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Windows edition upgrade

With Windows, you can quickly upgrade from one edition of Windows to another, provided the upgrade path is supported. For information on what edition of Windows is right for you, see the following articles:

For a comprehensive list of all possible upgrade paths to Windows, see Windows upgrade paths. Downgrading the edition of Windows is discussed in the License expiration section in this article.

The following table shows the methods and paths available to change the edition of Windows that is running on your computer.

Edition upgrade MDM Provisioning
package		 Command-
line tool		 Manually entering
product key
Home > Pro ❌ ❌ ❌ ☑️
Home > Pro for Workstations ❌ ❌ ❌ ☑️
Home > Pro Education ☑️ ☑️ ☑️ ☑️
Home > Education ☑️ ☑️ ☑️ ☑️
Pro > Pro for Workstations ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Pro > Pro Education ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Pro > Education ☑️ ☑️ ☑️ ☑️
Pro > Enterprise ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Pro for Workstations > Pro Education ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Pro for Workstations > Education ☑️ ☑️ ☑️ ☑️
Pro for Workstations > Enterprise ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Pro Education > Education ☑️ ☑️ ☑️ ☑️
Enterprise > Education ☑️ ☑️ ☑️ ☑️
  • ✅ = Supported, no reboot required.
  • ☑️ = Supported, but reboot required.
  • ❌ = Not supported.
  • MDM = Modern device management.

Note

  • Each desktop edition in the table also has an N and KN SKU. These editions have had media-related functionality removed. Devices with N or KN SKUs installed can be upgraded to corresponding N or KN SKUs using the same methods.

  • Edition upgrades via Microsoft Store for Business are no longer available with the retirement of the Microsoft Store for Business. For more information, see Microsoft Store for Business and Education retiring March 31, 2023.

Tip

Edition upgrade is also possible using edition upgrade policy in Microsoft Configuration Manager. For more information, see Upgrade Windows devices to a new edition with Configuration Manager.

Upgrade using modern device management (MDM)

To upgrade desktop editions of Windows using MDM, enter the product key for the upgraded edition in the UpgradeEditionWithProductKey policy setting of the WindowsLicensing CSP. For more info, see WindowsLicensing CSP.

For information on upgrading editions of Windows using Microsoft Intune, including switching out of S mode, see Upgrade Windows 10/11 editions or switch out of S mode on devices using Microsoft Intune.

Upgrade using a provisioning package

Use Windows Configuration Designer to create a provisioning package to upgrade a desktop edition of Windows. Windows Configuration Designer is available as part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) or as a stand-alone Microsoft Store app. Download the Windows Configuration Designer from one of the following locations:

To create a provisioning package for upgrading desktop editions of Windows:

  1. Open Windows Configuration Designer.

  2. Select Advanced provisioning.

  3. In the New project window that opens:

    1. Under Enter project details, give the project a name and then select the Next button.

    2. Under Choose which settings to view and configure, select All Windows desktop editions and then select the Next button.

    3. Under Import a provisioning package (optional), select the Finish button.

  4. Under Available customizations, expand Runtime settings > EditionUpgrade and then select ChangeProductKey.

  5. In the EditionUpgrade/ChangeProductKey pane, next to ChangeProductKey, enter the product key for the upgraded edition.

  6. Under the File menu, select Save.

  7. Under the Export menu, select Provisioning package.

  8. Step through the Build wizard to create the provisioning package, making sure to save the provisioning package to a known location.

For more info about Windows Configuration Designer, see the following articles:

Upgrade using a command-line tool

The changepk.exe command-line tool can be used to upgrade devices to a supported edition of Windows:

changepk.exe /ProductKey <product_key>`

Upgrades can also be performed using slmgr.vbs and a KMS client setup key. For example:

cscript.exe c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk <product_key>

Upgrade by manually entering a product key

If only a few devices are being upgraded devices, a product key for the upgraded edition can be entered manually. To manually enter a product key:

  1. Right click on the Start menu and select Run.

  2. In the Run window, next to Open, enter

    ms-settings:activation

    and then select OK.

  3. Select Change product key.

  4. Enter your product key.

  5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Alternatively, select the following link to automatically open the Settings app to the activation page:

Activation

Upgrade by purchasing a license from the Microsoft Store

If you don't have a product key, you can upgrade your edition of Windows through the Microsoft Store. To upgrade through the Microsoft Store:

  1. Right click on the Start menu and select Run.

  2. In the Run window, next to Open, enter

    ms-windows-store://windowsupgrade/

    and then select OK.

  3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Alternatively, select the following link to automatically open the Microsoft Store to the page for upgrading the edition of Windows:

Upgrade Windows Edition

License expiration

Volume license customers whose license has expired need to change the edition of Windows to an edition with an active license. Downgrading the edition of Windows is possible using the same methods that were used to perform an edition upgrade. If the downgrade path is supported, then apps and settings can be migrated from the current edition. If a path isn't supported, then a clean install is required.

The following scenarios aren't supported:

  • Downgrading Windows to a pervious version by entering a different product key, for example from Windows 11 Pro to Windows 10 Pro.

  • Downgrading from a later version to an earlier version of the same edition of Windows, for example from Windows 11 Pro 22H2 to Windows 11 Pro 22H1, unless using rollback.

Note

If you're using Windows subscription activation and a license expires, devices automatically revert to the original edition when the grace period expires.

Supported Windows downgrade paths

Edition Home Pro Pro for
Workstations		 Pro
Education		 Education Enterprise
LTSC		 Enterprise
Home - ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Pro ❌ - ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Pro for Workstations ❌ ❌ - ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Pro Education ❌ ❌ ❌ - ❌ ❌ ❌
Education ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ - ❌ -
Enterprise LTSC ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ - ❌
Enterprise ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ - ❌ -
  • ✅ = Supported downgrade path.
  • ❌ = not supported or not a downgrade.
  • - = Not considered a downgrade or an upgrade.

Note

Windows N and Windows KN SKUs follow the same rules shown in the table.

The table may not represent more complex scenarios. For example, you can perform an upgrade from Pro to Pro for Workstation on a computer with an embedded Pro key using a Pro for Workstation license key. You can then later downgrade this computer back to Pro with the firmware-embedded key. The downgrade is allowed but only because the pre-installed OS is Pro.

Scenario example: Downgrading from Enterprise

  • Original edition: Professional OEM
  • Upgrade edition: Enterprise
  • Valid downgrade paths: Pro, Pro for Workstations, Pro Education, Education

You can move directly from Enterprise to any valid destination edition. In this example, downgrading to Pro for Workstations, Pro Education, or Education requires an additional activation key to supersede the firmware-embedded Pro key. In all cases, you must comply with Microsoft License Terms. If you're a volume license customer, refer to the Microsoft Volume Licensing Reference Guide.