Windows 11 changed from Home to Enterprise and now says not activated.

Hello,

After updating my PC today, my Windows 11 Home automatically changed to Windows 11 Enterprise (I already had Windows 11 before today). It also says that Windows needs to be activated, but I do not remember my Windows 11 Home activation key. I did not change any pieces of hardware so I'm not sure why this happened. I already know this is a common issue and inputting the generic Windows 11 Home key will fix this, but I cannot find the Windows 11 Home generic key anywhere.

This happened after updating to 2021-10 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 for x64-based Systems (KB5006674) and 2021-10 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows 11 for x64 (KB5005537)

Thanks.

Answer
Answer
Hi NP. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.

There is a known issue we see here regularly where a Windows 10 Home Upgrade to Pro from the MS Store installs Enterprise instead and then cannot activate because it's applied a Pro Digital LIcense and it's stuck on Enterprise.

I have not seen this issue in a Windows 11 upgrade yet, and because you don't have Pro version to activate with that by the normal fix which is to insert the Pro Upgrade key, I would immediately roll back the Upgrade to WIndows 10 in Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. You have only ten days to do this.

If it's too late then you'll need to back up your files and Clean Install Windows 11 Home to fix this:
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/clean-install-...

You can also try this same downgrade workaround that worked in all previous editions of Windows to change the version downward as you need to do, using the Windows 11 media I'll also provide:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...
https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/software-downlo...

If you want to report this to Microsoft use the Feedback Hub app in Start Menu where developers are tasked to process consumer feedback. They will not even see it here. This is a tech forums staffed mostly by volunteers trying to help others with your problems.

If you want to post back a Share link from your Feedback here others who see this thread can vote it up and add to it.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions. Please report back results for all steps given so I know what else to suggest if necessary.

______________________________________________

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Retired 2023, thirteen year daily forums volunteer, Windows MVP 2010-2020

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Last updated October 16, 2024 Views 5,293 Applies to: