---
title: "Active Directory Service Account Setup"
slug: "active-directory-service-account-setup"
tags: ["Smart Card", "Service Account"]
updated: 2025-01-29T18:07:06Z
published: 2025-01-29T18:07:06Z
canonical: "mfa.rapididentity.com/active-directory-service-account-setup"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mfa.rapididentity.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Active Directory Service Account Setup

> Here we'll be creating the "Managed Service Account" which will have the necessary permissions needed by the MFA system to connect MFA to AD.

## Part 1 - Create User In AD

1. Open *Active Directory and Users*.
2. Navigate to Domain > Managed Service Accounts.
3. Right-click “Manage Service Accounts” > New > User.
4. Name the user something referring to MFA/2FA (for easy recognition). *It's not required to have all of the fields filled out. In these examples, the name of the account is just "RISSA" (short for RapidIdentity Service Account).* ![SC Service Acct 1 - create.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Service%20Acct%201%20-%20create.png)
5. Set the password to "never expire". ![SC Service Acct 2 - pw.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Service%20Acct%202%20-%20pw.png)

Confirm everything on the last screen, and click "Finish". ![SC Service Acct 2a - confirm.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Service%20Acct%202a%20-%20confirm.png)

### Add User to Server Operators

1. Double-click on your new account (or right-click > Properties) to open the *Properties* window. ![SC Service Acct 3 - add to serv ops.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Service%20Acct%203%20-%20add%20to%20serv%20ops.png)
2. Click on the *Members Of* tab. 2a. Click "Add". This will bring up a new window. ![SC Service Acct 4 - member of tab.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Service%20Acct%204%20-%20member%20of%20tab.png)

   

2b. Type "Server Operators" into the box and click "Check Names". It should resolve and underline Server Operators. Hit "OK". ![SC Service Acct 4a - member of tab.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Service%20Acct%204a%20-%20member%20of%20tab.png)

  

2c. You should see your account as a member of the Server Operators. Click "OK" to complete this step in the account creation. ![SC Service Acct 4b - member of tab.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Service%20Acct%204b%20-%20member%20of%20tab.png)

---

## Part 2 - Add User to the Admin Portal

1. Log into your MFA Admin Portal.
2. Go to the *Methods* tab.
3. On the left-hand side, click on *Active Directory*.
4. In the middle pane, you'll see an option to edit the Service Account. Click "Edit". ![SC Admin Portal 1 - methods.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Admin%20Portal%201%20-%20methods%281%29.png)

   

4a. The *AD Forest Name* box should automatically populate. You should just need to provide the service account's name and password that you created in the [Active Directory Service Account Setup](/v1/docs/active-directory-service-account-setup), and click "Save" when done. ![SC Admin Portal 2 - input.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Admin%20Portal%202%20-%20input.png)

   

4b. It should look like this when it saves. ![SC Admin Portal 2a - saved.png](https://cdn.document360.io/cf888ab6-47bb-4aaa-984b-26a47cdccf46/Images/Documentation/SC%20Admin%20Portal%202a%20-%20saved.png)

---

#### Now that your Service Account creation is complete, you can move on to the [Certificate Template Setup](/v1/docs/certificate-template-setup).