Step by Step guide to lower Active Directory Functional Level

 

 

Newest member in the A-Team, Aman Sahota, gives us insights on some simple, yet important steps in Active Directory management.

In Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012, you can lower the Forest and Domain functional level from 2012 to 2008 R2, or from 2008 R2 to 2008. But you cannot lower it beyond 2008. Also, this is not possible by GUI, you have to use PowerShell for doing this. Let’s see how you can do it in the following steps:

 

1. Import the AD module

Import-Module -Name ActiveDirectory

 

2. Check the Forest Functional level of your Active Directory

Get-ADForest | Format-Table Name , ForestMode

 

You can also check it by going to AD Domain and services.

 

3. Lower the Forest Functional Level and then the Domain Functional Level

Set-ADForestMode –Identity “woodgrovebank.com” –ForestMode Windows2008Forest

Set-ADDomainMode –Identity “woodgrovebank.com” –DomainMode Windows2008Domain

 

 

4. To Confirm your Forest Functional level of your Active Directory

Get-ADForest | Format-Table Name , ForestMode

 

 

Hope this helps. Happy reading!

-A-Team!

Comments

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  thanks, its working perfectly ...

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Thanks!

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Thanks!

• Anonymous
  July 12, 2013
  If you have an exchange 2013 server in a domain and forest as 2012 level, then lower it to 2008R2 level will that do anything to exchange?

• Anonymous
  August 30, 2013
  This has worked wonderfully. Next time I won't set to 2012 unless I am sure I won't need 2008! Thanks Heaps!

• Anonymous
  September 11, 2013
  I followed the great instructions several times and the forest and domain functional levels are still at 2012.  Do you have a clue as to what steps to take next?

• Anonymous
  February 20, 2014
  Man, you are the best ! I don't know why Microsoft doesn't have people like you.. I took me the whole day reading different websites till i found this post. thanks very much.

• Anonymous
  February 23, 2014
  yeah "man"
  you'r the cool, i was kind of wander to get this stuff , finally i got it and i tried it and get the things up and running
  thanx man

• Anonymous
  July 28, 2014
  Worked perfectly from 2012R2 to 2008R2. Thanks!

• Anonymous
  November 15, 2014
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  November 17, 2014
  Thanks!

• Anonymous
  December 17, 2014
  Awesome! Worked for me!

• Anonymous
  January 05, 2015
  It works like a charm. Thanks

• Anonymous
  February 24, 2015
  Hello, does it work if i have the AD recycle bin activated ??

• Anonymous
  July 22, 2015
  Thanks a Million buddy, worked like a charm