How to Add a Computer to a Domain on PC: Step-by-Step Guide

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Easily connect your PC to a network domain with this quick guide

Co-authored by Stan Kats and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: October 30, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Windows 10
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• Windows 11
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• Video
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• Expert Interview

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If you need to add your Windows computer to a domain for work or school, it's very easy to do. Just keep in mind that you can only join a domain if you're using the Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition of Windows—it's not possible to add a Windows 10 or 11 Home Edition PC to an Active Directory domain. Read on to learn how to add a PC to a domain, with expert advice from IT Technologist Stan Kats.

Adding a PC to a Domain

Right-click the Start menu and select System. Click Change settings, click the Change… button, and enter the domain name. Click OK and restart your PC. When the login screen appears, select Other user, then log in to the domain.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

How to Add a Windows 10 PC to a Domain

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1. 1
   Right-click the Start menu and select System. Right-clicking the Start menu opens the Power User menu. "System" will appear near the top.
2. 2
   Click Change settings under "Computer name, domain, and workgroup." This opens the System Properties menu.
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3. 3
   Click the Change… button. It's the last button in the System Properties dialog.
4. 4
   Select Domain. It's the first radio button in the "Member of" panel.

   • If this option is grayed out and you can't select it, your version of Windows does not support adding the computer to a domain. According to Kats, you'll need to be using the Pro or Enterprise version of Windows 10 to add the PC to a domain.
5. 5
   Type the domain name and click OK. Type the name of the domain you would like to join into the "Domain" field. If you are not sure what the domain name is, consult the network administrator.

   • If prompted, enter the username and password you must use for the domain and click OK to continue. Or, if you're the network administrator adding a PC to the domain, enter your administrator username and password.
6. 6
   Click OK. You may see a welcome prompt, and a prompt advising you to restart your computer. Click OK to acknowledge.
7. 7
   Click Close. This closes the System Properties window. A prompt immediately displays, asking you to restart your computer.
8. 8
   Click Restart Now when prompted. Before you log in to the domain with your computer, you'll need to reboot. When prompted, click Restart Now.
9. 9
   Click Other user. After your computer restarts, you can log in to your computer locally using your Windows username and password or click Other User in the lower-left corner to log in to the domain.
10. 10
    Type your username and password for the domain. In the first bar, where you normally type your Windows username, type the domain followed by a backslash (\), followed by your username. For example, "company\username".
11. 11
    Type your password and press ↵ Enter. This logs you into the domain.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

How to Add a Windows 11 PC to a Domain

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1. 1
   Open your Windows settings. You can do this by clicking the gear icon in the Start menu, or by pressing Windows key + i.
2. 2
   Click Accounts. You'll see this in the left panel near the middle of the list.
3. 3
   Click Access work or school. This option is in the right panel, near the center.

   • According to Kats, you'll need to be using the Pro or Enterprise version of Windows 11 to add the PC to a domain. You can also use Windows 11 for Education.
4. 4
   Click the blue Connect button. It's near the top of the right panel.
5. 5
   Select Join this device to a local Active Directory domain. This is the last option near the bottom of the window under "Alternate Actions."
6. 6
   Enter the domain name and click Next. This domain name is provided by your network administrator. This could be a single name (like "Domain") or one that looks like a hostname, separated with dots (like "domain.myschool.edu").
7. 7
   Enter your credentials and click OK. If your account on the domain has access, you can log in with that account to join. If not, your network administrator will need to log in to their administrator account to join the domain.

   • If prompted to create a new account, click Skip.
8. 8
   Restart your PC. Now that you've joined the domain, you'll be prompted to restart. Click Restart now, and wait for your PC to boot to the login screen.
9. 9
   Click Other user on the login screen. Your computer will typically prompt you to sign in with your usual username and password. But, since you're joining the domain, you'll need to log in with the domain account.
10. 10
    Log in to the domain. If the domain has a legacy single-word name, use DOMAIN\yourusername as your username. If it has a dot-separated hostname, use your username@domain.name. Once you are signed in, you'll be on the domain.
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