If your PC already runs Windows 11 Home, you don’t need to download anything to get Pro. Open Settings > System > Activation, expand Upgrade your edition of Windows, and either select Open Store to buy the Pro upgrade or select Change product key to enter a Pro key. Windows switches to Pro and keeps your files and apps. If you’re setting up a new PC or a blank drive, download Microsoft’s Windows 11 installer, which includes Pro, and pair it with a Windows 11 Pro license.
These steps cover Windows 11 version 26H2, the current release Microsoft made available on September 29, 2026, and also match versions 26H1 and 25H2 on x64 (Intel and AMD) and Arm PCs. They follow Microsoft’s Upgrade Windows Home to Windows Pro guide and its Windows 11 download page.
Which Way to Get Pro Fits Your PC
There isn’t a separate “Windows 11 Pro download.” Microsoft’s installer and ISO file contain several editions, and your license decides which one you get. Pick the route that matches your situation:
| Your situation | What to do | Erases files? |
|---|---|---|
| PC runs Windows 11 Home, activated | Upgrade in Settings with the Store or a Pro key | No |
| PC runs Windows 11 Pro but you want a fresh start | Reinstall from a USB drive; Pro activates again | Yes, with a clean install |
| New PC build or new drive with no Windows | Download the installer, make a USB drive, install, and use a full Pro license | Yes (the drive starts empty) |
| PC runs Windows 10 | Upgrade to Windows 11 first if the PC qualifies, then upgrade Home to Pro | No |
What Windows 11 Pro Adds
Microsoft says Pro adds more advanced security and business networking features, including:
- BitLocker Drive Encryption to encrypt your drives, including USB drives with BitLocker To Go
- Remote Desktop so you can connect to the PC from another device
- The ability to join a domain or Microsoft Entra ID, which many workplaces use (steps to join a Windows 11 PC to a domain)
Pro also includes Hyper-V, which lets you run a virtual machine on Windows 11, and the Local Group Policy Editor. Hyper-V needs a processor with second level address translation (SLAT). Home already has device encryption on supported PCs, Windows Security, and the ability to connect to other PCs with Remote Desktop, so if you don’t need any Pro feature above, Home may be all you need.
Step 1: Check Your Edition and Activation
The manual upgrade steps only apply to PCs running an activated copy of Windows 11 Home, so check first:
- Select Start > Settings > System > Activation. The Activation page opens.
- Look at the top of the page for your edition, next to the Windows logo. It says Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro.
- Check Activation state. It should say Windows is activated.
If Windows isn’t activated, activate Windows 11 Home before upgrading.
Step 2: Upgrade Home to Pro
Option A: Buy the upgrade in the Microsoft Store
Microsoft calls the Store the best way to upgrade, because it checks whether your Home edition is activated and guides you from there.
- In Settings > System > Activation, expand Upgrade your edition of Windows. The upgrade options appear.
- Select Open Store next to Upgrade in the Microsoft app. The Microsoft Store opens to the Windows 11 Pro upgrade and shows the price for your region.
- Make sure you’re signed in with your Microsoft account, then follow the steps to buy. After purchase, you’re prompted to install Pro and restart.
If Upgrade your edition of Windows isn’t there, you may already have Pro, or an edition upgrade may not be available on that PC.
Option B: Enter a Pro product key
Use this if you bought a Windows 11 Pro key from Microsoft or an authorized retailer, or your employer gave you one.
- In Settings > System > Activation, select Change next to Change product key. Approve the User Account Control prompt if it appears; on a standard account, an administrator must enter their password.
- In the Change product key window, enter your 25-character Windows 11 Pro product key. Windows checks the key.
- Select Next. The upgrade to Pro starts, and the PC restarts when it’s done.
The upgrade doesn’t require reinstalling Windows. Save open work first, and keep a laptop plugged in until it finishes.
Confirm the upgrade worked
Go back to Settings > System > Activation. The top of the page should now say Windows 11 Pro, and Activation state should say Windows is activated. Your files, apps, and settings stay where they were.
Download the Windows 11 Installer
You need the installer only for a new PC, a replacement drive, or a clean reinstall. Download Windows only from Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page. Copies from other sites can be modified or out of date.
Before you start, check that the target PC meets Microsoft’s Windows 11 specifications: a compatible 64-bit processor with 2 or more cores at 1 GHz or faster, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability, TPM 2.0, and a DirectX 12 graphics card. If TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot is the only problem, it’s often just turned off in the PC’s firmware settings.
Make a bootable USB drive with the Media Creation Tool
You need a working Windows PC, an internet connection, and a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB. Everything on the USB drive is erased.
- On the download page, under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, select Download Now. MediaCreationTool.exe downloads.
- Open the file and select Yes at the User Account Control prompt. The setup tool opens.
- Select Accept on the license terms.
- Choose the language and edition, or keep Use the recommended options for this PC checked, then select Next. The edition is listed as Windows 11, which includes Pro.
