Windows 10 & 11: Install Active Directory Users and Computers

If you’re a Windows admin using a Microsoft Windows 11, 10, or 8 computer, you may want to install Active Directory Users and Computers as well as other Active Directory applications. These tools are not installed by default, but here’s how to get them.

Note: You can install Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows only on the full release of Windows Professional or Windows Enterprise. Otherwise, you will receive a “This update does not qualify for your computer.” message when you try to install it.

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Windows 11

Install From Settings

1. Select Start > Settings.
2. Choose Apps > Optional features.

Install Using PowerShell

1. Right-click on the Start button and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Type the following, then press Enter:
   Get-WindowsCapability -Name RSAT* -Online | Select-Object -Property DisplayName, State

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Windows 10 Version 1809 and Higher

As of Windows 10 1809, RSAT is no longer installed using the installer from Microsoft, it is now available as a feature. Use these steps to install it.

1. Right-click the Start button and choose “Settings” > “Apps” > “Manage optional features” > “Add feature“.
2. Select “RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Tools“.
3. Select “Install“, then wait while Windows installs the feature. It should eventually appear as an option under “Start” > “Windows Administrative Tools“.

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Windows 8 and Windows 10 Version 1803 or Lower

1. Download and install one of the following depending on your version of Windows:
   • Remote Server Administrator Tools For Windows 10
   • Remote Server Administrator Tools For Windows 8
   • Remote Server Administrator Tools For Windows 8.1
2. In Windows 8 and older versions of Windows 10, right-click the Start button and choose “Control Panel” > “Programs” > “Programs and Features” > “Turn Windows features on or off“.
3. Scroll down and expand the “Remote Server Administration Tools” section.
4. Expand “Role Administration Tools“.
5. Expand “AD DS and AD LDS Tools“.
6. Ensure that “AD DS Tools” is checked, then select “OK“.
7. You should have an option for “Administrative Tools” on the Start menu. From there, select any of the Active Directory tools. In newer versions of windows 10 (or at least mine), select the “Start” button then type “active directory”, and it should show up.