How to Upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Professional

Distorted Vision

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Jun 18, 2022
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I have Windows 11 Home installed and activated.
I have purchased a Windows 11 Professional Key from Group.

How do I upgrade to Professional without doing a rebuild?
 

Do an in‑place edition upgrade (no reinstall)​

This keeps your apps/files. You’ll switch the edition to Pro, then activate with your key.
1) Switch the edition to Pro
  • Settings > System > Activation > Change product key.
  • Enter Microsoft’s generic Windows 11 Pro key:
    VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
  • Next > Start. It will add Pro features and reboot once.
2) Activate with your purchased key
  • After it boots into Windows 11 Pro, go back to Settings > System > Activation > Change product key.
  • Enter your Pro key from the seller and activate.
  • Command‑line alternative (admin PowerShell/CMD):
    slmgr /ipk YOUR-PRO-KEY
    slmgr /ato

Notes and quick fixes​

  • This is non‑destructive; your programs and data remain.
  • If you’re on “Windows 11 Home N,” use the Pro N generic key instead: 2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-YKQYG-DPBQM.
  • If activation fails:
    • Check the key type: slmgr /dlv (Retail/OEM good; KMS/MAK may require a corporate server and won’t activate at home).
    • Error 0xC004F050/0x803FA067: finish the edition switch with the generic key first, then enter your Pro key; or retry activation after a reboot and internet check.
  • After activation, link your license to your Microsoft account: Settings > System > Activation > Activation state > Add an account.
If you hit an error code, post the exact code and I’ll tell you the fastest fix.
 

That error (0x803fa067) is normal if you try to jump straight from Home to Pro with a retail/volume key​

Do the edition switch first with Microsoft’s generic key, then activate with your key. If Settings still throws 0x803fa067, use DISM which is more reliable.

Option A — Quick (offline) via Settings​

1) Disconnect from the internet (unplug Ethernet/disable Wi‑Fi).
2) Settings > System > Activation > Change product key, enter the generic key for your target SKU:
  • Windows 11 Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
  • Windows 11 Pro N: 2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-YKQYG-DPBQM
    3) Let it “install features” and reboot into Windows 11 Pro/Pro N.
    4) Reconnect to the internet, then Activation > Change product key and enter the key you purchased to activate.

Option B — Bulletproof via DISM (works even when Settings fails)​

Run these in an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell:
  • Check you can target Pro:
    dism /online /Get-TargetEditions
    Look for Professional (or ProfessionalN).
  • Do the edition switch with the generic key:
    dism /online /Set-Edition:Professional /ProductKey:VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T /AcceptEula
    If you need Pro N, use:
    dism /online /Set-Edition:ProfessionalN /ProductKey:2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-YKQYG-DPBQM /AcceptEula
    It will reboot.
  • After reboot, activate with your purchased key:
    Code: 
    slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
slmgr /ato

If activation still fails​

  • Check your key’s type/channel:
    slmgr /dlv
    If it shows KMS/MAK/Enterprise/Workstation or Pro N while you installed plain Pro, it won’t activate. Use the matching edition (Pro vs Pro N) or contact the seller.
  • Errors like 0xC004F050/0xC004C060 usually mean the key is invalid/blocked.
  • You can also try phone activation: Win+R → slui 4.
Reply with any new error code or the slmgr /dlv summary and I’ll advise the exact next step.
 
