Today we’ll show you how to install and use the Windows PowerShell Active Directory Module. You can perform AD management tasks and use its cmdlets to get different information on domain users, computers, groups, and other objects. On the server OS, this PowerShell module is installed as a separate feature. On the desktop OS versions (Windows 11, 10, 8.1, and 7) the module is a part of the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT). RSAT includes all necessary management tools, command-line utilities, and Windows PowerShell modules to manage Windows Server infrastructure. You must download the RSAT package for your version of Windows from the Microsoft website (how to install RSAT on Windows 10?).
PowerShell provides an administrator with many opportunities for interacting with Active Directory objects and automating tasks (this is especially useful when performing bulk actions aimed at a large number of AD objects).
There are three main ways to interact with Active Directory in Windows PowerShell:
- Using Active Directory Services Interfaces (ADSI). This method is the most complex, but it works in any PowerShell version and doesn’t require additional modules to be installed/loaded. It is also “nearest” to the managing method used in the VBScript scripting language;
- Using the Active Directory Provider included into PowerShell extensions. This method allows you to mount an Active Directory as a drive on your computer and navigate through it using the appropriate commands: dir, cd, etc.
- Managing Active Directory with the RSAT-AD-PowerShell module. This is the most convenient way to manipulate AD objects, but it also requires additional installation of the corresponding module.
Hint. A different PowerShell module is used to manage objects in the Azure Active Directory — Azure Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell.
Install PowerShell Active Directory Module on Windows Server
The Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell first appeared on Windows Server 2008 R2. It appears on the Windows Server after you installed ADDS role (Active Directory Domain Services) and then promoted a server to the domain controller. To use the cmdlets from the Active Directory module, at least one domain controller with Windows Server 2008 R2 or higher must exist in your domain. If your network has only DC with Windows Server 2003 or 2008, you must download and install the Active Directory Management Gateway Service. The cmdlets from the Active Directory module interact with the web service that is a part of the domain controller with the ADDS or ADMGS role.
- You can install the Active Directory module for PowerShell on the domain controller, on any Windows server or workstation;
- In Windows Server 2019/2016/2012 R2, you can install the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell. You can do it by using the Add Roles and Features Wizard from the Server Manager. It is enough to start the wizard and at the step when selecting features, you need to select the item Remote Server Administration Tools > Role Administration Tools > AD DS and AD LDS Tools > Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell;
- You can also install this module using PowerShell. Open the PowerShell console as an administrator and run the following commands:
Import-Module ServerManager
Add-WindowsFeature -Name "RSAT-AD-PowerShell" –IncludeAllSubFeature
To check the installation status of a module, use the command:
Get-WindowsFeature RSAT-AD-PowerShell
Hint. If you are using the PowerShell Core 7.0 or higher, keep in mind that the Active Directory module is fully natively compatible with this version of PoSh. But first, you need to install the WindowsCompatibility module:
Install-Module -Name WindowsCompatibility
Installing the AD PowerShell Module on Windows 10 and 11
In Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7, to install the RSAT-AD-PowerShell module, at first you must install the appropriate version of RSAT. You can install RSAT only in the Professional, Education, and Enterprise Windows editions. The installation of RSAT on Windows Home or Single Language is not available.
- You can install the RSAT module on Windows 7, 8.1, and Windows 10 (up to build 1803) using a special MSU package which can be downloaded from the Microsoft website;
- Then you need to enable the module (Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows Features On or Off > Remote Server Administration Tools > Role Administration Tools > AD DS and AD LDS Tools > Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell).
Or using PowerShell:Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName RSATClient-Roles-AD-Powershell
- On Windows 10 1809 and newer builds the RSAT became a part of Features on Demand (FoD). You can install AD RSAT Tools from the Settings menu (Settings > Apps > Manage Optional Features > Add features > RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Tools > Install).
Or from the PowerShell console:Add-WindowsCapability –online –Name “Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0”
You will need to make sure that your security policies, firewalls, and proxies are allowed to access Microsoft Update servers on the Internet to download and install FOD components.
