Some Microsoft Office users have reported facing The Active Directory Domain Services is currently unavailable error when they try to print documents in Office 2013. Whether they open PowerPoint, Excel or Word, they want to print something, these components couldn’t detect the printer connected to the system. However if they use some other application, printer connected to their system quickly detected. In this tutorial, I will share a few solutions you can follow to fix this problem.

How To Fix The Active Directory Domain Services Is Currently Unavailable Error
Solution 1: Using Notepad to Recognize Printer
This is a very easy method, you can fix Active directory domain services is currently unavailable error in Windows 10 by adding the printer via Notepad app. To do that, following the steps:
Step 1. First of all, you need to make sure that you are closed Office components.
Step 2. Then you open Notepad, press Ctrl + P key combination or click File > Print.
Step 3. In the following Print window, you click Find Printer.
Step 4. Next you just follow the on-screen instructions. Finally, printer will add to your system.
Solution 2: Using Registry Editor
You should be able to fix “The Active Directory Domain Services is currently unavailable” by using File Explorer. To do that, follow these steps:
Step 1. Press Windows Key + R and type regedit in Run dialog box to open Registry Editor. Click OK.
Step 2. In the left pane of Registry Editor window, you go to here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Step 3. Next, in the left pane of above shown window, you need to locate the three subkeys to CurrentVersion key: Windows, Devices and PrinterPorts. Right click each of them individually and select Permissions to get this window.
Step 4. Under Group or user names, you firstly choose the user account which you’re getting the problem.
Step 5. Then under Permissions for All, you provide a Full Control by putting a check mark against Allow. Click Apply followed by OK to save changes.
Step 6. Finally, you can exit Registry Editor and restart your computer, reinstall printer and now you won’t get any error. After Office components started detecting printer and the issue is solved, you can restore the permissions which you changed in step 4&5.
Some Other Solutions Fix “Active Directory Domain Services Unavailable Windows 10” Error
If two solutions above don’t work, you can also try this method below:
Step 1. First of all, please make sure you are logged in as administrator.
Step 2. Then you press Windows Key + R, type services.msc and Enter to open the Services Manager.
Step 3. In the right pane Services Manager, you need to find Print Spooler. Right-click it and select Properties.
Step 4. At this step, you do following as picture below:
- Startup Type should be Automatic.
- Service Status should be Running. If it’s already running, stop and the restart.
Step 5. Finally, you restart your computer and check if it is resolved problem.
If the problem occurs, you can try to disable the firewall and reboot your router for a short while; Then you follow these steps: Control Panel > Printers > Add New Printer > Network Printer > Browse for Printer > Add the device.
These are three solutions that help you overcome The Active Directory Domain Services is currently unavailable error. If you have any other Windows and Office related issues you can check for the solution in my Windows fix section.