Got it. Your DISM error 50 is expected—/Set-Edition only works on an offline image. For a running system (online), use the product‑key path.
Do this (works on Windows 11 24H2, no rebuild):
1) Switch the edition to Pro using the generic key (offline)
  • Disconnect from the internet (disable Wi‑Fi/unplug Ethernet).
  • Open an elevated PowerShell or CMD and run:
    changepk.exe /ProductKey VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
  • Let it “install features” and reboot. After reboot you should be on Windows 11 Pro.
  • Verify:
    dism /online /Get-CurrentEdition
    (Should show: Current Edition : Professional.
2) Activate with your purchased key (back online)
  • Reconnect to the internet.
  • Enter your real key:
    slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
    slmgr /ato
If the above says your key is for a different SKU
  • If your key is Pro N, switch using the Pro N generic key instead:
    changepk.exe /ProductKey 2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-YKQYG-DPBQM
    then activate with your Pro N key.
  • If slmgr /dlv shows a KMS or Enterprise/Workstation key, it won’t activate at home—ask the seller for a retail/OEM Pro key or a refund.
If Settings still throws 0x803fa067
  • Stay offline and use changepk.exe as above (it bypasses online validation during the edition switch).
  • Make sure these services are not disabled: Windows License Manager Service, Windows Update (Temporary set to Manual/Running while switching).
Optional checks
  • Show target editions (yours already shows Professional as allowed):
    dism /online /Get-TargetEditions
  • Activation troubleshooter (if activation fails after the switch):
    ms-settings:activation → Troubleshoot.
Post back any new error code from slmgr /ato or slmgr /dlv and I’ll advise the exact fix.
 

Fix the “Windows upgrade failed (0x80070490)” and switch Home → Pro without reinstall​

0x80070490 usually means the edition‑upgrade components/services weren’t ready. Do this in order:
1) Prep the system (1 reboot after each if asked)
  • Install all Windows Updates, then reboot.
  • Open an elevated PowerShell and repair components:
    sfc /scannow
    DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  • Ensure required services are present and running:
    sc config LicenseManager start= demand
    sc start LicenseManager
    sc config clipsvc start= demand
    sc start clipsvc
    sc config wuauserv start= demand
    sc start wuauserv
    sc config usosvc start= demand
    sc start usosvc
    sc config sppsvc start= auto
    sc start sppsvc
2) Do the edition switch offline with the generic Pro key
  • Disconnect from the internet (disable Wi‑Fi/unplug Ethernet).
  • Run (Admin PowerShell/CMD):
    changepk.exe /ProductKey VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
  • Let it “install features” and reboot to Windows 11 Pro.
  • Verify:
    dism /online /Get-CurrentEdition
    (Should show: Professional.
3) Activate using your purchased key (back online)
  • Reconnect to the internet, then run:
    slmgr /ipk YOUR-PRO-KEY
    slmgr /ato
4) If step 2 still throws 0x80070490
  • Do an in‑place repair upgrade using the Windows 11 24H2 ISO (no data loss):
    • Mount the official ISO, run setup.exe, choose “Keep personal files and apps.”
    • When asked for a key, enter the generic Pro key above.
    • After the upgrade finishes and you’re on Pro, activate with your purchased key (slmgr /ipk + slmgr /ato).
5) If activation fails after you’re on Pro
  • Check the key type/edition:
    slmgr /dlv
    • If it says Pro N, use the Pro N generic key (2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-YKQYG-DPBQM) for the switch, then your Pro N key.
    • If it’s KMS/Enterprise/Workstation, it won’t activate a home PC—ask the seller for a Retail/OEM Pro key or refund, or I can guide KMS activation if it’s legitimate and you have access to a KMS server.
Post any new error code (from changepk/slmgr) and the output of dism /online /Get-CurrentEdition, and I’ll zero in on the next step.
 
Set-Content : A positional parameter cannot be found that accepts argument 'start='.
At C:\PS.ps1:1 char:1
+ sc config LicenseManager start= demand
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ) [Set-Content], ParameterBindingException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PositionalParameterNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetContentCommand

Set-Content : A positional parameter cannot be found that accepts argument 'start='.
At C:\PS.ps1:3 char:1
+ sc config clipsvc start= demand
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ) [Set-Content], ParameterBindingException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PositionalParameterNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetContentCommand

Set-Content : A positional parameter cannot be found that accepts argument 'start='.
At C:\PS.ps1:5 char:1
+ sc config wuauserv start= demand
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ) [Set-Content], ParameterBindingException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PositionalParameterNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetContentCommand

Set-Content : A positional parameter cannot be found that accepts argument 'start='.
At C:\PS.ps1:7 char:1
+ sc config usosvc start= demand
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ) [Set-Content], ParameterBindingException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PositionalParameterNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetContentCommand

Set-Content : A positional parameter cannot be found that accepts argument 'start='.
At C:\PS.ps1:9 char:1
+ sc config sppsvc start= auto
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ) [Set-Content], ParameterBindingException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PositionalParameterNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetContentCommand
 
You hit a PowerShell alias trap. In PowerShell, sc is an alias for Set-Content, so lines like sc config ... throw “positional parameter” errors. Use sc.exe (the Service Control tool) or PowerShell’s Set-Service instead.
Do this (Admin PowerShell)
Option A — PowerShell-native
  • Set services to the right StartupType and start them:
    Set-Service -Name LicenseManager -StartupType Manual; Start-Service LicenseManager
    Set-Service -Name ClipSVC -StartupType Manual; Start-Service ClipSVC
    Set-Service -Name wuauserv -StartupType Manual; Start-Service wuauserv
    Set-Service -Name UsoSvc -StartupType Manual; Start-Service UsoSvc
    Set-Service -Name sppsvc -StartupType Automatic; Start-Service sppsvc
Option B — SC.EXE (explicit)
  • Or run the classic commands with sc.exe:
    sc.exe config LicenseManager start= demand
    sc.exe start LicenseManager
    sc.exe config ClipSVC start= demand
    sc.exe start ClipSVC
    sc.exe config wuauserv start= demand
    sc.exe start wuauserv
    sc.exe config UsoSvc start= demand
    sc.exe start UsoSvc
    sc.exe config sppsvc start= auto
    sc.exe start sppsvc
Then perform the edition switch offline
1) Disconnect from the internet.
2) Run:
changepk.exe /ProductKey VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Let it add features and reboot to Windows 11 Pro. Verify:
dism /online /Get-CurrentEdition (should say Professional)
3) Reconnect and activate with your purchased key:
slmgr /ipk YOUR-PRO-KEY
slmgr /ato
If you have a Pro N key, switch with the Pro N generic key first:
changepk.exe /ProductKey 2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-YKQYG-DPBQM
If you still get 0x80070490 during the switch, run sfc /scannow and DISM /RestoreHealth, reboot, and try again; or do an in‑place repair with the 24H2 ISO (keep apps), entering the generic Pro key in setup. Share any new error code from changepk/slmgr and I’ll advise the next step.
 

Great — you’re on Windows 11 Pro and activated​

Nice work. A few quick follow‑ups to make the most of Pro and avoid future activation hassles:
  • Link your digital license to your Microsoft account:
    Settings > System > Activation > Activation state > Add an account.
  • Keep your proof of purchase/key somewhere safe. You can see license/channel with:
    slmgr /dlv

Pro features you may want to turn on​

  • BitLocker device encryption: Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption (or Control Panel > BitLocker). Encrypt the OS drive and save recovery key.
  • Remote Desktop (host): Settings > System > Remote Desktop > On.
  • Hyper‑V and Windows Sandbox (isolation/testing):
    Optional features (Turn Windows features on/off) > enable Hyper‑V, Virtual Machine Platform, and Windows Sandbox; reboot.
  • Local Group Policy Editor: Win+R → gpedit.msc (for fine‑grained policy control).
If anything activation‑related changes (hardware swap, motherboard, etc., run the Activation Troubleshooter or ping me with the exact error code. And if this answers your thread, feel free to mark it solved so others can follow the steps.
 
distortedvision said:
I have Windows 11 Home installed and activated.
I have purchased a Windows 11 Professional Key from Group.

How do I upgrade to Professional without doing a rebuild?
Click to expand...
Since you already have Windows 11 Home, you can upgrade to Pro without reinstalling anything. Just open Settings, go to System > Activation, and click “Change product key.” Enter the Windows 11 Pro key you bought and follow the prompts. Your PC will upgrade to Pro while keeping all your apps, files, and settings intact. Once it’s done, check back in Activation to make sure it’s activated, and you’re good to go.
 
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