# Endpoint Central Cloud Agent Installation Methods Last Updated On: 07 Aug 2026 18 minutes read After creating either a domain or a workgroup and defining the scope of management, the next step is to install Endpoint Central Cloud agents on all the machines that you want to manage. Use any of the methods below to automate agent installation: ## Install distribution servers and remote office agents using Command Line interface 1. Log in to the web console and navigate to the **Agent tab**. 2. Choose **Agent installation** under Scope of Management from the left pane. 3. Select **Other methods** and choose the Download option under **Command Line tab**. 4. From the downloaded zip file, extract the **UEMSAgent.msi, UEMSAgent.mst, and DCAgentServerInfo.json files**, and paste them in a shared path accessible by all the computers you want to install the agent on. 5. From the extracted location, compress the following files using 7-zip: - UEMSAgent.msi - UEMSAgent.mst - DCAgentServerInfo.json - Setup.bat 6. Once the download/installation is completed, right-click `setup.bat` and run as administrator to execute it. 7. You will be prompted to choose from the following options displayed in the Command Prompt: - Install Distribution Server in the computer - Install Agent in this computer - Install Distribution Server in this computer and agents in multiple computers - Install Agents in multiple computers 8. If you want to install agents on multiple computers, add the computer names or IP addresses in a text file (for example, `computernames.txt`) and keep it ready. **Note** The `admin$\Temp` folder of the target machine must be reachable from the computer where you're pushing these agents. 9. Choose option 3 from the options displayed in the Command Prompt. 10. Upon providing the administrator credentials, agent installation will begin. **Note** If the distribution server is already installed, choose option 4 from the Command Prompt options to invoke agent installation on multiple computers. 11. The agents will be installed in the target computers. If you have enabled **Waiting for Approval**, further communication with the server occurs only if these target computers are approved from the **Waiting for Approval** tab located at **Agent > Computers > Waiting for Approval**. **Note** - The Waiting for Approval feature ensures security and prevents misuse of the product without the administrator's knowledge. Even if the agent has been installed on a computer, it can be declined by the administrator from this console, thereby preventing further communication with the server. - Computers added directly from the **Managed Computers** tab are not applicable for this feature. ## Using remote installation 1. Log in to the web console and navigate to the **Agent tab**. 2. Choose **Remote Offices** under Scope of Management from the left pane. 3. Select a remote office and click **Download WAN Agent** under the **Download Agent** column. 4. Follow the on-screen installation instructions to complete the installation. 5. The agents will be installed in the target computers. If **Waiting for Approval** is enabled, further communication with the server occurs only after approval from **Agent > Computers > Waiting for Approval**. **Note** - The Waiting for Approval feature ensures security and prevents misuse of the product without the administrator's knowledge. - Computers added directly from the **Managed Computers** tab are not applicable for this feature. ## Using GPO scripts When an enterprise has an Active Directory Domain-based setup with numerous endpoints to be managed, the agent can be installed using the Group Policy Object. - [Using GPO light-weight tool](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/device-onboarding/agent-installation-using-gpo-lightweight-tool.html): Simplest method to install the agent in an Active Directory-based network - [Using GPO scheduler](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/device-onboarding/installing-agents-gpo-scheduler.html): Fastest method to install the agent. Agents will be installed in the next refresh cycle - [Using GPO start-up script](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/device-onboarding/agent_installation_windows_gpo.html): Most common method of agent installation using GPO ## Using agent installation link Endpoint Central Cloud agent can be downloaded from a copied link. The copied link can be shared with end users, who can then download and install the agents on their machines. This option is available by clicking **Download Agent** from the Remote Offices or Computers tab. On clicking copy, the URL for the selected Remote Office will be created. The default expiry time of the URL is 15 days. Using the copied link, the agent can be installed: - Directly from the browser - From the terminal ### Directly from the browser On visiting the copied URL from the browser, the user will be presented with an option to download the agent. The user must select the OS and the agent download will be initiated. If the user visits the URL from an unsupported browser or after the expiry time, an error page will be displayed. ![copy-link-4](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/images/copy-link-4.png) ### From the terminal If the user wishes to download the agent via terminal, the copied URL must be modified. Format of the copied URL (for US Data Center): **https://desktopcentral.manageengine.com/link.do?actionToCall=download&encapiKey=** For terminal-based download, add an OS parameter: **https://desktopcentral.manageengine.com/link.do?actionToCall=download&encapiKey=&os=** Valid OS parameters: - windows - macos - Linux **Note**: The OS must be supported for the product for which the agent is downloaded. Agent can be downloaded using CURL: - `curl "paste_copied_url_with_os_param" --output DCAgent.exe` (Windows) - `curl "paste_copied_url_with_os_param" --output DCAgent.zip` (macOS or Linux) ![copy-link-1](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/images/copy-link-1.png) ![copy-link-2](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/images/copy-link-2.png) ### Silent Installation of Agent EXE (Windows) Once downloaded, the agent can be installed silently on Windows machines by adding the `/silent` argument: **DCAgent.exe /silent** Alternatively, the installation process can be automated using a PowerShell script: 1. Replace the URL in the script with the copied URL. 2. Save the script as a `.ps1` file. 3. Run the [PowerShell script](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/images/copy-link-script.txt). ### Downloaded User For additional security, when the waiting for approval option is enabled, you can identify from which technician's shared link the agent was installed and approve the computers accordingly. ## Using local Active Directory **Note** The distribution server must be added and installed manually before proceeding with agent installation. 