Active Directory : Change the default display name format for user and contact objects

Here is how to change the default display name format for user and contact objects in Active Directory. By default, it display “Last name and First name”. We want to revert this to “First name, Last name”.

Before doing this step, make sure your user is a member of either “Enterprise Admins” or “Domain Admins” group!

First, open up ADSI Edit console (Start > Run) :

adsiedit.msc

Then, connect to your Domain Controller using the “Configuration mode”.

Expand the following container :

cn=DisplaySpecifiers

Double-click on :

CN=409.NOTE

(This is the code for en-US language. You must change the value matching your language)

Double-click on object :

CN=user-Display

Then, right-click and click on Properties on the contextual menu of the following :

createDialog

Set value to :

%<sn>, %<givenName>