This guide shows you three methods to enable Active Directory in Windows 10. It is not exactly enabling “Active Directory” in Windows 10.
You cannot install AD in Windows 10. You can only enable RSAT for Active Directory in Windows 10.
Options to Install Active Directory in Windows 10
The 3 options discussed in this guide are (Install RSAT for AD):
- From Manage optional features
- Using DISM
- With PowerShell
Install RSAT for Active Directory in Windows 10 with Manage Optional Features
To enable Active Directory with this method:
- Type Optional Features in the search bar. Then select Manage Optional Features.
- Then click Add features.
- Scroll to RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lighweight Directory Services Tools. Then click it.
- Click Install.
- To confirm that the feature is installed, click the back button beside Settings.
- Then click see optional feature history. The feature installation progress bar will be displayed.
- When the installation is completed, scroll down the Optional features list. RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lighweight Directory Services Tools will be listed.
- To confirm that this feature is installed, search for Active Directory. You should find all the AD tools.
Install RSAT for Active Directory in Windows 10 with DISM
Another method to install Active Directory is to use DISM Command.
Here are the steps:
- Type cmd in search bar. Then right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Then at User Account Control prompt, click Yes.
- Finally, at command prompt, type this command. Then press enter.
DISM.exe /Online /Get-Capabilities | find "Rsat.Active"
The command will display the feature name for RSAT for Active Directory….
- To install Active Directory RSAT tools, type this command. Then press enter.
DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0
Ensure to copy the capability name from the /Get-Capabilities command. When you press Enter the feature installation will begin…
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- When the installation is completed, you can confirm the installation with the command below:
DISM.exe /Online /Get-CapabilityInfo /CapabilityName:Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0
Here is the result of the command. The State is displayed as Installed.
Install RSAT for Active Directory in Windows 10 with PowerShell
You can also enable RSAT for Active Directory in Windows 10 with PowerShell.
Here are the steps:
- Search PowerShell. Then right-click Windows PowerShell and select Run as Administrator.
- At powershell command prompt, type the command below. Then press enter.
Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "RSAT.Active*"}
The command will display the feature name of RSAT for Active Directory.
- To install the feature with PowerShell, type this command then press enter. Copy the name of the feature from the result of the previous command.
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0
PowerShell will start installing the feature…it may take a while to complete…
- When the installation is completed, it will return a result similar to the one below. If you need to restart your computer, RestartNeeded will display True.
- Finally, to confirm successful install, type this command. Then press enter.
Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "RSAT.Active*"}
The State now shows Installed.
With one of the 3 methods discussed in this guide, you should be able to install RSAT for Active Directory in Windows 10.
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All of these methods failed for me. I get the message
Add-WindowsCapability : The system cannot find the file specified.
for the last one.
Hi Sam,
Did you run Add-WindowsCapability from PowerShell? What version of Windows 10 are you running? If you are running Windows 10 Home, you may not be able to install RSAT.
To check your version of Windows 10, search for and open winver