-
To upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro, open
Settings
>
Update & Security
>
Activation
, click
“Change product key,”
and confirm the Windows 10 Pro key to switch editions. -
Alternatively, open
Settings
>
Update & Security
>
Activation
, click
“Go to the Store,”
purchase a Windows 10 Pro product key, and switch versions.
If you have a computer running Windows 10 Home, you can upgrade to Windows 11 Pro without reinstalling the operating system while preserving your apps, settings, and files.
Windows 10
(like other versions) has two editions, including
Home and Pro
. The “Home” edition is the most common as it’s the default edition that manufacturers ship on new devices since it includes all the features suited for home and office users and gamers.
Microsoft also offers the “Pro” edition, which includes all the features available in the Home edition plus more advanced business features such as
Remote Desktop
, BitLocker, Group Policy, Active Directory support,
Hyper-V
, and more.
Although it’s not necessary to upgrade to the more advanced edition if you’re a home user, if you have access to the Pro features, you can upgrade from Home to Pro without performing a clean installation by updating the product key through the Settings app or the Microsoft Store.
In this
guide
, I will teach you two supported methods to upgrade your computer from Windows 10 Home to Pro. (If you’re on Windows 11 Home, the
instructions to upgrade to 11 Pro
are very similar.)
-
Upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro from Settings
-
Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro from Microsoft Store
Upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro from Settings
If you have a Windows 10 Pro (or 11 Pro) product key, you can upgrade the edition through the “Activation” settings page. Once you’re ready, you can also upgrade the computer from Windows 10 Pro to 11 Pro.
To upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro, use these steps:
Open
Settings
on Windows 10.
Click on
Update & Security
.
Click the
Activation
page.
Click the
“Change product key”
button for the “Upgrade your edition of Windows” section.
Confirm the Windows 10 Pro product key.
Click the
Next
button.
Click the
Start
button.
Once you complete the steps, the computer will upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro.
Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro from Microsoft Store
To purchase a Windows 10 Pro product and upgrade to the Home edition, use these steps:
Open
Settings
.
Click on
Update & Security
.
Click the
Activation
page.
Click the
“Go to the Store”
button for the “Upgrade your edition of Windows” section.
Click the
“Get for $99.00”
button.
Continue with the on-screen direction to complete the purchase and upgrade process.
After you complete the steps, the system will upgrade to the more advanced edition of the operating system.
It’s important to note that Microsoft plans to retire Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, for the Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. Although you can still upgrade between editions, you should also consider
upgrading to Windows 11
to maintain the computer’s support after the life of the operating system ends.
If you plan to keep Windows 10 beyond October 14, 2025, the company also plans to offer
extended support for consumers for up to three years
, but you will have to pay a subscription that will double in price each year.
Update July 1, 2024:
This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.