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Get-ADForest

Use Get-ADForest to return information about an Active Directory forest, including its domains, sites and forest-level role holders.

Command 2 min read Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7

Documentation: Microsoft Learn — Get-ADForest

Written and tested by Dhrub Bharali · Updated

Syntax

1PS> Get-ADForest [-Identity] <ADForest> [-Current <ADCurrentForestType>] [-Server <String>] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [<CommonParameters>]
See the command anatomy

Read the command and its supplied arguments. This example requires real PowerShell or its module; this diagram does not execute it.

Get-ADForest [-Identity] <ADForest> [-Current <ADCurrentForestType>] [-Server <String>] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [<CommonParameters>]
  1. Stage 1Get-ADForest-Identity -Current -Server -Credential

    Try it

    Windows PowerShell

    PowerShell example · browser support is limited.

    Execution scope: The full example below requires PowerShell outside this browser. You can edit this runner to use the supported practice commands; unsupported syntax returns an explanation.

    Interactive simulation · fictional data

    Examples

    Select Name, ForestMode, Domains, Sites

    1PS> Get-ADForest | Select-Object Name, ForestMode, Domains, Sites
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    Name        ForestMode          Domains       Sites
----        ----------          -------       -----
corp.local  Windows2016Forest   {corp.local}  {Default-First-Site-Name}

    Select SchemaMaster, DomainNamingMaster

    1PS> Get-ADForest | Select-Object SchemaMaster, DomainNamingMaster
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    SchemaMaster       DomainNamingMaster
------------       ------------------
DC01.corp.local    DC01.corp.local

    Expand UPNSuffixes

    1PS> Get-ADForest | Select-Object -ExpandProperty UPNSuffixes
    Show reference output

    Sample output · fictional data, shaped like the real thing

    Name        ForestMode          RootDomain  SchemaMaster
----        ----------          ----------  ------------
corp.local  Windows2016Forest   corp.local  DC01.corp.local

    Parameters

    Parameter definitions:

    • -Identity
    • -Current
    • -Server
    • -Credential

    Get-ADForest on Microsoft Learn

    Practical use and troubleshooting

    Practical scenario: Use Get-ADForest when you need to return information about an Active Directory forest, including its domains, sites and forest-level role holders. Start with one identified target and inspect the returned values before extending the operation to a list. Keep the identity in your report so you can trace each result back to the object or path that produced it.

    Common error and fix: A forest lookup can fail outside the required directory context. Confirm domain connectivity and the intended forest rather than assuming every domain name is a separate forest. In an unattended script, capture this failure with its original error record and record which target failed. An empty result and an unsuccessful query must remain distinguishable in the final report.

    See also: Get-ADDomain. Get-ADDomain describes a domain; Get-ADForest describes the forest and its domains. Domain-level settings and forest-level role holders are different scopes. Read the linked command before substituting it; similar names do not imply identical inputs or output.

    Get-ADForest reference on Microsoft Learn

    Recap

    Get-ADForest Use Get-ADForest to return information about an Active Directory forest, including its domains, sites and forest-level role holders.

    Next: Get-ADDomain
    Genie guideGet-ADForest

    Use Get-ADForest to return information about an Active Directory forest, including its domains, sites and forest-level role holders. The console below is pre-loaded — run it, then change a value and run it again.

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