How to Change Windows Edition or Version: Home to Pro

To change Windows Home to Pro, open Activation settings and enter a valid Pro product key, or buy the upgrade through the Microsoft Store. A supported Home-to-Pro upgrade normally keeps your files, apps and settings.

If you want to change your Windows version, first check what you mean: switching from Home to Pro changes the edition; moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11 changes the operating system. Installing a newer Windows 11 release is another kind of update. The steps are different.

Check your Windows edition and version first

Open Settings → System → About and look under Windows specifications. Note the edition, version and OS build. Then open Activation to check whether Windows is activated.

• Edition: Home, Pro, Education or Enterprise. This decides which features and licence you need.
• Windows generation: Windows 10 or Windows 11.
• Version or feature release: the release number shown in About, such as 24H2. This changes through Windows updates.

You can also press Windows + R, type winver and press Enter to see version information.

Which Windows change do you want to make?

A product key changes the edition only on a supported path. It does not, by itself, turn Windows 10 into Windows 11 or change a 32-bit installation into a 64-bit one.

Before you upgrade Home to Pro

• Back up important files and save your open work.
• Check that Home is activated. Microsoft recommends activating Home first if it is not.
• Have your own Pro product key or an existing Pro licence for this PC ready.
• Keep the laptop plugged in and make sure the PC can connect to the internet.
• If the drive is encrypted, make sure you can access its recovery key.
• For a work or school PC, follow the IT team’s instructions.

Pro adds features such as built-in Remote Desktop hosting, joining a company domain and manual BitLocker Drive Encryption. Home can still offer Device Encryption on eligible PCs. If BitLocker is your reason for upgrading, our BitLocker guide explains the drive checks and recovery-key backup to do before turning encryption on.

How to change Windows 11 Home to Pro

If you have a Pro product key

1. Open Settings → System → Activation.
2. Expand Upgrade your edition of Windows if that section is shown.
3. Next to Change product key, select Change.
4. Approve the administrator prompt and enter your 25-character Windows Pro key.
5. Select Next, follow the upgrade prompts and restart if asked.
6. Return to Activation. Check that the edition is Windows 11 Pro and the activation state is active.

If you need to buy the upgrade

Use the Open Store or Go to Store option in Activation. Check that the item is the Windows Pro upgrade, complete the purchase and follow the prompts. Microsoft’s Home-to-Pro guide covers both routes.

If this PC already has a Pro digital licence, check that before buying again. When the Activation troubleshooter finds a Pro licence on a PC running Home, it can offer an upgrade to Pro. Our guide to reusing an existing Windows licence explains why a free installer, a product key and a digital licence are different things.

How to change Windows 10 Home to Pro

The process is similar, but Activation is in a different place:

1. Open Settings → Update & Security → Activation.
2. Select Change product key and enter your valid Pro key, or use Go to Store to buy the upgrade.
3. Follow the prompts and restart if asked.
4. Check that the edition now says Windows 10 Pro and that Windows is activated.

Changing to Pro does not extend Windows 10’s support. Regular support ended on October 14, 2025. Check Microsoft’s current support and Extended Security Updates options if you are staying on Windows 10.

Can you change Windows 11 Education to Pro?

Microsoft lists Education to Pro as a supported edition downgrade. This is separate from upgrading Windows 10 to Windows 11. You need a valid Pro licence and a supported setup for the change.

Check the full edition name in About, confirm the path in Microsoft’s edition-change table, then use the Activation product-key route for the approved change. A school-managed PC should be changed through its IT team.

Education and Pro Education are different editions. Do not assume the Education-to-Pro path also covers Pro Education. Home-to-Education, Pro-to-Education and standard Enterprise-to-Pro changes also depend on the exact edition and licence. Enterprise LTSC needs its own installation plan.

Can you change Windows edition with a command?

Windows includes changepk.exe for supported command-line edition upgrades. The example below is for a route that supports this method, such as Pro to Enterprise. For Home to Pro, use the Settings or Store steps above.

1. Search for Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
2. Replace the placeholder below with your own key for the target edition, then run the command.
3. Follow the prompts and check the edition and activation state afterwards.

changepk.exe /ProductKey XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

The five groups of Xs are a placeholder. This command does not provide a licence or skip Microsoft’s supported upgrade paths.

Do you need a Windows edition switcher or changer?

For a normal Home-to-Pro upgrade, Windows already has the tools you need. A third-party “Windows edition switcher” or “version changer” does not give you a Pro licence, and changing an edition name in the registry does not add the missing Windows features.

Use Activation and Microsoft’s supported paths. If a key is rejected, fix the activation problem before trying another tool.

What if Windows will not accept the product key?

• Check the edition. A Home key does not activate Pro, and a school or company key may require its licensing system.
• Check the key. Confirm the 25 characters and that the key is for the edition you want.
• Check your connection. Online activation needs internet access.
• Use Troubleshoot when shown. The Activation troubleshooter is available when Windows is not activated.
• Keep the error code. Use Microsoft’s activation-error guide or contact the seller or your IT team with that code.

Common questions about changing Windows

How do I change Windows version instead of edition?

For a newer Windows 11 release, open Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates and install the update offered for your PC. For Windows 10 to Windows 11, check hardware eligibility first and use the upgrade offered in Windows Update. See Microsoft’s Windows 11 installation guide.

Can I change Windows Home to Pro for free?

You need a Pro licence. If you already own a suitable licence for this PC, you may not need another purchase. A generic setup key or free switching tool does not give you a new Pro licence.

Can I switch from Pro back to Home without reinstalling?

Microsoft’s normal route is to install Home again. Back up your files and plan to reinstall apps. A Home digital licence can reactivate the matching edition on the same PC; it does not activate Pro.

How do I change Windows Pro N to Pro?

N editions have fewer built-in media features. Microsoft’s normal edition-change paths cover matching N editions. If you only want the missing media features, use Microsoft’s Media Feature Pack. For a change to a non-N edition, check the installation path and matching licence first; keeping all apps and settings is not guaranteed.

Will switching to Pro take me out of the Windows Insider Dev channel?

No. The edition and Insider channel are separate. Follow Microsoft’s Insider settings guidance to leave a preview channel. Depending on your build, returning to a stable release can require reinstalling Windows.

Updated October 14, 2026. Windows paths and licensing guidance checked against the Microsoft sources linked above.