Microsoft Active Directory

name: Microsoft Active Directory
description: Microsoft Active Directory (AD) is a directory service developed by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It
  provides authentication and authorization services, centralized domain management, and directory services.
accessModel:
  pricing: freemium
  onboarding: self-serve
  trial: false
  try_now: true
  public: false
  label: Freemium · Self-serve signup
  confidence: high
  source:
  - plans
  - authentication
  generated: '2026-07-22'
  method: derived
image: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/media/active-directory-domain-services.png
created: '2024'
modified: '2026-04-28'
specificationVersion: '0.23'
url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/
tags:
- Authentication
- Authorization
- Directory Services
- Enterprise
- Identity
- LDAP
- Windows
tags_raw:
- Authentication
- Authorization
- Directory Services
- Enterprise
- Identity
- Ldap
- Windows
apis:
- name: LDAP Protocol Interface
  description: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol interface for querying and modifying Active Directory.
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/desktop/ldap/lightweight-directory-access-protocol-ldap-api
  baseURL: ldap://[domain-controller]:389
  tags:
  - Directory
  - LDAP
  - Protocol
  - Query
  tags_raw:
  - Directory
  - Ldap
  - Protocol
  - Queries
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/ad/active-directory-ldap
  - type: Protocol Specification
    url: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc4511
  - type: Examples
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/ad/example-code-for-searching-active-directory
- name: PowerShell Active Directory Module
  description: PowerShell cmdlets for managing Active Directory Domain Services.
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/
  tags:
  - Administration
  - Automation
  - PowerShell
  - Scripting
  tags_raw:
  - Administration
  - Automation
  - Powershell
  - Scripting
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/
  - type: GettingStarted
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/get-aduser
  - type: Examples
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/samples/sample-scripts-for-administration
- name: Azure AD Graph API (Deprecated)
  description: Legacy REST API for Azure Active Directory (being replaced by Microsoft Graph).
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/azure/ad/graph/
  baseURL: https://graph.windows.net
  tags:
  - Azure
  - Deprecated
  - Legacy
  - REST
  tags_raw:
  - Azure
  - Deprecated
  - Legacy
  - Rest
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/azure/ad/graph/api/api-catalog
  - type: Migration Guide
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/migrate-azure-ad-graph-overview
  - type: Deprecation Notice
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/migrate-azure-ad-graph-overview
- aid: microsoft-active-directory:microsoft-active-directory-applications-api
  name: Microsoft Active Directory Applications API
  description: The Applications API from Microsoft Active Directory — 2 operation(s) for applications.
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/overview
  baseURL: https://graph.microsoft.com
  tags:
  - Application
  tags_raw:
  - Applications
  properties:
  - type: OpenAPI
    url: openapi/microsoft-active-directory-applications-api-openapi.yml
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/overview
  - type: Authentication
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/auth/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/sdks-overview
  - type: Pricing
    url: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/active-directory/
- aid: microsoft-active-directory:microsoft-active-directory-directory-roles-api
  name: Microsoft Active Directory Directory Roles API
  description: The Directory Roles API from Microsoft Active Directory — 2 operation(s) for directory roles.
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/overview
  baseURL: https://graph.microsoft.com
  tags:
  - Directory Roles
  properties:
  - type: OpenAPI
    url: openapi/microsoft-active-directory-directory-roles-api-openapi.yml
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/overview
  - type: Authentication
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/auth/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/sdks-overview
  - type: Pricing
    url: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/active-directory/
- aid: microsoft-active-directory:microsoft-active-directory-groups-api
  name: Microsoft Active Directory Groups API
  description: The Groups API from Microsoft Active Directory — 4 operation(s) for groups.
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/overview
  baseURL: https://graph.microsoft.com
  tags:
  - Group
  tags_raw:
  - Groups
  properties:
  - type: OpenAPI
    url: openapi/microsoft-active-directory-groups-api-openapi.yml
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/overview
  - type: Authentication
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/auth/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/sdks-overview
  - type: Pricing
    url: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/active-directory/
- aid: microsoft-active-directory:microsoft-active-directory-service-principals-api
  name: Microsoft Active Directory Service Principals API
  description: The Service Principals API from Microsoft Active Directory — 2 operation(s) for service principals.
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/overview
  baseURL: https://graph.microsoft.com
  tags:
  - Service Principals
  properties:
  - type: OpenAPI
    url: openapi/microsoft-active-directory-service-principals-api-openapi.yml
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/overview
  - type: Authentication
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/auth/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/sdks-overview
  - type: Pricing
    url: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/active-directory/
- aid: microsoft-active-directory:microsoft-active-directory-users-api
  name: Microsoft Active Directory Users API
  description: The Users API from Microsoft Active Directory — 3 operation(s) for users.
  humanURL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/overview
  baseURL: https://graph.microsoft.com
  tags:
  - User
  tags_raw:
  - Users
  properties:
  - type: OpenAPI
    url: openapi/microsoft-active-directory-users-api-openapi.yml
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/overview
  - type: Authentication
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/auth/
  - type: SDKs
    url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/sdks-overview
  - type: Pricing
    url: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/active-directory/
maintainers:
- FN: Microsoft Corporation
  email: support@microsoft.com
  url: https://www.microsoft.com
common:
- type: AgenticAccess
  url: agentic-access/microsoft-active-directory-agentic-access.yml
- type: VulnerabilityDisclosure
  url: security/microsoft-active-directory-vulnerability-disclosure.yml
- type: DomainSecurity
  url: security/microsoft-active-directory-domain-security.yml
- type: Authentication
  url: authentication/microsoft-active-directory-authentication.yml
- type: OAuthScopes
  url: scopes/microsoft-active-directory-scopes.yml
- type: GitHubOrganization
  url: https://github.com/microsoft
- type: TermsOfService
  url: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/servicesagreement
- type: PrivacyPolicy
  url: https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement
- type: Service Status
  url: https://status.azure.com/
- type: Blog
  url: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-entra-azure-ad-blog/bg-p/Identity
- type: Support
  url: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server