Knowledgebase

If you want to rename an user in Active Directory by using C#, you can use the following code:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.DirectoryServices;
using System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            try
            {
                Console.WriteLine("This application will rename a user in active directory.");
                Console.WriteLine(Environment.NewLine);

                Console.WriteLine("Enter domain:");
                string domain = Console.ReadLine();

                Console.WriteLine("Connecting to domaincontroller.");
                using (PrincipalContext context = new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain, domain))
                {
                    if (context == null)
                    {
                        throw new ApplicationException("Domain not found.");
                    }

                    Console.WriteLine("Enter current username (e.g. john):");
                    string currentUserName = Console.ReadLine();
                                        
                    using (UserPrincipal user = UserPrincipal.FindByIdentity(context, currentUserName))
                    {
                        if (user == null)
                        {
                            throw new ApplicationException("User not found.");
                        }

                        Console.WriteLine("Enter new username (e.g. john2):");
                        string newUserName = Console.ReadLine();

                        using (DirectoryEntry entry = (DirectoryEntry)user.GetUnderlyingObject())
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("Setting account properties in active directory.");
                            entry.InvokeSet("uid", newUserName);
                            entry.InvokeSet("sAMAccountName", newUserName);
                            entry.InvokeSet("userPrincipalName", string.Format("{0}@{1}", newUserName, domain));
                            entry.CommitChanges();

                            Console.WriteLine("Rename common-name (CN).");
                            entry.Rename("CN=" + newUserName);
                            entry.CommitChanges();

                            Console.WriteLine("User successfully renamed.");
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
            }
            
            Console.WriteLine("Press enter to continue...");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}