Upgrading your Windows 10 or 11 from the Home edition to the Pro edition can unlock advanced features beneficial for power users, such as group policy and many management tools or hardware limitations. While this guide focuses on upgrading from Home to Pro as an example, the steps can also be applied to other edition upgrades.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt with Administrator Rights

  1. Click on the Start menu, type cmd in the search bar.
  2. Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator."
  3. Click "Yes" to UAC, when prompted to allow the Command Prompt to make changes to your device.

Step 2: Check Available Editions

In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

Dism /Online /Get-TargetEditions

This command will display all the Windows editions your current installation can be upgraded to.

Step 3: Start the License Manager Service

Type the following command in the Command Prompt and press Enter:

sc config LicenseManager start= auto & net start LicenseManager

This command ensures that the License Manager service is set to start automatically and starts the service immediately.

Step 4: Start the Windows Update Service

Type the following command in the Command Prompt and press Enter:

sc config wuauserv start= auto & net start wuauserv

This command sets the Windows Update service to start automatically and starts the service.

Step 5: Enter the Windows 10 Pro Product Key

Type the following command in the Command Prompt, replacing VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T with your valid Windows 10 Pro product key, and press Enter:

changepk.exe /productkey VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

You can use a generic key for testing purposes but need a valid product key for activation. Here is the list for Generic Retail/OEM/MAK Keys:

Windows 10/11 Product NamesEditionIDGeneric Retail/OEM/MAK Key
EducationEducationYNMGQ-8RYV3-4PGQ3-C8XTP-7CFBY
Education NEducationN84NGF-MHBT6-FXBX8-QWJK7-DRR8H
EnterpriseEnterpriseXGVPP-NMH47-7TTHJ-W3FW7-8HV2C
Enterprise NEnterpriseN3V6Q6-NQXCX-V8YXR-9QCYV-QPFCT
Enterprise LTSB 2015EnterpriseSFWN7H-PF93Q-4GGP8-M8RF3-MDWWW
Enterprise LTSB 2016EnterpriseSNK96Y-D9CD8-W44CQ-R8YTK-DYJWX
Enterprise LTSC 2019EnterpriseS43TBQ-NH92J-XKTM7-KT3KK-P39PB
Enterprise N LTSB 2015EnterpriseSNNTX6B-BRYC2-K6786-F6MVQ-M7V2X
Enterprise N LTSB 2016EnterpriseSN2DBW3-N2PJG-MVHW3-G7TDK-9HKR4
HomeCoreYTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
Home NCoreN4CPRK-NM3K3-X6XXQ-RXX86-WXCHW
Home ChinaCoreCountrySpecificN2434-X9D7W-8PF6X-8DV9T-8TYMD
Home Single LanguageCoreSingleLanguageBT79Q-G7N6G-PGBYW-4YWX6-6F4BT
IoT EnterpriseIoTEnterpriseXQQYW-NFFMW-XJPBH-K8732-CKFFD
IoT Enterprise SubscriptionIoTEnterpriseKP8Q7T-WNK7X-PMFXY-VXHBG-RRK69
IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021IoTEnterpriseSQPM6N-7J2WJ-P88HH-P3YRH-YY74H
IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024IoTEnterpriseSCGK42-GYN6Y-VD22B-BX98W-J8JXD
IoT Enterprise LTSC Subscription 2024IoTEnterpriseSKN979K-XWD77-YW3GB-HBGH6-D32MH
ProProfessionalVK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Pro NProfessionalN2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-Y2C8J-PKCKT
Pro EducationProfessionalEducation8PTT6-RNW4C-6V7J2-C2D3X-MHBPB
Pro Education NProfessionalEducationNGJTYN-HDMQY-FRR76-HVGC7-QPF8P
Pro for WorkstationsProfessionalWorkstationDXG7C-N36C4-C4HTG-X4T3X-2YV77
Pro N for WorkstationsProfessionalWorkstationNWYPNQ-8C467-V2W6J-TX4WX-WT2RQ
SCloudV3WVW-N2PV2-CGWC3-34QGF-VMJ2C
S NCloudNNH9J3-68WK7-6FB93-4K3DF-DJ4F6
SECloudEditionKY7PN-VR6RX-83W6Y-6DDYQ-T6R4W
SE NCloudEditionNK9VKN-3BGWV-Y624W-MCRMQ-BHDCD
TeamPPIProXKCNC-J26Q9-KFHD2-FKTHY-KD72Y
Windows 10/11 Generic Retail/OEM/MAK keys list

