How do I change from Windows 10 Home to Pro for free?

Windows 11 is now officially available, and just like previous versions of Windows, it will come in a few different editions. The Windows 11 editions are similar to those of Windows 10, and different editions contain certain different features, which make the operating system more tailored for different users. For the general public, there are two main editions you'll find -- Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro. As the name suggests, Windows 11 Pro is the more feature-rich edition, but most laptops come with the Home edition. Even Microsoft's own Surface devices come with Windows 10 Home, unless you buy the business variants of them, which do come with Windows 11 Pro. In this guide, we'll show you how to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro, and why you might want to.

If you're looking to learn a bit more about different editions, you can check out our article about Windows 11 SKUs. In addition to Home and Pro, there are numerous editions for business and education users. There are also specific editions for different kinds of devices.

Why should you want Windows 11 Pro?

As we mentioned, Windows 11 Pro contains certain features that the Home edition doesn't have, but what exactly are you missing? Well, for most users, you're probably just fine with Windows 11 Home. As the name suggests, the features in the Pro edition are more geared towards professionals and enterprise-managed PCs. Still, there are valid reasons to want it. Here's a quick look at the differences between these two.

One of the Pro-exclusive features is BitLocker encryption, which helps protect the data on your PC from external attackers. Encrypting your data means only you can access it, and that's important if you're worried about data privacy and security.

Another exclusive feature is support for Remote Desktop. This lets you remotely connect to your PC and control it from anywhere, which can be very useful for PCs you leave at the office, for example. There's also support for Hyper-V virtualization. This lets you create and run virtual machines, so you can test specific environments or risky software without damaging your host PC.

However, it's worth noting there are a few apps that offer similar tools if you have Windows 11 Home. VMware Workstation Player is an example of an app for running virtual machines, and TeamViewer is good for accessing remote PCs. You don't need the Pro edition necessarily.

More niche features for Pro include the ability to join Azure Active Directory or a business domain. Originally, Windows 11 Pro also allowed you to set up your device with a local account out of the box, but now, an internet connection is required for both editions, and you still need a Microsoft account to set up Windows 11 Pro for personal use. There is a workaround for that in both editions, though.

How to upgrade

If you're set on upgrading from Windows 11 Home to Pro, here's what you need to do:

• Open the Settings app and choose Activation.

• Expand the Upgrade your edition of Windows section to see your options. If you want to buy an upgrade to Windows 11 Pro, click Open Store.

• You'll see a feature comparison between Home and Pro editions of Windows with the option to buy the upgrade. Since Windows 10 and Windows 11 licenses are the same, the Microsoft Store shows both operating systems, but it will work all the same.
• Click Buy to get the new license. If you have Windows 11 Home, the upgrade should cost $99.

• You'll need to enter your password and fill in your billing details if you haven't already.

• Once you buy and apply the upgrade, your PC has to restart to enable the new features.

Using an existing product key

If you already have a product key for Windows 11 Pro, you can activate it using these steps:

• Navigate to the Activation page in the Windows 11 Settings app, then click Change next to Change product key.

• You'll be asked for administrator permission to run the Windows Activation tool, then you can enter your Windows 11 Pro product key.

• Once the key is validated, you'll need to restart your PC to enable the Pro features.

Windows 11 Home and Pro are actually based on the same installation files, so you don't have to reinstall Windows or anything to upgrade. A simple restart will configure your version of Windows, and you'll be good to go the next time you use your PC.

If your laptop can't run Windows 11 or you're just looking for an upgrade, you can check out our list of best laptops. Most of them are running Windows 10 Home, which means you'll also get Windows 11 Home when you get the update. Business laptops are usually the exception, since they tend to ship with WIndows 11 Pro by default.