How to Install Windows Admin Center on Windows 10 and Windows 11

In this post, I will take you through the learning journey on how to install Windows Admin Center to enable you to deploy Windows 10 & 11 PCs, Windows Servers as well as clusters, and hyper-converged infrastructure through a web browser. Windows Admin Center can be installed on Windows 10 and 11 and is fully compatible with computers running modern Windows Operating Systems. Windows Admin Center can be seen as your remote management tool for PCs running Windows 10 & 11 as well as Windows Server. It could be physical, virtual, on-premises, in Azure, or in a hosted environment at no additional cost. Here are some related WAC guides: How to install Windows Admin Center (WAC) in an unattended mode using a self-signed certificate, “How to setup Windows Admin Center and also how to troubleshoot Windows Admin Center (WAC) access from the Web.

It's a way you can simplify Windows and server administration. It allows you to configure and troubleshoot your Windows or servers, and manage all of your workloads remotely from a web browser and one location. It integrates your on-premises  Windows 10 & 11 PCs with Azure in just a few clicks.  

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According to Microsoft, Windows Admin Center is a lightweight, browser-based GUI platform and tool set for IT Admins to manage Windows Server, Windows 10, and Windows 11. It’s the evolution of familiar in-box administrative tools, such as Server Manager and Microsoft Management Console (MMC) into a modernized, simplified, integrated, and secure experience.

Windows Admin Center is a locally deployed, browser-based app for managing Windows servers, clusters, hyper-converged infrastructure, as well as Windows 11 and 10 PCs. On a Windows 11 or 10 PC, when you install Windows Admin Center, it offers the following benefits :

1. Simple and modern management experience
2. Hybrid capabilities
3. Integrated toolset
4. Designed for extensibility

This post covers the manual installation of Windows Admin Center on Windows 11 computers. You can also deploy Windows Admin Center on multiple Windows 10 & 11 PCs using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). With Windows Admin Center, the management of Windows 10 & 11, Servers, reimagined with Windows Admin Center

Let’s get started with the installation

Step 1 – Get to started with the installation of this amazing feature by Microsoft, head over to Download Admin Center and get your copy before we proceed. The file is a super lightweight MSI file format of 79.2 MB (83,062,784 bytes). Before you download the Windows Admin Center setup file, you will be asked for few details, enter them and click Download. What you get is the WindowsAdminCenter.msi installer. The Windows Admin Center updates are released frequently by Microsoft. You can update Windows Admin Center using Windows Updates.

Step 2 – Double click on the MSI in application just downloaded and proceed with the prompts as shown below:

3. Decide on diagnostic data – For the option of sending diagnostic data to Microsoft, there are two options :

1. Required diagnostic data – Select this option if you want to send info about your installation of Windows Admin Center, its settings, and capabilities to Microsoft.
2. Required and optional diagnostic data – Select this option to send info about how you use features, plus additional info about application health, activity, and error reporting.

Select the appropriate option and click Next.

4. Confirm if you would use Microsoft update or not and hit “Next“. It’s recommended that you use Microsoft update

Once you install Windows Admin Center, you can manage computers directly from this PC using a web browser. Click Next to continue with the installation.

You must select a port for the Windows Admin Center site. By default, the Windows Admin Center uses port 6516, however, you can enter a different port number that’s available to you. You can also allow the installer to create a shortcut on your PC to launch Windows Admin Center directly from your desktop. The option Automatic update Windows Admin Center ensure the latest updates are installed via Windows Updates. Click Install. See the screenshot below!

The Windows Admin Center installation on Windows 10 & 11 is complete. The next important step is to select a certificate that is covered in the next step. Click Finish.

Click to Launch Windows Admin Center on Windows 10 & 11 PC

There are basically two ways you can launch Windows Admin Center on the Windows PC:

1. On your Windows 10 or 11 PC, Click Start > type Windows Admin Center in the Search box and open the Windows Admin Center application. This will automatically open the web browser Window via http://localhost:6516
2. You can also launch the Windows Admin Center by using the desktop shortcut created by Windows Admin Center during setup.

When you start Windows Admin Center from the Start menu, it opens in your default browser. I recommend using the Microsoft Edge browser or Google Chrome because it is secure, and the performance is excellent

Configure Windows Admin Center Certificate for Authentication

After you install Windows Admin Center and launch it, the first step involves selecting a client certificate. You should see a Windows Admin Center client certificate prompt.

If you click on Certificate Information, the certificate details are displayed. To use this certificate as shown below, click OK.

With Windows Admin Center installed, you can manage almost everything from your local browser. For example, You can now add your Windows 10, 11 or Windows Server one by one, import a list or search from Active Directory. This is quite easy and flexible.

You can also add tools such as Computer Management, and Cluster Manager, and the list are endless.

Failed Connection in Windows Admin Center

What if it reports a connection error when trying to add and connect to a Windows 10 or 11 or Windows Server PC? If you encounter such an error as shown below, do the following:

1. Check Windows Version by opening the run dialog (Windows Key + R) and run winver.
2. If you are using Windows 10 version 1703 or below, Windows Admin Center doesn’t support the version of your Microsoft Edge. You can either upgrade to a recent version of Windows 10 or use Google Chrome. This is not applicable to Windows 11.
3. If you are using an insider preview version of Windows 10 or a Server with a build version between 17134 and 17637, Windows had a bug that caused Windows Admin Center to fail. Please use a currently supported version of Windows.
4. Ensure that the Firewall on the PC you’re trying to connect to is disabled. This can prevent Windows Remote Management (WinRM) from establishing a connection.
5. Ensure that the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) is running. Open the run dialog (Windows Key + R) and run service.msc

As I explore these tools, I will publish more information in the coming days. Keep following this blog for more updates on Windows Admin Center and other related articles.