- On Windows 11, you can install the Active Directory RSAT package from the Settings > Apps > Optional Features > Add an optional feature > type Active Directory in the search box and select the RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Tools feature > Next > Install.
Or you can install the module from the elevated PowerShell console:
Get-WindowsCapability -Name Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 -Online | Add-WindowsCapability -Online
You don’t have to reboot Windows after installing RSAT.
Importing PowerShell Active Directory Module on Windows
- In Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with PowerShell 2.0 installed, to start using the Active Directory module, you need to import it into the PowerShell session with the command:
import-module activedirectory
- Also, you can export the module from a remote computer/server and import it into your PowerShell session (using the PSRemoting):
$S = New-PSSession -ComputerName MyDomainController
Export-PSsession -Session $S -Module ActiveDirectory -OutputModule RemoteAD
Import-Module RemoteAD -Force
Now you can use all cmdlets of the RSAT-AD-PowerShell module from a remote computer as if you had it installed locally. However, implicit remoting will actually work here, and all PowerShell cmdlets will be executed remotely.
The session will be active until you close the PowerShell console. You can also close the session (Disconnect-PSSession -Session $S) or remove it (Remove-PSSession -Session $S).
Now you can use the Active Directory module remotely without installing it on your computer.
- On Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012 R2 and Windows 8.1/Windows 10/Windows 11, the AD module will be automatically imported into the PowerShell session if installed.
- To confirm the AD PoSh module is installed and imported to the PowerShell session on Windows, run the command:
Get-Module ActiveDirectory
Hint. You can list all imported modules in a PowerShell session with the command:
Get-Module –ListAvailable
When the computer joins to the AD domain, by default a separate drive is created with the name AD:\. You can go to this drive using the CD command and use the familiar commands of working with the file system to navigate this drive. The paths are in X500 format. The AD Provider allows you to navigate the AD as if it was a symbolic drive.
PS C:\> cd AD:
PS AD:\>
PS AD:\> dir
PS AD:\> cd “DC=contoso,DC=com”
PS AD:\> dir
You can display the list of available cmdlets for interacting with Active Directory as follows:
Get-Command -Module ActiveDirectory
Different versions of Windows (RSAT) have a different number of cmdlets available:
get-command -Module activedirectory|measure
- Windows Server 2008 R2 — 76 cmdlets;
- Windows Server 2012 — 135 cmdlets;
- Windows Server 2012 R2/2016/2019/2022 — 147 cmdlets.
The following is a complete list of AD PowerShell Module cmdlets in Windows Server 2016:
Add-ADCentralAccessPolicyMember
Add-ADComputerServiceAccount
Add-ADDomainControllerPasswordReplicationPolicy
Add-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicySubject
Add-ADGroupMember
Add-ADPrincipalGroupMembership
Add-ADResourcePropertyListMember
Clear-ADAccountExpiration
Clear-ADClaimTransformLink
Disable-ADAccount
Disable-ADOptionalFeature
Enable-ADAccount
Enable-ADOptionalFeature
Get-ADAccountAuthorizationGroup
Get-ADAccountResultantPasswordReplicationPolicy
Get-ADAuthenticationPolicy
Get-ADAuthenticationPolicySilo
Get-ADCentralAccessPolicy
Get-ADCentralAccessRule
Get-ADClaimTransformPolicy
Get-ADClaimType
Get-ADComputer
Get-ADComputerServiceAccount
Get-ADDCCloningExcludedApplicationList
Get-ADDefaultDomainPasswordPolicy
Get-ADDomain
Get-ADDomainController
