Last Updated on May 16, 2026
As you probably know, Microsoft Windows comes in different versions based on your needs. Each version has its own unique set of features as well. For example, Windows 11 Professional allows you to connect to an Active Directory domain and also allows you to connect to it using Remote Desktop.
When you buy a computer with Windows already installed, it will come with a license key for that version of Windows. Sometimes you will get a copy of the key on a card with the computer, or it may be located on a sticker on the case itself. If you need to find your Windows key, you can do so via the command line or use a third party tool to find your key.
But if you are the type who like to install Windows yourself after doing something like building your own computer, there may be a chance that you have installed the wrong version of Windows and now you can’t activate it because your license key is incorrect for that version. If you have installed Windows 11 Home, you can easily upgrade it to Pro but if you have installed Windows 11 Pro, you can’t easily revert it back to home unless you reinstall Windows. In this article, we will be showing you how to downgrade your Windows version from Pro to Home without resetting your PC.
1. Verify Your Current Windows Edition
The process to downgrade your Windows version from Pro to Home is fairly simple but you need to keep in mind that it is not 100% guaranteed to work.  You should also do a backup of your personal files as well before starting this process just in case something doesn’t go right. As you can see in the image below, this computer is running Windows 11 Professional which is shown in the About section of the Windows settings app.
2. Launch PowerShell as an Administrator
To downgrade Windows from Pro to Home, you will absolutely need to run PowerShell as an administrator. Click your Start menu search bar and type PowerShell to quickly locate the system utility. Right click the application icon and select Run as administrator to open an elevated terminal window. You must have administrator privileges to modify the core registry values required for this workaround.
3. Execute the Registry Modification Command
Then you will need to run the command shown below to trick the operating system into thinking it is a different version. You can copy and paste it right into the PowerShell window rather than having to type it out manually. If you are currently running Windows 10 Professional, you will simply need to change the 11 to a 10 in the exact text command.
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion” -Name EditionID -Type String -Value Core;Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion” -Name ProductName -Value “Windows 11 Home”;Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion” -Name CompositionEditionID -Value “Core”
4. Confirm the Command Execution
You will not see any specific response message after running the command if it was completely successful. The terminal cursor will simply drop down to a brand new blank line. Close the PowerShell window once the command executes.
5. Launch the Windows Setup File
For the next step, you will need to have immediate access to the official Windows installation media on a DVD, a flash drive, or mounted directly on the hard drive of your computer. Open File Explorer and navigate directly to the root folder of that specific installation media. You will then need to find the setup.exe file and run that exact program to actively start the Windows installation process.
6. Verify Your Installation Settings
Click through the initial setup prompts and allow the installer to check for any missing background updates. On the next page, you will need to accept the standard software license agreement. You should then see a final screen that says Ready to install. It should clearly state Install Windows 11 Home as well as Keep personal files and apps.
7. Adjust Kept Files if Necessary
The default installer setting retains your documents and programs seamlessly. You can also click on the blue link that says Change what to keep if you decide you actually do not want to keep your files and apps. Leave the default options strictly selected if your main goal is to preserve your current desktop environment exactly as it is right now.
8. Complete the In-Place Downgrade
You can then click on the Install button to have Windows officially reinstalled and completely downgraded from Pro to Home without resetting your PC. Your computer will naturally restart several times while it applies the new system files over your existing configuration. Once the lengthy process is finally complete, you can go back to the Windows settings and you should then see Windows 11 Home listed as the active edition.
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