DTT

How to install IIS on server 2016

Published: September 3, 2018 (Updated: Sep 3, 2018)
#IIS 10 #Windows Server 2016 #Web Server

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Mastering Web Hosting: How to Install IIS 10 on Windows Server 2016 (Quick Guide)

Hey there, this is Darren O’Neill from Darren’s Tech Tutorials!

Internet Information Services (IIS) is Microsoft’s powerful, extensible web server, and it’s an essential component for hosting websites, applications, and services on the Windows platform. While IIS has been an integral part of the Windows NT family for years, it doesn’t come activated by default on Windows Server 2016.

This guide will walk you through the surprisingly simple steps needed to install the IIS 10 Web Server Role using the Server Manager, getting you ready to host your first website in minutes.

Let’s dive right in!

Prerequisites

To follow this tutorial, you simply need a running instance of Windows Server 2016 with administrative access.

Getting Started: Launching Server Manager

The installation of IIS is managed through the ‘Add Roles and Features Wizard’ in the Server Manager application.

  1. Click the Start Menu located in the bottom-left corner of the desktop.
  2. Click on Server Manager. This is the primary dashboard for managing your server roles.
  3. Once Server Manager loads, navigate to the top-right corner, click Manage, and then select Add Roles and Features.

Adding the Web Server (IIS) Role

The wizard will prompt you with a series of screens. Since we are installing a role on the local machine, the default settings will suffice for the initial screens.

  1. Click Next on the Before You Begin screen.
  2. Select Role-based or feature-based installation and click Next.
  3. Ensure your local server is selected under Server Selection and click Next.
  4. You will now see the Server Roles list. Scroll down until you find Web Server (IIS).
  5. Check the box next to Web Server (IIS).
  6. A prompt will appear asking if you want to add the necessary features for IIS Management. Click Add Features.
  7. Click Next.

Configuring Basic IIS Features

The next screen asks about specific features (like .NET Framework components). For this basic installation, we can skip this step.

  1. Click Next on the Features screen.
  2. Click Next on the Web Server Role (IIS) introductory screen.

Selecting Role Services

This is where you specify exactly what capabilities your IIS server will have.

  1. On the Role Services screen, you will notice that the basic services required to host standard websites are already checked (e.g., Common HTTP Features, Default Document, Static Content).
  2. Since this is a basic, foundational install, we will leave the default selections as they are. These are perfect for getting your initial environment running. (More advanced video guides will cover services like FTP, Application Development, and Security later on!)
  3. Click Next.

Completing the Installation and Verification

We are now ready to commit the changes and install the IIS role.

  1. On the Confirmation screen, review the roles to be installed (Web Server (IIS)).
  2. You can optionally tick the box for Restart the destination server automatically if required, but for this simple role installation, it usually isn’t necessary.
  3. Click Install.

The installation process is quick. You will see a progress bar move until the installation status changes to Installation succeeded.

  1. Once the installation is complete, click Close.

Verification: Locating the IIS Manager

Now that the role is installed, let’s verify that the management console is available:

  1. Click the Start Menu.
  2. Scroll down to Windows Administrative Tools.
  3. Click on Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

Perfect! You should now see the IIS Manager console open, allowing you to configure websites, application pools, and security settings on your Windows Server 2016 machine.

Conclusion

That’s all there is to it! In just a few quick steps using the Server Manager, you have successfully added the IIS Web Server Role to Windows Server 2016. You now have a powerful platform ready to host web applications and content.

If you ran into any issues or have questions about configuring the more advanced IIS Role Services, please leave a comment below—I’m always happy to help!

If you found this quick tutorial useful, please remember to like this post and subscribe to Darren’s Tech Tutorials for more clear and actionable tech guides. Happy hosting!