If you are using the Key Management Services (KMS) Generic Volume License Key to upgrade please use the following command: 

cscript.exe c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX

Here is the list for Generic Volume License Key:

Windows 10 / 11​

Windows 10/11 Product NamesEditionIDGeneric Volume License Key
EducationEducationNW6C2-QMPVW-D7KKK-3GKT6-VCFB2
Education NEducationN2WH4N-8QGBV-H22JP-CT43Q-MDWWJ
EnterpriseEnterpriseNPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43
Enterprise NEnterpriseNDPH2V-TTNVB-4X9Q3-TJR4H-KHJW4
Enterprise GEnterpriseGYYVX9-NTFWV-6MDM3-9PT4T-4M68B
Enterprise G NEnterpriseGN44RPN-FTY23-9VTTB-MP9BX-T84FV
Enterprise LTSB 2016EnterpriseSDCPHK-NFMTC-H88MJ-PFHPY-QJ4BJ
Enterprise LTSC 2019EnterpriseSM7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D
Enterprise LTSC 2021EnterpriseSM7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D
Enterprise LTSC 2024EnterpriseSM7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D
Enterprise N LTSB 2016EnterpriseSNQFFDN-GRT3P-VKWWX-X7T3R-8B639
Enterprise N LTSC 2019EnterpriseSN92NFX-8DJQP-P6BBQ-THF9C-7CG2H
Enterprise N LTSC 2021EnterpriseSN92NFX-8DJQP-P6BBQ-THF9C-7CG2H
Enterprise N LTSC 2024EnterpriseSN92NFX-8DJQP-P6BBQ-THF9C-7CG2H
IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 (19044.2788 and later)IoTEnterpriseSKBN8V-HFGQ4-MGXVD-347P6-PDQGT
IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024IoTEnterpriseSKBN8V-HFGQ4-MGXVD-347P6-PDQGT
HomeCoreTX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99
Home NCoreN3KHY7-WNT83-DGQKR-F7HPR-844BM
Home ChinaCoreCountrySpecificPVMJN-6DFY6-9CCP6-7BKTT-D3WVR
Home Single LanguageCoreSingleLanguage7HNRX-D7KGG-3K4RQ-4WPJ4-YTDFH
LeanCloudENBTWJ-3DR69-3C4V8-C26MC-GQ9M6
ProProfessionalW269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX
Pro NProfessionalNMH37W-N47XK-V7XM9-C7227-GCQG9
Pro EducationProfessionalEducation6TP4R-GNPTD-KYYHQ-7B7DP-J447Y
Pro Education NProfessionalEducationNYVWGF-BXNMC-HTQYQ-CPQ99-66QFC
Pro for WorkstationsProfessionalWorkstationNRG8B-VKK3Q-CXVCJ-9G2XF-6Q84J
Pro N for WorkstationsProfessionalWorkstationN9FNHH-K3HBT-3W4TD-6383H-6XYWF
SECloudEdition37D7F-N49CB-WQR8W-TBJ73-FM8RX
SE NCloudEditionN6XN7V-PCBDC-BDBRH-8DQY7-G6R44