- Choose USB flash drive, select Next, pick your drive, and select Next again. The tool downloads Windows and writes it to the drive.
- Select Finish when it says your USB flash drive is ready.
Download the ISO file instead
An ISO file is a single disk image you can use for a virtual machine, a DVD, or another USB tool.
- On the download page, find Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices.
- Choose Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices) and select Download Now.
- Pick your product language, select Confirm, then select the 64-bit download button. The file is several gigabytes.
The Installation Assistant and Media Creation Tool only work for x64 PCs. For a PC with an Arm processor (check Settings > System > About), use the Arm64 ISO link on Microsoft’s download page.
Install Windows 11 Pro From the USB Drive
A clean install erases the drive you install to. Back up your files first, and if you’re replacing Windows on a PC you use, read how to install Windows 11 for the full walkthrough.
- Plug the USB drive into the PC and turn it on. Press the boot menu key for your PC (often F12, F11, Esc, or F9), then choose the USB drive. Not sure which key? These ways to open the boot menu in Windows 11 can help.
- Windows Setup opens. Choose your language, time and currency format, and keyboard, then select Next.
- Choose to install Windows 11 and confirm that you understand the drive will be erased.
- On the product key screen, enter your Windows 11 Pro key. Setup picks the edition that matches the key.
- No key handy? Select I don’t have a product key, then choose Windows 11 Pro from the list of editions. Pick the edition your license covers, or Windows won’t activate.
- Accept the license terms, select the drive or unallocated space to install on, and select Next and Install. The PC restarts several times.
- When setup asks, connect to the internet and sign in. Pro for personal use needs an internet connection and a Microsoft account during setup.
A PC that originally shipped with Windows 11 may have a key stored in its firmware. Setup can use that key without asking and install a different edition, such as Home. If that happens, finish setup, then use Change product key in Step 2 to move to Pro.
Get a license for a new PC
A full Windows 11 Pro license is meant for PCs that need a new license. Microsoft’s Store listing prices it at $199.99 in the US, as a download or on USB, and the PC must meet Windows 11’s minimum requirements. If you reinstall Pro on a PC that already had it activated, you usually don’t need a key: the digital license activates again once you’re online.
If the Upgrade or Install Doesn’t Work
- “Upgrade your edition” is missing: you may already have Pro. Check the edition at the top of the Activation page. On some PCs, an edition upgrade may not be available.
- Your key isn’t accepted: make sure it’s a Windows 11 Pro key, not a Home or Windows 10 Home key, and that you typed all 25 characters.
- Windows isn’t activated after the change: connect to the internet, then open Settings > System > Activation and select Troubleshoot if it appears.
- Setup installed Home instead of Pro: this is the firmware key at work. Finish setup and enter your Pro key with Change product key.
- Setup says the PC can’t run Windows 11: run the PC Health Check app on the old installation to see which requirement fails. TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are often just turned off in the firmware settings.
- Setup can’t see your drive: you may need a storage driver from the PC maker’s website. Select Load driver in Setup and point it to the driver.
- Work or school PC: your organization may manage the edition. Ask your IT team.
Be wary of “free Windows 11 Pro” guides that use command-line activation scripts or keys from unknown sellers. They don’t give you a valid license from Microsoft. Stick to the Store upgrade or a genuine Pro key. For legitimate options, see legal ways to get Windows 11 without buying a key.
If You Still Have Windows 10
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so the best route is to upgrade to Windows 11 through Windows Update first if the PC is eligible, then use the Home to Pro steps above. The upgrade is free on an eligible PC with a valid license, and the paid Pro license in the Microsoft Store isn’t meant for Windows 10 PCs that qualify for it.
A Windows 10 Home license doesn’t become a Pro license on its own. To change Windows 10 Home to Pro without upgrading, open Settings > Update & Security > Activation, select Change product key, and enter a genuine Windows 10 Pro key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will upgrading to Pro delete my files?
No. Upgrading from Home to Pro through Settings keeps your files and apps. It’s still smart to back up important files before any system change. Only a clean install from a USB drive erases the drive.
Can I get Pro for free?
Only if you already have a valid Pro license, for example from an older Pro PC, a Windows 10 Pro PC that upgraded, or your employer.
Can I go back from Pro to Home?
Not with a simple switch in Settings. Home to Pro counts as an upgrade, but Pro to Home is a downgrade, which generally means a clean install with Home.
I’m in S mode. Is that the same as Home?
No. S mode is a separate mode you can switch out of by exiting S mode in Windows 11.
How long does the upgrade take?
A Home to Pro upgrade in Settings usually takes a few minutes plus a restart. Downloading Windows and doing a clean install can take an hour or more, depending on your internet speed and PC.
How do I check which edition I have?
Go to Settings > System > Activation. Your edition is shown at the top, next to the Windows logo.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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