Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro – Microsoft Support

All the features in Home are packed in Windows 10 Pro , along with many advanced features in privacy, connectivity, and business functionality. One notable feature is Hyper-V which allows the user to test the software by emulating other operating systems. Besides this, the Pro version also has Domain Join which gives remote access to the work domain group. Other additional functions that strengthen work administration and security are Group Policy Management and Bitlocker.

If you have the Home version and are thinking about upgrading to Pro, make sure that you have a backup of your files and data. You can follow the rule: make 3 copies of your backup, store them in 2 kinds of storage media and save 1 copy offsite. Step 1. Make sure that your computer is up to date. Step 2. On your desktop, select Start Window logo then select Settings cogwheel icon. Step 3. Step 6. Once the correct key is entered, the upgrade will start and you will get a prompt when it finishes.

Check 12 Must-Have Software for Windows A new Microsoft Store pop-up window will appear, with the Buy button. Here’s the scoop. Some vendors offer an upgrade option as part of the purchase, but many PCs sold in the retail channel are preloaded with Home edition.

This could also be the case if you took advantage of the free Windows 10 upgrade offer on a PC running a Home edition of Windows 7 or Windows 8. In either case, the upgrade takes just a few minutes. You’ll see a succession of progress screens and your system will restart. After the upgrade completes, you should see a Success notification. Check the Activation screen again to confirm that you’re now running Windows 10 Pro. After you’ve successfully performed a Home-to-Pro upgrade, you can file that product key away.

Your upgrade is now a digital license, attached to your unique hardware. If you perform a reinstallation of Windows, Microsoft’s activation servers will recognize the hardware and activate Windows 10 automatically. I have tested this scenario multiple times on hardware that originally shipped with Windows Home and was upgraded to Windows 10 Pro.

After the upgrade was complete, I used a bootable USB flash drive containing Windows 10 setup files to reinstall a clean copy of Windows 10 Pro, skipping the option to enter a product key as part of setup, as shown below.

When prompted, be sure to choose Windows 10 Pro as the edition to install. Activate Windows. Important: The following steps apply only to devices currently running an activated copy of Windows 10 Home. Under Upgrade your edition of Windows , select Change product key. Under Upgrade your edition of Windows , select Go to the Store.

Related topics. Activation Overview. Install and Upgrades. Activation Troubleshooting. Windows 11 Windows 10 More Open Activation settings Important: The following steps apply only to devices currently running an activated copy of Windows 11 Home. In the following, we will show you the best way to help you upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro edition. Windows 10 is the latest operating system offered by Microsoft to power up devices such as computers, tablets, smartphones, and other Internet of Things IoT devices.

Windows 10 Home is a basic variant with key features in its look and operation: a polished Start Menu; a more comprehensive version of Cortana formerly exclusive to Windows phones ; Virtual Desktop and Task View for a more organized desktop viewing; Battery Saver for better power efficiency; and TPM microchip support for more security. All the features in Home are packed in Windows 10 Pro , along with many advanced features in privacy, connectivity, and business functionality. One notable feature is Hyper-V which allows the user to test the software by emulating other operating systems.

Besides this, the Pro version also has Domain Join which gives remote access to the work domain group. Other additional functions that strengthen work administration and security are Group Policy Management and Bitlocker. If you have the Home version and are thinking about upgrading to Windows 10 Pro , make sure that you have a backup of your files and data.

You can follow the rule: make 3 copies of your backup, store them in 2 kinds of storage media and save 1 copy offsite. Step 1. Make sure that your computer is up to date. Step 2. On your desktop, select Start Window logo then select Settings cogwheel icon. Step 3. Step 6.

Upgrade Windows Home to Windows Pro – Microsoft Support – Thank you for your feedback!

 
You can use this page to download a disc image (ISO file) that can be used to install or reinstall Windows The image can also be used to create. You’ve got a new PC running Windows 10 Home. You want to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. Here’s how to get that upgrade for free.