Deploy a Certificate by Using the Command Prompt

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

You can use this procedure to install a certificate into the certificate stores on a computer by using the CertMgr.exe command-line tool. The CertMgr command-line tool is part of the Windows Driver Kit (WDK). To access the WDK, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=59546.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

To deploy a certificate by using CertMgr.exe at a command prompt

1. At a command prompt, type the following, and then press ENTER:

   certmgr.exe -add MyCert.cer -s -r localMachine trustedpublisher

   Value	Description
   -add MyCert.cer	Specifies that the certificate found in the file MyCert.cer is to be added to a certificate store.
   -s	Specifies that the store is the computer certificate store.
   -r localMachine	Specifies that the computer certificate store is found under the registry location HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
   trustedpublisher	Specifies that the certificate is to be placed in the Trusted Publishers certificate store.

2. If the certificate is self-signed, and cannot be traced back to a certificate that is in your Trusted Root Certification Authorities, then you must place a copy of your certificate in that store as well.

   certmgr.exe -add MyCert.cer -s -r localMachine root

   Value	Description
   root	Specifies that the certificate is to be placed in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities certificate store.

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Additional references

• For complete command line syntax information about CertMgr, see "Certificate Manager Tool (Certmgr.exe)" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=82266.