How to Upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro (and What It Costs in 2026)
JustineTeilen
Reviewed 24 September 2026 by Justine, Technical Support Advisor at Nerdused. Prices checked on the same date.
Upgrading Windows 11 Home to Pro does not need a reinstall, a download from Microsoft or a new PC. You enter a Windows 11 Pro product key, Windows adds the Pro features in the background, restarts once, and everything you had is still there. The whole thing takes about ten minutes. What it costs depends on where the key comes from: $99 through the Microsoft Store, or $29.99 for a genuine Windows 11 Pro key from Nerdused, which is used in exactly the same way.
What you get by upgrading to Windows 11 Pro
Pro adds BitLocker drive encryption, Remote Desktop hosting (so other devices can connect to this PC), Hyper-V virtual machines and Windows Sandbox, the Group Policy Editor, the ability to join a company domain or Microsoft Entra ID, longer update deferral, and support for 2 TB of RAM and two CPUs. Performance, gaming and the interface do not change. If you are not sure you need any of that, the Windows 11 Home vs Pro comparison goes through each feature.
Windows 11 Home to Pro upgrade cost
| Route | Price | How it works |
| Microsoft Store upgrade | $99 | Settings > System > Activation > "Upgrade your edition of Windows" > Open Store. Charged to your Microsoft account; the Pro licence attaches to that account. |
| Windows 11 Pro retail box / download from Microsoft | $199.99 | Full licence. Overkill if you already own Home. |
| Windows 11 Pro key from Nerdused | $29.99 (1 PC), $49.99 (3), $79.99 (5) | Enter the key under "Change product key". Same in-place upgrade as the Store route. Delivered by email in about a minute, 30-day refund promise. |
Whichever route you use, the upgrade is permanent for that PC. There is no subscription and nothing to renew. If you are buying for a PC that has no Windows licence yet, the Windows licence keys collection compares Windows 11 and Windows 10 editions in one table.
Need a licence key? Buy a genuine Windows 11 Pro licence from Nerdused.
Delivered to your inbox in about 60 seconds. 30-day refund promise: full refund within 30 days if your key hasn’t been used or won’t activate.
Before you start
- Check your edition. Settings > System > About, under Windows specifications. If it already says Pro, you are done.
- Make sure Home is activated. Settings > System > Activation should say "Windows is activated". An unactivated Home install can still be upgraded with a Pro key, but fix activation first if you can, so any problem is easier to diagnose.
- Be online. The upgrade downloads the Pro components from Microsoft (a few hundred MB).
- Save your work. One restart is required. Nothing is deleted, but a backup never hurts.
- Have the key ready. A Windows 11 Pro key is 25 characters in five groups. A Windows 10 Pro key also works and gives you Windows 11 Pro.
How to upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro with a product key
- Open Settings (Windows + I), go to System, then Activation.
- Expand Upgrade your edition of Windows and next to Change product key click Change.
- Type or paste the 25-character Windows 11 Pro key and click Next.
- Click Start. Windows says "Upgrading your edition of Windows" and downloads the Pro features. This takes 3 to 10 minutes depending on your connection.
- When prompted, restart. The restart takes longer than usual while the edition switches.
- After the restart, go back to Settings > System > Activation. It should read Windows 11 Pro and Windows is activated with a digital licence.
Your files, installed programs, user accounts and settings all carry over. The only visible change is the new features appearing (BitLocker in Control Panel, Remote Desktop under Settings > System, Hyper-V and Sandbox under Optional Features).
How to upgrade through the Microsoft Store instead
- Settings > System > Activation > Upgrade your edition of Windows > Open Store.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account and pay $99.
- Click Install; Windows upgrades and restarts as above.
The Store route ties the Pro licence to your Microsoft account, which is convenient for reinstalls on the same PC. A retail key works the same way once it has been activated: Microsoft records a digital licence for that hardware.
If the upgrade fails
| What you see | Cause | Fix |
| "This product key didn't work" / 0xC004F050 | Key typed wrong, or it is a Home key | Re-enter carefully (B and 8, O and 0). Confirm the key is for Pro. |
| "Unable to upgrade your edition" / 0x803FA067 | Windows Update or the Store service is blocked | Run Windows Update troubleshooter, make sure Windows Update is not paused, then retry. If it persists, use the generic Pro upgrade key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T to switch edition first, then enter your real key to activate. |
| 0xC004C003 / "blocked" | Key already used on another PC | Contact us; we replace it under the refund promise. See fixing error 0xC004C003. |
| 0x800F0805 / "invalid package" | Edition change did not complete | Restart, then run sfc /scannow in an admin Command Prompt and enter the key again. |
| Activation stays "not activated" after upgrade | Online activation blocked | Use phone activation: slui 4 from Run, choose your country, follow the prompts. Our Windows 11 activation guide covers this. |
Can I go back to Home?
Not directly. Windows has no in-place downgrade, so returning to Home means a clean install of Windows 11 Home. In practice nobody does this: Pro has no drawbacks, and the Pro digital licence stays on the PC.
Ready to activate? Buy a genuine Windows 11 Home licence from Nerdused.
Delivered to your inbox in about 60 seconds. 30-day refund promise: full refund within 30 days if your key hasn’t been used or won’t activate.
FAQs
How much does it cost to upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro?
$99 through the Microsoft Store, or the price of a Pro key from a reseller: $29.99 at Nerdused. Both give a permanent upgrade on that PC.
Do I have to reinstall Windows to upgrade to Pro?
No. It is an in-place edition change with one restart. Files, apps and settings stay.
Can I use a Windows 10 Pro key to upgrade Windows 11 Home?
Yes. Windows 11 accepts Windows 10 Pro keys, and the result is Windows 11 Pro.
Will the Pro licence transfer to a new PC?
A retail key can be moved to a new PC once it has been removed from the old one; an OEM key stays with the original motherboard. Our OEM vs retail keys guide explains the difference.
Does upgrading to Pro include Office?
No. Office is separate; see the Office 2024 editions guide.
Is there a free way to upgrade Home to Pro?
No legitimate one. The generic key above switches the edition but does not activate it; you still need a real Pro licence within the grace period.
Written by Justine
Technical Support Advisor at Nerdused with 10+ years of Microsoft product experience.
Last updated 25 September 2026 · Meet the support team