How to Install Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) on Windows 10 and 11
Active Directory is an essential part of Windows Server. It allows IT pros to manage computer resources on the network.
A practical guide to installing Active Directory Users and Computers with RSAT: what has changed in modern Windows, where older guides go wrong, and how to fix the issues that actually block installation.
Key Takeaways:
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- ADUC is part of RSAT, not a standalone install.
- Modern Windows uses Feature on Demand, not separate downloads, for current client builds.
- RSAT support is limited to Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
- Most installation issues come down to edition, missing capability visibility, or environment restrictions such as WSUS/Windows Update policy.
- Manage Active Directory from a workstation, not by casually logging into a domain controller.
Quick answer
To install ADUC on Windows 10 or 11, open Settings > Apps > Optional Features, click Add a feature (or View features on some Windows 11 builds), search for RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools, and install it. Then launch Active Directory Users and Computers from the Start menu or run dsa.msc. ADUC is included in RSAT. It is not a standalone download on current Windows versions.
If you’re still RDP’ing into a domain controller (DC) to manage users, you’re doing it the hard way. Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) is still the everyday tool for a lot of Active Directory (AD) work, but Microsoft stopped treating it like a simple download years ago. On modern Windows clients, ADUC is part of the Remote Server Administrative Tools (RSAT), which is delivered as a Feature on Demand (FoD), not a separate installer.
This guide focuses on the current install path and, more importantly, what to do when it doesn’t work.
Before you install Active Directory Users and Computers on Windows 10 and later
| Quick checklist: – You’re running Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. – You have local admin rights to add optional features. – You have connectivity to your domain environment if you expect ADUC to actually manage anything. – You understand you’re installing RSAT, not ADUC as a standalone app. |
If you’re running Windows 10 version 1809 or newer, or Windows 11, follow these steps to install the tool. Make sure you are online and are connected to the Internet (the screens for Windows 11 are slightly different, but you should be able to follow along just fine).
Method 1: Install ADUC using the Windows Settings app
- Open Settings > Apps > Optional Features.
- Click Add a feature or View features.
- Search for RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools.
- Select it and click Install.
Method 2: Install ADUC using PowerShellAdding an optional feature
Useful for scripting, remote prep, or bulk deployment:
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name "Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0"If you prefer to install every RSAT component, that’s your choice but for most workstations, installing only the AD toolset is cleaner and easier to troubleshoot. The specific AD DS/LDS capability name above is the one tied to ADUC. After clicking Install, you should see some progress.
How to launch ADUC
- Search the Start menu for Active Directory Users and Computers.
- Or press Win + R, type dsa.msc, and press Enter.
RSAT is no longer a download in Windows
That’s the first thing most outdated articles get wrong. Before Windows 10 version 1809, RSAT was commonly installed from a separate MSU package. Starting with Windows 10 1809, Microsoft moved RSAT into Windows as a Feature on Demand. If a guide tells you to go hunting for a download on a current Windows 10/11 build, it’s obsolete. Keep reading to learn in more detail about the various methods you can use to install ADUC on your computer.
Why you should install only what you need on a management workstation
RSAT is modular. You can add just the AD DS/LDS tools for ADUC, or install other pieces separately, such as DNS, DHCP, or Group Policy Management. That matters because “install RSAT” no longer means “dump the whole bundle on the machine.” It means selecting the capability you actually need.
Before we proceed, I recommend installing the Active Directory Domain Services tools on your workstation or whatever management workstation you use for daily tasks. Although the tool is installed automatically on your DCs when you add the AD Domain Services role, it is not recommended to directly work on your DCs interactively.
ADUC vs Active Directory Administrative Center (ADAC)
Two tools are installed when you follow the steps here to add RSAT for Windows: Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) and the Active Directory Administrative Center (ADAC). The latter is more recent and it provides a more intuitive and clean interface for your Helpdesk support team and junior admins.
Common troubleshooting tips and tricks
This is where most installs go sideways. ADUC itself is rarely the problem. The usual failure point is RSAT delivery, Windows servicing, or environmental policy. Here are the most common issues you’ll run into when trying to install the RSAT tools and Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC).
RSAT is missing from Optional Features
Start with the boring answer because it’s often the right one: check the edition. Windows Home doesn’t support RSAT, so the feature may never appear. If the edition is supported, look at Windows Update configuration next, especially in managed environments where WSUS, Intune, or policy settings can block Feature on Demand content from showing up or downloading properly.
