Upgrading from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro Without Reinstalling
As avid Windows users, we often face the dilemma of deciding between Windows 10 Home and Pro editions. While Windows 10 Home serves most home users well, power users may desire advanced features exclusive to Windows 10 Pro like BitLocker disk encryption, Remote Desktop access, and Hyper-V virtualization. Upgrading from Home to Pro allows accessing these useful capabilities without having to clean install Windows and risk losing data.
After examining recent forum discussions on this topic, we’ve compiled comprehensive guidelines to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro smoothly, without reinstallation.
Purchase a Legit Windows 10 Pro Product Key
The first step is procuring a valid Windows 10 Pro product key from trustworthy sources like the Microsoft Store. With the proliferation of grey market keys, ensure you buy from authorized retailers to avoid activation issues later. While more expensive than third-party resellers, official keys guarantee hassle-free activation. Consider the cost an investment into your productivity.
Change the Product Key in Settings
With the product key ready, open Windows Settings and navigate to Update & Security > Activation. Click on "Change product key" and enter your new Windows 10 Pro key here.
Windows will prompt you to restart the device to complete the upgrade. Allow it to restart.
After signing back in, Windows will automatically begin installing updates in the background to upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro.
The entire process is seamless and takes around 15-20 minutes, allowing you to keep using the PC normally while the upgrade takes place.
Activate Windows 10 Pro
Once Windows finishes installing the Pro updates, you’ll need to activate it using your new product key.
Go back to the Activation page in Settings, select "I changed hardware on this device recently" when prompted and click "Troubleshoot." On the next screen, enter your Pro product key again.
Windows will activate successfully with the new key, completing the upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. You can now enjoy all the Pro exclusive features without having reinstalled Windows.
Upgrade Directly From the Microsoft Store
Another simple way to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro is directly through the Microsoft Store. Here are the steps:
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Open Settings and go to Update & Security > Activation.
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Click "Go to the Store."
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Purchase the Windows 10 Pro upgrade.
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Confirm the purchase and wait for the upgrade to install.
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Restart your PC when prompted to complete the upgrade process.
This method doesn’t require you to enter any product key. The purchase from the Microsoft Store itself triggers the upgrade. However, it may not work if your copy of Windows is not activated.
Use an Old Windows 7/8 Pro Key
If you have an unused product key for Windows 7 Pro, Windows 7 Ultimate, or Windows 8/8.1 Pro, you can use it to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro as well.
Microsoft allows you to enter these old keys to upgrade currently activated versions of Windows 10 Home to Pro. The steps are the same as using a Windows 10 Pro key:
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Go to Activation settings.
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Click "Change product key."
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Enter your old Windows 7 or 8 Pro key.
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Follow prompts to complete activation.
This nifty trick saves you money if you still have spare Pro keys from older versions lying around.
Upgrade Without Losing Data or Programs
The beauty of these methods is they allow upgrading from Windows 10 Home to Pro without impacting installed applications, user profiles, or data at all. You don’t have to worry about backing up files or reinstalling programs after the upgrade.
The only change is under the hood installation of Windows Pro packages. The upgrade experience is quick, seamless, and non-disruptive.
So next time you need to upgrade Windows editions, don’t resort to tedious clean installs. Follow our guide to change Windows 10 Home to Pro painlessly and enjoy the perks of Windows 10 Pro with minimal effort.
If you found this guide helpful, let us know in the comments below your experience upgrading to Windows 10 Pro. Feel free to suggest any other Windows topics you’d like us to cover in future articles!
