Upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11: Keep your data and license
The upgrade is free if the license and hardware are correct. What three checks are needed beforehand, what happens to the license, and the three cases in which you actually need a new one.
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Short answer: If you have a valid Windows 10 license on compatible hardware, you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free. Files and programs will be retained during the upgrade. You only need a new license in three cases: if your hardware doesn't meet the requirements and you're getting a new computer, if you want to switch from Home to Pro, or if there's no verifiable clean license for your existing computer.
What you should know first
We sell Windows licenses, so we'll say this right from the start: In many cases, you don't need anything from us. The upgrade from a properly licensed Windows 10 to Windows 11 is free, provided your computer meets the requirements.
If anyone tells you otherwise, they're selling you something you already have.
"I was about to buy a new license until someone told me that the upgrade was completely free with my hardware." A customer describes how a quick inquiry with our support saved him an unnecessary purchase - and how he has since always performed the PC Health Check first before even thinking about a new license.
Beforehand: the three checks
- Does the hardware meet the requirements? Microsoft's PC Health Check answers this in a minute. TPM 2.0 and the processor list are usually critical.
- Is Windows 10 cleanly activated? Settings, System, Activation. If it doesn't say that Windows is activated, resolve this before the upgrade, not after.
- Is the license linked to a Microsoft account? This will save you a lot of trouble later if activation falters after the switch.
The upgrade path
If all three points are in order, Windows Update usually offers the upgrade automatically. If it doesn't appear, Microsoft's Installation Assistant can help.
When starting, select the option to keep files and apps. This preserves programs, settings, and personal data. Depending on the hardware, expect 30 to 90 minutes during which the computer will restart multiple times.
A backup beforehand is still mandatory. Not because the upgrade is unreliable, but because a power outage at the wrong minute can be costly.
What happens to the license
The digital entitlement transfers with it. After the upgrade, Windows 11 will generally activate itself automatically without you having to enter a key. The edition remains the same: Windows 10 Home becomes Windows 11 Home, and Pro becomes Pro.
An edition change does not happen automatically. If you want to go from Home to Pro, you need a Windows 11 Pro license key and enter it in the activation settings after the upgrade.
When you really need a license
- The hardware fails the check and you need a new computer. The new one needs its own license, unless one was included.
- You want to go from Home to Pro. The extra cost is a separate purchase, independent of the upgrade.
- The existing installation is not properly licensed. An upgrade does not legalize anything. What was not properly licensed before will be no more so afterwards.
You can find suitable licenses in our Windows licenses, each with an invoice, download link, and documented origin.
If the computer does not meet the requirements
Then you have three options: stick with Windows 10 and check the ESU program, follow the documented path for TPM 1.2, or replace the hardware. Which of these makes sense depends primarily on whether the computer is used privately or professionally.
All license questions are covered in the Windows guide.
