Installs an Active Directory managed service account on a computer or caches a group managed service account on a computer.
Active Directory · Risk: High · Documentation Verified
Last verified: 2026-10-26
Microsoft ActiveDirectory reference: Installs an Active Directory managed service account on a computer or caches a group managed service account on a computer. The syntax and selected example below are adapted from the pinned Windows Server 2025 reference. Module availability, target configuration and delegated permissions determine whether it can run in your environment. Documentation and parameter text: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; formatting adapted by Cmdlet World. No execution testing is claimed.
Use an account with the target resource permissions documented for Install-ADServiceAccount. Modifying administrative cmdlets may require elevation or delegated administration. This catalog does not assert that ordinary users can execute the command.
Supported environments
Windows / ActiveDirectory · Windows Server 2025 documentation; feature/module prerequisites apply
Parameters
-AccountPassword
Specifies the account password as a secure string. This parameter enables you to specify the password of a standalone managed service account that you have provisioned and is ignored for group managed service accounts. This is required when you are installing a standalone managed service account on a server located on a segmented network (site) with read-only domain controllers (for example, a perimeter network or DMZ). In this case you should create the standalone managed service account, link it with the appropriate computer account, and assign a well-known password that must be passed when installing the standalone managed service account on the server on the read-only domain controller site with no access to writable domain controllers. If you pass both *AccountPassword* and *PromptForPassword* parameters, the *AccountPassword* parameter takes precedence.
-AuthType
Specifies the authentication method to use. Possible values for this parameter include: The acceptable values for this parameter are: - Negotiate or 0 - Basic or 1 The default authentication method is Negotiate. A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection is required for the Basic authentication method.
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
-Force
Forces installation of the service account.
-Identity (required)
Specifies an Active Directory group object by providing one of the following values. The identifier in parentheses is the LDAP display name for the attribute. The acceptable values for this parameter are: - A distinguished name - A GUID (objectGUID) - A security identifier (objectSid) - A security accounts manager account name (sAMAccountName) The cmdlet searches the default naming context or partition to find the object. If two or more objects are found, the cmdlet returns a non-terminating error. This parameter can also get this object through the pipeline or you can set this parameter to an object instance.
-PromptForPassword
Indicates that you can enter the password of a standalone managed service account that you have pre-provisioned and ignored for group managed service accounts. This is required when you are installing a standalone managed service account on a server located on a segmented network (site) with no access to writable domain controllers, but only read-only domain controllers (RODCs) (e.g. perimeter network or DMZ). In this case you should create the standalone managed service account, link it with the appropriate computer account, and assign a well-known password that must be passed when installing the standalone managed service account on the server on the RODC-only site. If you pass both *AccountPassword* and *PromptForPassword* parameters the *AccountPassword* parameter takes precedence.
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Prerequisites
Windows with the ActiveDirectory module and the Windows feature or management tools that provide it. Confirm target connectivity and version compatibility using the linked Microsoft reference.
Security considerations
This cmdlet changes system state. Review every target and parameter in the official reference, test outside production, and prepare an appropriate backup or rollback. Do not execute the example automatically.
Examples
Example 1: Install a managed service account on the local computer
This command installs a managed service account with name SQL-HR-svc-01 on the local computer. If a group managed service account is used, the service account must have the PrincipalsAllowedToRetrieveManagedPassword property set. Source: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; transcript prompt/output removed. This example was not executed.