Practical procedure and troubleshooting notes for Adding a Computer to a Local Domain.

Prerequisites

Before joining a Windows 11 computer to a local domain, ensure the following:

• You have network connectivity to the domain controller.
• The computer is configured to use the domain’s DNS server.
• You have valid domain administrator credentials (or an account with permissions to join devices).
• The domain name (FQDN) is known (e.g., mydomain.local).

Steps to Join the Domain

1. Open Windows Settings.

2. Ensure you are on the System tab in the left navigation menu.
   

3. Scroll down and select About.
   

4. In the About section of this PC, look for Domain or Workgroup in the Related Links section.
   

5. Select Domain or Workgroup.

6. The System Properties window will pop up.
   

7. Click Change next to "To rename this computer or change its domain or workgroup."

8. The Computer Name/Domain Changes window will appear.
   

9. Select the radio button for Domain.

10. Enter the FQDN of the domain you want to join (e.g., mydomain.local).
    

11. When prompted, sign in with an administrative domain account in the Windows Security pop-up.
    

12. Follow the prompts and restart the computer.

13. Once the computer restarts, you can log in with any domain user account.