Windows Server (LTSC)​

Windows Server (LTSC)EditionIDGeneric Volume License Key
Windows Server 2025 StandardServerStandardDPNXD-67YY9-WWFJJ-RYH99-RM832
Windows Server 2025 DatacenterServerDatacenterCNFDQ-2BW8H-9V4WM-TKCPD-MD2QF
Windows Server 2025 Azure CoreServerAzureCorQN7G3-4RM92-MT6QR-PR966-FVYV7
Windows Server 2025 Azure DatacenterServerTurbineNQ8HH-FTDTM-6VGY7-TQ3DV-XFBV2
Windows Server 2022 DatacenterServerDatacenterWX4NM-KYWYW-QJJR4-XV3QB-6VM33
Windows Server 2022 StandardServerStandardVDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H
Windows Server 2022 Azure CoreServerAzureCor6N379-GGTMK-23C6M-XVVTC-CKFRQ
Windows Server 2022 Azure DatacenterServerTurbineNTBV8-9K7Q8-V27C6-M2BTV-KHMXV
Windows Server 2019 DatacenterServerDatacenterWMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG
Windows Server 2019 StandardServerStandardN69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C
Windows Server 2019 EssentialsServerSolutionWVDHN-86M7X-466P6-VHXV7-YY726
Windows Server 2019 Azure CoreServerAzureCorFDNH6-VW9RW-BXPJ7-4XTYG-239TB
Windows Server 2019 ARM64ServerARM64GRFBW-QNDC4-6QBHG-CCK3B-2PR88
Windows Server 2016 ARM64ServerARM64K9FYF-G6NCK-73M32-XMVPY-F9DRR
Windows Server 2016 DatacenterServerDatacenterCB7KF-BWN84-R7R2Y-793K2-8XDDG
Windows Server 2016 StandardServerStandardWC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY
Windows Server 2016 EssentialsServerSolutionJCKRF-N37P4-C2D82-9YXRT-4M63B
Windows Server 2016 Cloud StorageServerCloudStorageQN4C6-GBJD2-FB422-GHWJK-GJG2R
Windows Server 2016 Azure CoreServerAzureCorVP34G-4NPPG-79JTQ-864T4-R3MQX

Windows Server (Annual Channel)​

Windows Server (Annual Channel)EditionIDGeneric Volume License Key
Windows Server Datacenter (23H2)ServerDatacenterWX4NM-KYWYW-QJJR4-XV3QB-6VM33

Windows Server (Semi-Annual Channel)​

Windows Server (Semi-Annual Channel)EditionIDGeneric Volume License Key
20H2, 2004, 1909, 1903, and 1809
Windows Server DatacenterServerDatacenterACor6NMRW-2C8FM-D24W7-TQWMY-CWH2D
Windows Server StandardServerStandardACorN2KJX-J94YW-TQVFB-DG9YT-724CC
1803
Windows Server DatacenterServerDatacenterACor2HXDN-KRXHB-GPYC7-YCKFJ-7FVDG
Windows Server StandardServerStandardACorPTXN8-JFHJM-4WC78-MPCBR-9W4KR
1709
Windows Server DatacenterServerDatacenterACor6Y6KB-N82V8-D8CQV-23MJW-BWTG6
Windows Server StandardServerStandardACorDPCNP-XQFKJ-BJF7R-FRC8D-GF6G4

Step 6: Wait for the Upgrade to Complete

Depending on your PC performance, the upgrade process might take a while. During this time, your computer will install the necessary updates and features for the new Windows edition. Your computer will automatically restart during this process.

Step 7: Verify the Upgrade

Once the upgrade is complete, right-click on "This PC" or "My Computer" on your desktop or in File Explorer. Select "Properties." In the System About section, verify that the edition now should be Pro.

Reference:

Windows edition upgrade:

Edition upgradeMDMProvisioning
package		Command-
line tool		Manually entering
product key
Home > Pro❌❌❌☑️
Home > Pro for Workstations❌❌❌☑️
Home > Pro Education☑️☑️☑️☑️
Home > Education☑️☑️☑️☑️
Pro > Pro for Workstations✅✅✅✅
Pro > Pro Education✅✅✅✅
Pro > Education☑️☑️☑️☑️
Pro > Enterprise✅✅✅✅
Pro for Workstations > Pro Education✅✅✅✅
Pro for Workstations > Education☑️☑️☑️☑️
Pro for Workstations > Enterprise✅✅✅✅
Pro Education > Education☑️☑️☑️☑️
Enterprise > Education☑️☑️☑️☑️
✅ = Supported, no reboot required.
☑️ = Supported, but reboot required.
❌ = Not supported.
MDM = Modern device management.

Supported Windows upgrade paths:

Windows EditionWindows HomeWindows ProWindows Pro EducationWindows EducationWindows Enterprise
Windows Home❌✅✅✅❌
Windows Pro⬇️❌✅✅✅
Windows Education❌❌❌❌⬇️
Windows Enterprise❌❌❌✅❌
✅ = Full upgrade is supported including personal data, settings, and applications.
❌ = Upgrade isn't supported or not applicable.
⬇️ = Edition downgrade; personal data is maintained, and applications and settings are removed.

Source: Windows edition upgrade from learn.microsoft.com