You’re trying to manage AD users using PowerShell and you receive the below error message:
This error message means that the Active Directory module for PowerShell is not loaded, and therefore, the command “get-aduser” is not recognized.
To manage AD users, computers, and groups with PowerShell, you must install the Active Directory PowerShell module.
The Active Directory PowerShell module is part of the AD DS Tools, a subset of RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools).
Install the Active Directory PowerShell Module on Windows 10
To install the AD DS Tools on Windows 10 version 1809 or later, use the following command:
Get-WindowsCapability -Name RSAT.ActiveDirectory* -Online | Add-WindowsCapability -OnlineIf you’re running a previous version of the Windows client, you must manually download and install RSAT.
Install the Active Directory PowerShell Module on Windows Server
On Windows Server 2008 and later, you can install the Active Directory PowerShell module via add/remove features in Server Manager.
Start Server Manager and select Add roles and features:
Select Role-based or feature-based installation and click Next:
Select your server and click Next:
Skip the Roles Selection section by clicking Next:
Expand Remote Server Administration Tools, expand Role Administration Tools, expand AD DS and AD LDS Tools and select the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell. Then click Next:
After a while, the AD module for PowerShell is installed, and you can start a new PowerShell prompt and verify the installation of the module:
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-Module -ListAvailable Active*
Directory: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules
ModuleType Version Name ExportedCommands
---------- ------- ---- ----------------
Manifest 1.0.1.0 ActiveDirectory {Add-ADCentralAccessPolicyMember, Add-ADComputerServiceAccount, Add-ADDomainControllerPasswordReplicationPolicy, Add-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicySubject...}AD and Office 365 Management on Steroids
Active Directory and Office 365 management is a very fragmented experience.
With Easy365Manager, you can put all the pieces together!
Easy365Manager is a snap-in to Active Directory Users & Computers that extends the properties of users and groups. When Easy365Manager is installed, you get two new tabs on user properties:
As seen, the new tabs give you access to loads of Office 365 configurations, including Office 365 license management, mailbox type, mail quotas, mailbox delegation, etc.
This means you no longer have to switch between AD Users & Computers, the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, and the Exchange Online Admin Center. Instead, everything is managed from AD Users & Computers.
With Easy365Manager, you also get a new tab on group properties:
Easy365Manager allows you to manage all email attributes from user and group properties seamlessly.
With easy management of mail properties, you no longer need to hold on to your on-premises Exchange Server.
Removing your on-premises Exchange Server gives you 100% protection from future zero-day exploits – a real threat that has affected hundreds of thousands of organizations in 2021 alone.
See a list of all Easy365Manager features here.
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Active Directory Module PowerShell Commands
If you want to know what commands are available in the Active Directory module, use the following command:
