To manage an existing Active Directory domain from Windows 10, install RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools. This adds client-side management tools such as Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC); it does not install the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) server role or turn the PC into a domain controller.
Check whether your Windows 10 PC supports RSAT
- Edition: Microsoft lists Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise as supported. Windows 10 Home is not supported for RSAT.
- Version: Microsoft’s guidance requires the October 2018 Cumulative Update or later.
- Access: You need administrator privileges on the Windows 10 computer to install the tools. Managing a remote server also requires network connectivity and suitable permissions on that server.
RSAT installs management software only. It does not join the PC to a domain, provide credentials, or grant permission to change directory objects. For account management with ADUC, the computer must be domain joined and your account must have the required permissions. See Microsoft’s Active Directory Users and Computers guidance.
Install the Active Directory tools in Settings
- Sign in to Windows 10 with an account that has administrator privileges.
- Open Optional Features. In most Windows 10 releases, go to Settings > Apps > Optional features. For Windows 10 version 22H2 or later, Microsoft specifies Settings > System > Optional features.
- Select Add a feature and search for RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools.
- Select that feature and choose Install. Wait for Windows to finish adding it.
- Open the Start menu and search for Active Directory Users and Computers or Windows Tools to find the installed administration tools.
These are the Windows 10 Optional Features instructions in Microsoft’s RSAT installation guide. For Windows 10 version 1809 and later, do not use Control Panel’s Turn Windows features on or off dialog to install RSAT; Microsoft directs users to Optional Features instead.
Install RSAT with PowerShell
For a scripted or repeatable installation, open PowerShell as an administrator and run Microsoft’s capability command:
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Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0To check whether the capability is present, run:
Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object Name -like 'RSAT*'Microsoft documents this RSAT capability as a Feature on Demand for Windows 10 version 1809 and later. See Available features on demand for the capability information.
What you can do after installation
The AD DS and AD LDS tools provide client-side interfaces for administering those services remotely. ADUC is used to manage user accounts and other directory objects; the accompanying Active Directory PowerShell module provides cmdlets for managing Active Directory domains and related services. Microsoft’s ActiveDirectory module reference describes the cmdlets.
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If ADUC opens but you cannot manage the domain, installation is only one requirement. Confirm that the Windows 10 PC is domain joined, can reach the relevant server over the network, and that your account has permissions for the operation. Installing RSAT alone does not confer those rights.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If you meant installing Active Directory on a server
Windows 10 does not accept the AD DS server role. If your goal is to create or promote a domain controller, use a supported Windows Server system and follow Microsoft’s separate guide to installing Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server. Its role-installation command is Install-WindowsFeature -Name AD-Domain-Services -IncludeManagementTools; that is a Windows Server procedure, not a Windows 10 RSAT command.
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