Get-ADDomainControllerPasswordReplicationPolicy
Get-ADDomainControllerPasswordReplicationPolicyUsage
Get-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy
Get-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicySubject
Get-ADForest
Get-ADGroup
Get-ADGroupMember
Get-ADObject
Get-ADOptionalFeature
Get-ADOrganizationalUnit
Get-ADPrincipalGroupMembership
Get-ADReplicationAttributeMetadata
Get-ADReplicationConnection
Get-ADReplicationFailure
Get-ADReplicationPartnerMetadata
Get-ADReplicationQueueOperation
Get-ADReplicationSite
Get-ADReplicationSiteLink
Get-ADReplicationSiteLinkBridge
Get-ADReplicationSubnet
Get-ADReplicationUpToDatenessVectorTable
Get-ADResourceProperty
Get-ADResourcePropertyList
Get-ADResourcePropertyValueType
Get-ADRootDSE
Get-ADServiceAccount
Get-ADTrust
Get-ADUser
Get-ADUserResultantPasswordPolicy
Grant-ADAuthenticationPolicySiloAccess
Install-ADServiceAccount
Move-ADDirectoryServer
Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole
Move-ADObject
New-ADAuthenticationPolicy
New-ADAuthenticationPolicySilo
New-ADCentralAccessPolicy
New-ADCentralAccessRule
New-ADClaimTransformPolicy
New-ADClaimType
New-ADComputer
New-ADDCCloneConfigFile
New-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy
New-ADGroup
New-ADObject
New-ADOrganizationalUnit
New-ADReplicationSite
New-ADReplicationSiteLink
New-ADReplicationSiteLinkBridge
New-ADReplicationSubnet
New-ADResourceProperty
New-ADResourcePropertyList
New-ADServiceAccount
New-ADUser
Remove-ADAuthenticationPolicy
Remove-ADAuthenticationPolicySilo
Remove-ADCentralAccessPolicy
Remove-ADCentralAccessPolicyMember
Remove-ADCentralAccessRule
Remove-ADClaimTransformPolicy
Remove-ADClaimType
Remove-ADComputer
Remove-ADComputerServiceAccount
Remove-ADDomainControllerPasswordReplicationPolicy
Remove-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy
Remove-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicySubject
Remove-ADGroup
Remove-ADGroupMember
Remove-ADObject
Remove-ADOrganizationalUnit
Remove-ADPrincipalGroupMembership
Remove-ADReplicationSite
Remove-ADReplicationSiteLink
Remove-ADReplicationSiteLinkBridge
Remove-ADReplicationSubnet
Remove-ADResourceProperty
Remove-ADResourcePropertyList
Remove-ADResourcePropertyListMember
Remove-ADServiceAccount
Remove-ADUser
Rename-ADObject
Reset-ADServiceAccountPassword
Restore-ADObject
Revoke-ADAuthenticationPolicySiloAccess
Search-ADAccount
Set-ADAccountAuthenticationPolicySilo
Set-ADAccountControl
Set-ADAccountExpiration
Set-ADAccountPassword
Set-ADAuthenticationPolicy
Set-ADAuthenticationPolicySilo
Set-ADCentralAccessPolicy
Set-ADCentralAccessRule
Set-ADClaimTransformLink
Set-ADClaimTransformPolicy
Set-ADClaimType
Set-ADComputer
Set-ADDefaultDomainPasswordPolicy
Set-ADDomain
Set-ADDomainMode
Set-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy
Set-ADForest
Set-ADForestMode
Set-ADGroup
Set-ADObject
Set-ADOrganizationalUnit
Set-ADReplicationConnection
Set-ADReplicationSite
Set-ADReplicationSiteLink
Set-ADReplicationSiteLinkBridge
Set-ADReplicationSubnet
Set-ADResourceProperty
Set-ADResourcePropertyList
Set-ADServiceAccount
Set-ADUser
Show-ADAuthenticationPolicyExpression
Sync-ADObject
Test-ADServiceAccount
Uninstall-ADServiceAccount
Unlock-ADAccount
Unlike previous tools that used LDAP to communicate with AD, the AD PowerShell module uses Active Directory Web Services (ADWS) to communicate with a domain controller. The ADWS role in Windows Server 2008 R2 and newer is installed on a domain controller during the promotion from a domain member server to a domain controller. On Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003, you need to install ADWS separately (included with the Active Directory Management Gateway Service).