ADUC installed, but you can’t find it
Don’t assume the Start menu search will be helpful. Check Windows Tools (or Administrative Tools on older builds) and confirm you actually installed RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools, not a different RSAT component. In some cases, the snap-ins are already present even when Optional Features doesn’t make that obvious, so testing dsa.msc directly is faster than clicking around.
- Run PowerShell as Administrator.
- Confirm the UAC prompt allows elevation.
Installation package not found, or install fails or hangs
On modern Windows, RSAT is usually pulled as Feature on Demand content. If the machine has no internet access, Windows Update services are disabled, or your org routes servicing through WSUS without the right FoD setup, the install can stall or throw errors like 0x800f0954. That’s not an ADUC issue but a servicing path problem. In locked-down environments, the fix is often to temporarily allow Microsoft Update for FoD content or install from approved offline Feature on Demand media.
Symptoms:
- Error: “Add-WindowsCapability failed. Error code = 0x800f0954”
- “The requested package is not available.”
ADUC opens but won’t connect
If the console opens but the domain view doesn’t, stop troubleshooting the install. At that point, the problem is usually environment-related: the workstation isn’t domain-joined, DNS can’t resolve the domain properly, line-of-sight to a DC is broken, or the signed-in account simply lacks permission to do what you’re trying to do.
ADUC launching successfully only proves the tool is present and not that your path to Active Directory is healthy. The device is managed by WSUS or SCCM, which blocks on-demand feature downloads from Microsoft servers.
Can you install ADUC on Windows Home?
Short answer: no. If the device is running Windows Home, the clean answer is to upgrade to Pro or use a supported admin workstation. Time spent trying to force RSAT onto Home is usually wasted effort.
Why you should install ADUC on a workstation
Don’t administer AD from a domain controller!
Stop managing AD from domain controllers
Routine user and group management from a domain controller is a bad habit that stuck around because it was convenient. It also means interactive logons on Tier-0 systems for work that usually doesn’t require direct DC access. That’s unnecessary risk, and at scale it becomes normalized technical debt.
Workstation-based administration is the standard
Managing Active Directory from a properly secured admin workstation reduces attack surface, improves separation of duties, and fits a tiered administration model far better than hopping into servers over RDP. If your security model still assumes the domain controller is your daily admin desktop, it needs updating.
It’s also better operationally
For day-to-day work, workstation-based admin is simply faster. It lowers friction, supports delegation better, and makes it easier to standardize tooling without treating servers like someone’s personal console.
Frequently asked questions
What is ADUC used for?
The ADUC is the classic MMC console for managing on-premises Active Directory. It’s an MMC (Microsoft Management Console) snap-in used to manage objects in the directory of a Windows domain, such as users, groups, computers, and organizational units (OUs). It’s still heavily used because it’s quick, familiar, and good at routine directory administration.
With it, you can perform tasks like: create user accounts, reset passwords, move objects between OUs, manage group membership, and delegate permissions.
Is ADUC still supported in Windows 11?
Yes, through RSAT. It isn’t installed by default, but Windows 11 supports it on Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions via Optional Features or PowerShell. On a Windows Server that has the AD DS role installed, ADUC will typically appear under Server Manager > Tools > Active Directory Users and Computers.
On a Windows 10/11 client, you need to install or enable the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) feature, such as “RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools”.
Once installed, you can run the console by e.g. pressing Win + R and typing dsa.msc.
Do you need RSAT to install ADUC?
Yes. On Windows clients, ADUC is delivered as part of the RSAT capability named RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools. It isn’t offered as a separate current download. To create, modify, or delete objects via ADUC you must have sufficient directory permissions. For example, by default members of the “Domain Admins” and “Enterprise Admins” groups can manage user, group and computer accounts.
It’s also possible to delegate granular control (for example to a help-desk user who should only reset passwords) rather than give full admin rights.
Where is ADUC after installation?
You can find it by searching the Start menu for Active Directory Users and Computers, under Windows Tools, or by running dsa.msc. If search is being unhelpful, dsa.msc is the fastest check.
Why can’t you see RSAT in Optional Features?
The usual reasons are an unsupported Windows edition, update servicing restrictions, or corporate policy blocking Feature on Demand content. In managed environments, WSUS or related policy settings are often the real culprit, not the RSAT package itself.
Can you install ADUC without a domain?
Yes, you can install the tool without joining the workstation to a domain. But installation and usefulness are different things: if the device can’t resolve or reach the domain environment, ADUC won’t be very useful once it opens.
Michael has been an IT Pro since 1998. He has worked predominantly in the Windows world including client and server operating systems, on-prem systems engineering (AD, DNS, etc.), and over the last ten years or so has embraced and immersed himself in...
