How To Enable Domain Option In Windows 10 Home
How to Enable Domain Option in Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Home is the most basic and affordable edition of Windows 10, designed for home users and personal devices. However, one of the limitations of Windows 10 Home is that it does not support joining a domain, which is a network of computers that share resources and security policies. Domain joining is usually required for business or educational purposes, where users need to access files, printers, and applications on a central server.
How To Enable Domain Option In Windows 10 Home
If you have a Windows 10 Home device and you want to join a domain, you might think that you need to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, which is the edition that supports domain joining. However, upgrading to Windows 10 Pro can be costly and time-consuming, and you might not need all the features that it offers. Fortunately, there are some methods that can help you enable the domain option in Windows 10 Home without upgrading. In this article, we will show you two of these methods and explain how they work.
Method 1: Use a Third-Party Software
One method that can help you enable the domain option in Windows 10 Home is to use a third-party software that can modify the system files and registry settings of your device. One such software is [Domain Join GUI], which is a free and open-source tool that can join your Windows 10 Home device to a domain with a few clicks. Here are the steps to use this software:
Download [Domain Join GUI] from its official website and extract the zip file.
Run the DomainJoinGUI.exe file as an administrator.
Enter the name of the domain that you want to join and click Join Domain.
Enter the username and password of a domain account that has permission to join devices to the domain and click OK.
Wait for the process to complete and restart your device when prompted.
After the restart, your device should be joined to the domain and you should be able to log in with your domain account. You can also verify this by going to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school and checking if your domain name is listed under Connected to work or school.
Method 2: Edit the Registry
Another method that can help you enable the domain option in Windows 10 Home is to edit the registry, which is a database that stores settings and options for Windows and other applications. By creating a new registry value, you can trick Windows into thinking that it supports domain joining. Here are the steps to edit the registry:
Press Windows Logo + R keys to open Run command.
Type regedit and click OK.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Right-click on CurrentVersion and select New > String Value.
Name the new value ProductName.
Double-click on ProductName and change its value data to Windows 10 Pro. Click OK.
Close the Registry Editor and restart your device.
After the restart, you can join a domain by going to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school > Connect > Join this device to a local Active Directory Domain. Enter the domain name and credentials as usual and follow the instructions. This method is recommended by Microsoft and is the most straightforward way to enable the domain option in Windows 10 Home.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to enable domain option in Windows 10 Home using two methods: using a third-party software or editing the registry. Both methods are easy and effective, but they have some drawbacks. For example, using a third-party software might pose some security risks or compatibility issues, while editing the registry might cause some system instability or errors if done incorrectly. Therefore, we advise you to backup your data and create a system restore point before trying any of these methods. Also, keep in mind that these methods are not officially supported by Microsoft and might violate their terms of service. If you want to join a domain without any hassle or risk, you might want to consider upgrading to Windows 10 Pro instead.
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