Using RSAT-AD-PowerShell Module
PowerShell allows you to perform basic operations with the AD directory:
- Get all AD properties and object attributes;
- Change object properties;
- Manage AD groups;
- Create new directory objects, etc.
Let’s look at a few examples of using the cmdlets of the RSAT-AD-PowerShell module.
- To get the list of AD domain controllers, run the command:
Get-ADDomainController –filter *| format-table
- You can create several AD users at once by importing the user list from the CSV file. Use it together with the New-ADUser cmdlet.
To get information about an AD user, use the Get-ADUser cmdlet:Get-ADUser –identity t.muller –properties *
A similar cmdlet to display all computer attributes in AD:
Get-ADComputer –identity dc01 –properties *
- Use the New-ADGroup cmdlet to create AD group. For example, to create a new group named ItalyUsers in the specific OU, run the command:
New-ADGroup -Path "OU=Groups,OU=Italy,DC=theitbros,DC=com" -Name "ItalyUsers" -GroupScope Global -GroupCategory Distribution
To get the AD group info, use the Get-ADGroup cmdlet:
Get-ADGroup ItalyUsers- If you want to add a user or computer to an AD group, use the Add-ADGroupMember cmdlet:
Add-ADGroupMember –Identity ‘NY_Managers’ -Members s.adams,d.thumb,p.muller - Use the New-ADOrganizationalUnit cmdlet to create Active Directory Organizational Unit:
New-ADOrganizationalUnit -Name "France"
- Use the Unlock-ADAccount cmdlet to unlock user account in Active Directory domain:
Get-ADUser -Identity bjackson | Unlock-ADAccount - Or you can use the Set-ADAccountPassword to change or reset the user’s password:
$newPass=Read-Host "Enter the new user password" –AsSecureString
Set-ADAccountPassword bjackson -NewPassword $newPass - Check for Active Directory replication status for all domain controllers in the specific AD site:
Get-ADReplicationFailure -scope SITE -target London | Format-Table Server, FirstFailureTime, FailureClount, LastError, Partner
- Find and disable user accounts that have not logged in to the domain for more than 120 days:
Search-ADAccount -AccountInactive -TimeSpan 120 –UsersOnly| Disable-ADAccount
- For detailed help on any cmdlet from the AD-PoSh module, use the Get-Help command:
get-help set-aduser
If the computer is not a part of the Active Directory domain, the following warning appears when you try importing the AD-PoSh module:
WARNING: Error initializing default drive: ‘Unable to find a default server with Active Directory Web Services running’.
In this case, you need to specify the AD domain controller and user credentials to connect to it.
Hint. Also, check if the ADWS service is running on the domain controller and is responding on port 9389 (Test-NetConnection DC01 -port 9389). Learn more about the Unable to find a default server with Active Directory Web Services running error.
First of all, you need to get the user’s credentials to access the domain. Any authenticated domain user can view almost all AD objects properties (excluding protected Active Directory attributes).
$cred = Get-Credential
For example, to get the user’s info from the DC named TOR-DC01 under saved credentials, use the command:
get-aduser postfixsrv –server tor-dc01 -Credential $cred
The -Server parameter is not mandatory. By default, PowerShell tries to find the nearest domain controller (LogonServer) and connect to it. If your computer cannot find or connect to LogonServer, you can manually specify its name using the -Server parameter.
As you can see, you have received the AD account info.
So now you can use the PowerShell cmdlets to manage and query Active Directory.
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This is a fantastic article. I’ve referred to it several times to install the Active Directory modules on multiple Windows servers and Win7 PC.
Thanks for writing it!
Installed fine and connected once but won’t make connection to my server any more and I can’t remove it. Tried Remove-PSSession -Id 1 and Remove-Module RemoteAD but it remains even after restart. Every time I start PowerShell it does this.
For Windows 10 builds 1909 and later, replace the command `Add-WindowsCapability –online –Name “Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0”` with simply `Add-WindowsCapability –online –Name “Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools”`. You don’t need the specific version # at the end; it will likely throw an error.
Excellent! Helped me a lot. Thank you!