1. Navigate to **Agent tab > Computers > Add Computers**. Select an **AD Connector**, and add a domain or workgroup. 2. Click **Select Computers**. This opens the Select Computers dialog box, listing all available computers in the domain or workgroup. 3. Select the computers to be managed and click **Ok**. You can also manually specify computer names. The selected computers are added to the **Selected Computers** table in the **Add Computers** view. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for multiple domains or workgroups. Check **Install Agent immediately** to install agents right away. If not selected, agents must be installed later via **Agent tab > Computers > Install Agent**. 5. Click **Done** to add the selected computers. All selected computers are added to the Scope of Management. 6. The Computers page lists all managed computers along with the agent installation status and version. Agents can also be installed later via **Agent tab > Computers > Install Agent**. **Note** Roaming agents cannot be installed through AD. ## Using Microsoft SCCM - Navigate to **Agent -> Computers -> Download Agent** and download the respective remote office agent installer file. - Paste the `.exe` in a shared path accessible by all target computers. - Download the script below and update the shared path with your network share path: [script](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/scripts/InstallAgentViaSccm.bat) ![sccm agent installation](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/sccm-agent.png) - Open System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) and navigate to **Software Library -> Overview -> Application Management -> Packages**. - This launches the **Create Package and Program Wizard** window. Fill in the necessary information such as Name, Description, Manufacturer, etc. ![1 sccm](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/1_sccm.png) - Enable **This package contains source files**. Select Network path and enter the shared folder path. ![2 sccm](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/2_sccm.png) - Select Architecture as **x86** (if available) and program type as **Standard**, then click **Next**. ![3 sccm](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/3_sccm.png) - Fill in the required information as shown and click **Next**. ![4 sccm](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/4_sccm.png) - Review the requirements and ensure they match the configuration shown, then click **Next**. ![5 sccm](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/5_sccm.png) - After reviewing, confirm the settings to create the package. ![6 sccm](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/6_sccm.png) - The package has been created successfully. ![7 sccm](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/images/7_sccm.png) - The package can now be deployed to end-user computers. You have now successfully installed agents in target endpoints using SCCM. ## For cloud-based setups The product server can be hosted in the cloud using Microsoft Azure or AWS. Agents can be deployed in Azure AD and AWS instances. - [In Azure AD environment](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/device-onboarding/azure-agent-installation.html): Agents can be installed with Intune or Azure Automation Service - [In AWS instances](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/device-onboarding/aws-agent-installation.html): Agents can be deployed in bulk in AWS ## Image and deploy the OS along with the agent Deploying an operating system is the first step in configuring a computer for business use. You can image the agent and deploy the imaged OS to computers, bundling the agent with the OS. Every agent has a **unique ID** that represents the machine and contains its name and system details. When an agent communicates with the server, the specific machine details are updated on the server. If you image and deploy an agent, all deployed images will have the same details instead of unique IDs. To avoid this issue: - **Note**: These steps apply to Windows machines. For Linux imaging instructions, [refer here](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/device-onboarding/preinstalling-desktop-central-agent-image-in-linux-os-how-to.html). 1. Install the agent on the computer that will be imaged. 2. Download [this script](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/dcagentpreimage.txt) and store it on the system to be imaged. (Execution temporarily prevents agent-server communication.) 3. Rename the `.txt` file to `.vbs`. 4. Open Command Prompt as administrator and navigate to the script location. 5. Execute: **cscript.exe dcagentPreImage.vbs** Example: `E:\Downloads>cscript.exe dcagentPreImage.vbs` 6. The computer is now ready to be imaged and deployed with the agent. 7. The agent in newly imaged computers will contact the server only after they are renamed. 8. To manage those computers, download [this script](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/dcagentpostimage.txt) and run it as administrator on the deployed system (rename `.txt` to `.vbs`). 9. This restores agent-server communication.