How to Add Active Directory Users and Computers

In this article we will talk about how you can add users and computers to Active Directory using the GUI and PowerShell. Active Directory (AD) is a tool for managing users and computers in a Windows network environment.

This guide explains how to add users and computers to Active Directory using the GUI and command-line tools.

How to Add Active Directory Users and Computers

If you’ve tried searching for Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) on your laptop you may not find it because it’s not available by default.

ADUC isn’t included in the standard installation of Windows. The method to install it varies depending on your Windows version.

For modern versions of Windows, ADUC is included as part of the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT), a collection of tools designed for managing remote servers and Active Directory environments. To use ADUC, you’ll need to install the RSAT package but if you have here’s how you can fix it.

Method 1: Using ADUC (GUI)

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc).
2. Navigate to the desired Organizational Unit (OU).
3. Right-click and select New > User.
4. Fill in the required details (username, full name, and password).
5. Click Next and then Finish to create the user.

Method 2: Using PowerShell

You can also create a user with PowerShell using the New-ADUser command:

New-ADComputer -Name "Computer01" -Path "OU=Computers,DC=domain,DC=com"

How to Add Computers to Active Directory

Step 1: Join the Computer to the Domain

1. On the client computer, open System Properties:
   • Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter.
2. Go to the Computer Name tab and click Change.
3. Select Domain and enter your domain name (e.g., example.com).
4. Click OK and enter the credentials of a domain admin when prompted.
5. Restart the computer to complete the process.

Step 2: Verify the Computer in ADUC

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers on the server.
2. Navigate to the Computers container or the appropriate OU.
3. Verify that the computer account appears in the list.

Final words

Setting up Active Directory? Learn how to Promote a Server to a Domain Controller and Update Group Policy Using CMD for smoother management