How to Install Active Directory on Windows 11 (RSAT Tools)

You can’t run Active Directory Domain Services as a domain controller on Windows 11 — that requires Windows Server. But you can install the Active Directory management tools (RSAT) on Windows 11 to manage users, groups, OUs, and Group Policy from your desktop.

RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) is built into Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise. No separate download needed — just enable it through Settings or PowerShell.

Key Takeaways

• Active Directory RSAT tools let you manage AD domains remotely from a Windows 11 PC — you don’t need to sit at the server.
• Install via Settings → Apps → Optional features → search “RSAT” → select “RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools.”
• RSAT requires Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise. It’s not available on Windows 11 Home.

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Requirements

Requirement	Details
Windows edition	Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise (RSAT not available on Home)
Internet connection	Required to download the feature from Microsoft
Domain access	Your PC should be joined to (or able to reach) the AD domain you want to manage
Admin rights	You need local admin to install RSAT features

Using Windows 11 Home? You’ll need to upgrade to Pro to access RSAT tools. A Windows 11 Pro key costs $99.99 from The Software City — upgrade in-place without reinstalling. See our Home vs Pro comparison for all differences.

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Method 1: Install via Settings (GUI)

1. Open Settings (press Windows + I).
2. Click Apps → Optional features.
3. Click View features (or “Add a feature” on older builds).
4. In the search box, type RSAT.
5. Check the box next to “RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools”.
6. Click Next → Install.
7. Wait for the download and installation to complete (1–5 minutes depending on connection).

After installation, find the tools in Start → search for “Active Directory Users and Computers” or browse Windows Tools (formerly Administrative Tools).

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Method 2: Install via PowerShell (Faster)

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator (right-click Start → Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin)).
2. Install Active Directory tools: Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name "Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0"
3. Wait for the installation to complete. You’ll see Online: True when done.

Install All RSAT Tools at Once

If you manage multiple server roles, install everything:

Get-WindowsCapability -Name RSAT* -Online | Add-WindowsCapability -Online

Check What’s Already Installed

Get-WindowsCapability -Name RSAT* -Online | Where-Object {$_.State -eq "Installed"}

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Available RSAT Features for Windows 11

RSAT Feature	PowerShell Name	What It Manages
Active Directory DS & LDS Tools	Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools	Users, groups, OUs, domains
DNS Server Tools	Rsat.Dns.Tools	DNS zones, records, forwarding
DHCP Server Tools	Rsat.DHCP.Tools	DHCP scopes, leases, reservations
Group Policy Management	Rsat.GroupPolicy.Management.Tools	GPOs, policies, WMI filters
Server Manager	Rsat.ServerManager.Tools	Remote server overview, roles
File Services Tools	Rsat.FileServices.Tools	DFS, FSRM, file shares
Certificate Services Tools	Rsat.CertificateServices.Tools	CA management, certificates

Install only what you need to save disk space, or install all with the bulk PowerShell command.

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How to Use Active Directory Users and Computers

After installation:

1. Click Start and search for “Active Directory Users and Computers” (or dsa.msc).
2. The console opens. If your PC is domain-joined, it automatically connects to your domain controller.
3. If not domain-joined, right-click the root node → Change Domain → enter the domain name.

Common tasks: – Create a user: Right-click an OU → New → User – Reset a password: Right-click a user → Reset Password – Create a group: Right-click an OU → New → Group – Move an object: Drag and drop between OUs, or right-click → Move – Search: Right-click the domain → Find → search by name, description, or attribute

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Also Works on Windows 10

The same RSAT installation methods work on Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise:

• Settings: Settings → Apps → Optional features → Add a feature → search “RSAT”
• PowerShell: Same Add-WindowsCapability commands work identically

On older Windows 10 builds (pre-1809), RSAT required a separate download from Microsoft’s website. On 1809 and later, it’s built into Optional features like Windows 11.

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Troubleshooting

“RSAT” doesn’t appear in Optional features You’re likely running Windows 11 Home, which doesn’t support RSAT. Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro to unlock this feature.

Installation fails with error 0x800f0954 Your PC may be configured to get updates from WSUS instead of Windows Update. Run this PowerShell command to download directly from Microsoft:

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name "Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0" -Source "Windows Update"

Or temporarily set the Group Policy “Specify settings for optional component installation” to download from Windows Update.

“Active Directory Users and Computers” can’t connect to the domain Verify your PC can reach the domain controller (ping the DC hostname). If not domain-joined, you can still connect by running dsa.msc and changing the domain manually. You may need to supply domain admin credentials.

RSAT tools disappeared after a Windows Update This occasionally happens with major feature updates. Reinstall using the PowerShell command above. Microsoft has largely fixed this issue in recent builds.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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