Temporary Local Admin Rights.
KB Article 767 · Access Management · Self Service
How to request short-lived local administrator rights on your MirrorSphere-managed device via the IT helpdesk portal. This guide covers how to submit a request, what happens once it’s approved, the emails you’ll receive, and what to do if something doesn’t go to plan.
How It Works at a Glance
The whole process is automated end-to-end. Once approved, admin rights are applied to your device and removed again at the end of the approved window — no further action needed from you.
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How to Submit a Request
All requests are submitted and tracked through the IT helpdesk portal. Follow the steps below:
- Log in to the IT helpdesk portal at portal.mirrorsphere.com. From the home screen, go to Service and Products › Users and Service › Services
- Choose the request type: Privileged Access Request
- Fill in the form — provide your name (auto-populated, or choose someone else if you’re raising it on their behalf), your device name, and the reason for the request
- Click Submit — your request will be sent for approval
- Once approved, the access will be applied to your device automatically, usually within a few minutes
- You will receive an email confirmation once access has been applied
- Log off and back on to gain the new permissions
After you submit
You’ll get a confirmation email showing the ticket reference and a summary of what happens next.
What Happens After Access is Granted
Once your request is approved and processed:
- Your account will be elevated to local administrator on your device for the approved time window
- You can proceed with the task that required admin rights
- When the approved period ends, your account will automatically return to standard user permissions — you do not need to take any action
- A record of the grant and revocation is kept by the Helpdesk team for audit purposes
- Approval received from your nominated approver, usually within minutes
- Admin rights applied automatically to your device for the approved window
- Confirmation email delivered showing duration and revocation time
- Rights removed automatically when the window ends — ticket closes on its own
Approval notification
When the approver makes a decision, you’ll get an email letting you know.
Access applied
Once the change has been applied to your device, you’ll receive an “Admin Access Granted” email confirming the duration and when access will be revoked.
Expiry and Automatic Revocation
You’ll get a reminder email shortly before your access expires, giving you a chance to wrap up any tasks that need elevated permissions.
Once the approved time window ends, your admin rights are automatically removed and you’ll receive a final confirmation email. The ticket is then closed.
If Something Goes Wrong
Most requests are processed without issue, but there are a few scenarios where the change can’t be applied straight away. If any of these happen, you’ll get an email explaining what to do next.
If your device is offline when the request is approved, the change is queued and will run automatically as soon as your device reconnects. Switch the device on and connect it to the network — you’ll get a separate confirmation email once access is applied.
If we can’t verify your device’s Azure Entra sync status within the required time, the request will time out. Check that your device is signed into an Azure Entra (Work) account and has a working internet connection, then raise a new request.
If your device is signed in with a local account rather than an Azure Entra (Work) account, we can’t reliably apply local admin access. Sign in with your Azure Entra account first, then raise a new request.
What If I Still Need Access After it Expires?
If your task isn’t complete before the access window ends, simply raise a new request through the helpdesk portal. It will need to be approved again.
If you believe you need ongoing elevated access for your role, speak to your manager, who can raise this with the IT team separately.
Emails You Might Receive
Depending on how your request progresses, you might receive any of the following emails. The table below summarises them; previews of the most common ones appear in the sections above.
| When | What it means | |
|---|---|---|
| Pending Ticket Logged | Immediately after you submit | Your request is in the queue for approval |
| Approved Request Approved | Once the approver approves | Access will be applied to your device shortly |
| Granted Admin Access Granted | When permissions are applied | You now have local admin rights for the duration shown |
| Reminder Access Expiring Soon | Shortly before expiry | Finish any elevated tasks before the deadline |
| Closed Admin Access Revoked | At the end of the approved window | Rights have been automatically removed; ticket closed |
| Queued Device Offline | If your device is offline at the point of action | Command queued — switch the device on and connect to the network |
| Timed out Admin Access Timed Out | If device status can’t be verified | Check Azure Entra sign-in and internet, then raise a new request |
| Blocked Cannot Proceed | If signed in with a local account | Sign in with your Azure Entra account, then raise a new request |
Preview of the key emails
Sent immediately when you submit. Confirms your request has been logged and is in the queue for approval.
Sent once your approver approves. Access will be applied to your device shortly afterwards.
Sent once the change has been applied to your device. Confirms the duration of access and when it will be revoked. Log off and back on to start using the new permissions.
Sent shortly before your access window ends so you have time to wrap up any tasks that need elevated permissions.
Sent once the approved time window ends. Confirms your admin rights have been automatically removed and the ticket is now closed.
Need More Help?
If you experience any issues — such as access not being applied or needing to cancel a request — you have a few ways to reach us.
| Helpdesk portal | Log a ticket via portal.mirrorsphere.com — the fastest route for non-urgent issues. |
| Phone support | +44 (0) 1295 595 444, Monday–Friday 08:30–17:30. For urgent issues outside these hours, leave a voicemail — the on-call team monitors it. |
| Urgency | For urgent requests, note this in the ticket description and contact your manager or Head of IT so they can escalate the request to support. |
| Escalation | If the response time isn’t meeting your need, ask the agent to escalate to your account manager or your organisation’s Head of IT. |