunAsDate.exe file and then empty the Trash. Delete also all the files that came with the installer. You can use a PC cleaner app to ensure that no files get left behind.
Once you’ve uninstalled the RunAsDate.exe program and deleted all files associated with it, run your anti-malware software to make sure that all infected apps and files have been removed from your computer. If you detect other malware, delete them using your security software and then follow our malware removal guide below. (Insert malware removal template).