What’s the difference?

We often get asked whether a Windows 11 Pro key can be used to activate Windows 11 Pro N, but the answer is no. Despite the similarity in the names, they are different versions of Windows 11. The “N” in Windows 11 Pro N stands for the European Union, and it means that this version does not include Windows Media Player. However, you can still download it separately if you need it.

In terms of which version is better, it really depends on your needs. If you don’t use Windows Media Player and prefer a version that doesn’t have it pre-installed, then Windows 11 Pro N might be a good choice for you. But if you do use Windows Media Player or want the full version of Windows 11 with all its features, then Windows 11 Pro (without the N) is the better choice.

Okay, so if you want to switch from Windows 11 Pro N to Windows 11 Pro, here’s what you can do:

1. Search for “Regedit” in the search bar.
2. Right-click on “Regedit” and select “Run as administrator”.
3. Click “Yes” when asked if you want to continue.
4. Go to this folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
5. Change “EditionID” to “Professional”.
6. Change “ProductName” to “Windows 11 Professional”.
7. Insert the Windows 11 install media and run setup.exe.
8. Perform an in-place upgrade. This will allow you to keep all of your apps and files.
9. Note that the EditionID and ProductName registry entries will change back after a short period of time, so be sure to run the setup right away.

You can use a similar method to upgrade or downgrade to any unsupported version of Windows 11. Just change the EditionID and ProductName to the ones that match the version you want to switch to, and then run the setup using the appropriate install media.

After the upgrade, your system may not be activated and you will need to provide the correct product key.