Windows 10 Pro N is a European variant of Windows 10 Pro that ships without certain media-related features. It arrives pre-installed on some PCs sold in Europe or gets applied when an OEM accidentally uses an N-edition license key. If you find yourself on Pro N and want the full-featured Windows 10 Pro experience — with Windows Media Player and related multimedia components — switching editions in place is the right move.
The good news is that you do not need a clean reinstall. No data, no applications, and no settings are lost in the process. This guide walks you through upgrading from Windows 10 Pro N to Windows 10 Pro using a single PowerShell command, entirely in place.
You can use the DISM command in PowerShell to confirm you are currently running the Pro N edition before proceeding.
# OutputDeployment Image Servicing and Management toolVersion: 10.0.19041.3636Image Version: 10.0.19045.6159Current edition is:Current Edition : ProfessionalNThe operation completed successfully.You can check to which Windows versions you can upgrade to using the below PowerShell command.
As shown in the output below, you can upgrade to the Windows N target editions. However, direct upgrades to the regular Windows editions (non-N) are not officially supported by Microsoft.
# OutputDeployment Image Servicing and Management toolVersion: 10.0.19041.3636Image Version: 10.0.19045.6159Editions that can be upgraded to:Target Edition : EnterpriseNTarget Edition : ProfessionalEducationNTarget Edition : ProfessionalWorkstationNTarget Edition : EducationNThe operation completed successfully.Upgrade From Windows 10 Pro N to Windows 10 Pro
To upgrade from Windows 10 Pro N to Windows 10 Pro, we will use a PowerShell script. The advantages of this method are:
- All data and applications on the system will remain intact. No need to worry about any data loss.
- The methods work seamlessly with all versions of Windows, including Windows Server.
- For Windows Server: The script can convert from Server Evaluation to Standard or Datacenter editions. It can also be used for switching between editions, such as upgrading from ServerStandard to ServerDatacenter or vice versa.
- For Windows clients: The script can convert, upgrade, downgrade, or switch between editions, such as upgrading from Home to Pro or downgrading from Enterprise to Pro.
- The script works on both Windows 64-bit and Windows 32-bit systems.
- The script automatically activates the Windows license after conversion.
1. Search for powershell then run it as administrator.
2. Type the following command in the PowerShell window then hit Enter ↵ button.
3. A new window will appear, allowing you to choose the target edition you wish to upgrade to.
4. Select a target edition and then click the Submit button to start the conversation. For instance, I will upgrade from Windows 10 Pro N to Windows 10 Pro.
5. It could take a while to complete. Please be patient.
6. After completing the process, close PowerShell and open Windows Settings to verify the activation status. As shown in the screenshot, Windows Pro N has been successfully converted to Windows 10 Pro.
To use a different product key on this device, select Change product key.
Check the Windows version and edition
Restart the computer, and after it boots up again, open PowerShell to run the command that checks the Windows edition and version.
# OutputPS C:\> Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object WindowsProductName, WindowsEditionIdWindowsProductName WindowsEditionId------------------ ----------------Windows 10 Pro ProfessionalConclusion
Hello Friends! My name is Leo, and I’m excited to share everything I know about activating Microsoft software products. In the past, I managed several YouTube channels on this topic, but they were taken down by Microsoft. That’s why I decided to start this blog to keep the conversation alive without interruptions. I’m committed to sharing my knowledge and insights for as long as possible!
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to leave a comment or visit my Discord server. I’d be happy to provide more details. Thank you so much for your feedback and support!
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