A Feature Update, also known as an in-place upgrade, allows you to go from an older operating system
to a newer one while keeping your settings, server roles, and data intact. This article teaches you
how to move to a later version of Windows Server by using a Feature Update.
Important
This article covers the Windows Server Feature Update process for non-Azure servers and virtual machines (VMs) only. To do a Feature Update of Windows Server running in an Azure virtual machine (VM), see In-place upgrade for VMs running Windows Server in Azure.
Make sure you have a valid product key and activation method. Keys and methods may vary depending on the distribution channel you received Windows Server media from, for example a Commercial Licensing program, Retail, or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
You'll need to have the setup media for the version of Windows Server that you want to upgrade to. Setup media for the target version of Windows Server can be obtained from OEM, Retail, Visual Studio Subscriptions, and the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) channels.
Have a location to store files away from your computer, such as a USB flash drive or network location.
Perform a full backup of your computer. This includes the operating system, apps, data, and any virtual machines (VMs) running on the server. You can use Windows Server Backup or a third-party backup solution.
We recommend that you collect some information from your devices for diagnostic and troubleshooting
purposes in case the Feature Update is unsuccessful. We also recommend you store the information
somewhere you can get to even if you can't access your device.
To collect your information:
Open an elevated PowerShell prompt, make a note of your current directory, and run the
following commands.
Get-ComputerInfo requires PowerShell 5.1 or later. If your Windows Server version doesn't include Powershell, you can find this information in the registry. Open Registry Editor, go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion key, and then copy and paste the Windows Server BuildLabEx and EditionID values.
Using File Explorer, navigate to the directory you noted down, and copy the files to a
USB flash drive or network location off of your computer.
After you've collected all of your Windows Server-related information, we recommend that you back up
your server operating system, apps, and VMs. You must also shut down, quick migrate, or
live migrate any VMs currently running on the server. You can't have any VMs running during the Feature Update.
Perform the Feature Update
Now that you've completed your prerequisites and collected diagnostic information, you're ready to
perform the Feature Update. In this section, you use Windows Server Setup to select the settings for
the Feature Update. Windows Server Setup uses these settings to update your version of Windows Server,
during which time your computer restarts several times.
To perform the Feature Update:
Using File Explorer, navigate to the Windows Server Setup media. Then open setup.exe.
For example, if you're using removal media the file path might be D:\setup.exe.
Important
Depending on your security settings, User Account Control may prompt you to allow setup to
make changes to your device. If you're happy to continue, select Yes.
By default, setup automatically downloads updates for the installation. If you're okay with
the default settings, select Next to continue.
If you don't want Setup to automatically download updates, select Change how Setup downloads updates, choose the option appropriate to your environment, and then select Next.
If prompted, enter your product key and then select Next.
Select the edition of Windows Server you want to install and then select Next.
Review the applicable notices and license terms. If you agree to the terms, select Accept.
Select Keep personal files and apps to choose to do an Feature Update, and then select Next.
After Setup finishes analyzing your device, it displays the Ready to install screen. To continue the Feature Update, select Install.
The Feature Update starts, and you should see a progress bar. After the Feature Update finishes, your server restarts.
Checking if your Feature Update was successful
After the Feature Update to Windows Server is done, you must make sure the Feature Update was successful.
To make sure your Feature Update was successful:
Open an elevated PowerShell prompt and run the following command to verify that the version and edition
matches the media and values you selected during setup.
Get-ComputerInfo -Property WindowsProductName
Make sure all of your applications are running and that your client connections to the
applications are successful.
If your computer isn't working as expected after the Feature Update, you can
contact Microsoft Support for technical assistance.
Next steps
The following articles can help you prepare for and use your new Windows Server version:
Learn to migrate a workload running in Windows Server to an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) virtual machine (VM) and to Windows Server 2022 by using Windows Server migration tools or the Storage Migration Service.
As a Windows Server hybrid administrator, you integrate Windows Server environments with Azure services and manage Windows Server in on-premises networks.