Windows 10: Upgrade Windows 11 Home not activated to Windows 11 Pro key purchased

I have built a new computer and had downloaded Windows 11 Home and installed it - I had not purchased it or activated it. A couple of days later I purchased a Windows 11 Pro / Office 2024 bundle and have a key. My current set up will not recognize the key I did double check to ensure I entered it correctly. I tried downloading 11 Pro to upgrade but can't get it to work because the current version of Windows on my machine is not activated. It's like I'm caught in a catch-22 loop. How do I get 11 Pro on my machine so that I may use the key I purchased?

:)

 

Windows 11 Home to Pro upgrade

Want to upgrade 11 Home to 11 Pro. Tried download, but apparently files transferred were for 11 Enterprise. This will not activate; error is "invalid digital license or product key". This is on a new Surface. How to proceed?

Can withdraw/delete this. The suggestion to downgrade - listed below - with a 'fake' windows 10 key works.

 

Lost windows 11 pro ?

Yes, you can upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro on your new computer. Since you already have a Windows 10 Pro key that was previously activated on your old computer, you can use that key to upgrade your current Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Start button and select Settings (the gear icon).
   
2. In the Settings window, select System.
   
3. In the System menu, choose the "Activation" option.
   
4. Click on the "Change product key" option.
   
5. Enter the Windows 10 Pro product key that you previously purchased and activated.
   

After entering the product key, your system should initiate the upgrade process to Windows 11 Pro. This upgrade process should not require a complete reinstallation of the operating system, and your data should remain intact on your SSD.

It's always a good practice to back up your important data before performing any major system changes, just to ensure that your data is safe in case of any unforeseen issues during the upgrade process. This way, even if there are any complications during the upgrade, you can restore your data from the backup.

Once the upgrade is complete, your Windows 11 Home should be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro, with all your data and applications preserved. You can verify the successful upgrade by checking the system settings or the activation status in the Windows settings.

 

Can't upgrade to windows 11 pro from windows 11 home

Hello, superrover2

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

According to the following statement from Microsoft's support site, there are often two options for upgrading to Windows 11 Pro:

1. If you have a Windows 11 Pro product key, select Start > Settings > System > Activation. Select Change product key, and then enter the 25-character Windows 11 Pro product key. Select Next to start the upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.
   
2. If you don’t have a Windows 11 Pro product key, select Start > Settings > System > Activation. Under Upgrade your edition of Windows, select Open Store. Make sure you’re signed in with your Microsoft account to purchase Windows 11 Pro. After you confirm your purchase, you’ll be prompted to install Windows 11 Pro and restart your PC.
   
   Upgrade Windows Home to Windows Pro - Microsoft Support
   

From the current point of view, it seems that you have got a Windows 11 Pro key from the license key supplier. In such cases, there is no need to uninstall Windows 11 Home and then reinstall Windows 11 Pro. The premise is that the key is genuine. Considering the current situation, you should check the key that the license key supplier sells to you according to the price of the license. Is it compliant. The following is a purchase reference given by an official website:

Buy and Download Windows 11 Pro | Microsoft

Assuming that the key was illegally obtained by the Key Supplier through unknown channels, it is very likely that you need to apply for a refund from the Supplier, and follow the second step above to obtain the digital key from the Microsoft store to upgrade.

Hope it helps! If any update, welcome to share with us.

Best regards,



Chandy |Microsoft Community Support Specialist