How to lower Active Directory Functional Level

In Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012, you can lower the Forest and Domain functional level from 2012 to 2008 R2, or from 2008 R2 to 2008. But you cannot lower it beyond 2008. Also, this is not possible by GUI, you have to use PowerShell for doing this. Let’s see how you can do it in the following steps:

Import the AD module

Import-Module -Name ActiveDirectory

Check the Forest Functional level of your Active Directory

Get-ADForest | Format-Table Name , ForestMode

Lower the Forest Functional Level and then the Domain Functional Level

Set-ADForestMode –Identity “chathura.local” –ForestMode Windows2008R2Forest

Set-ADDomainMode –Identity “chathura.local” –DomainMode Windows2008R2Domain

To Confirm your Forest Functional level of your Active Directory

Get-ADForest | Format-Table Name , ForestMode