[5 Ways] Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro Without Data Loss - MiniTool (2023)

The following content dissertated by MiniTool Software explains what downgrading from Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro is, why users need to do that, and most significantly how to achieve that without reinstalling personal applications.

What Does “Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro” Mean?

Downgrading Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro refers to replacing your current Windows 10 Enterprise edition operating system (OS) with a lower Windows 10 Professional edition. Since Win10 Pro is less advanced than Win10 Enterprise, we usually regard this change as downgrading. On the contrary, to change Windows Pro to Enterprise, people call it “upgrade”.

Why Need to Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro?

Users usually upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Enterprise to enjoy more features and better services for advanced tasks or gaming. However, why do some people want to change from Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro? There are several reasons.

• Users encounter some problems while using Windows 10 Enterprise system.
• Users don’t need the special services of Windows 10 Enterprise OS anymore.
• Users mistook Win 10 Enterprise with Win 10 Pro and installed it.
• Dismissed employees are not allowed to use the Enterprise license belonging to the company.

How to Downgrade from Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro?

Next, we will talk about how to downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Windows 10 Pro step by step. Please do exactly as what is described below.

Before starting, you need to do some preparations. On the one hand, you need to get a Windows 10 Pro license to register the PRO version you are going to install. On the other hand, you have to back up important data, especially personal files/folders, that you don’t want to lose during the downgrading process, which requires a clean installation of the system that erases all apps and files.

To create a backup of crucial files and tools, you will need a professional and reliable data backup program like MiniTool ShadowMaker, which enables you to back up vital items quickly and freely.

The following solutions not only apply to Windows 10, but also Windows 11, 8.1, 8, 7.

#1 Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro by Changing Product Key

The easiest way to turn Win10 Enterprise into Win10 Pro is to alter the Windows Registration key. However, you need to rely on a generic product key below as transit.

• For Windows 10 Pro: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
• For Windows 10 Pro N: 2B87N-8KFHP-DKV6R-Y2C8J-PKCKT

Now, let’s see how to downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro:

1. Navigate to Windows 10 Enterprise Settings > Update & security > Activation.
2. In the right section, click on the Change product key option.
3. Next, input the Windows 10 Pro generic product key above into the column.
4. Confirm the change with the Activatebutton.

If your Enterprise edition is upgraded from Pro before, you will be activated directly to the Pro edition after the above steps. If not, you have to further activate your system with a valid Windows 10 Pro license key that you should have got in the above preparation.

#2 Convert Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro Through Installation ISO

Secondly, you are able to replace Win10 Enterprise with the Pro edition using Windows 10 Pro installation ISO file.

1. Get a Win10 Pro Installation ISO file.
2. Click on the ISO file to open it.
3. Double-click on exe to launch it.
4. Then, it will notify you about system updates. You can choose either Download and install updates or Not right now.
5. Accept applicable notices and license terms.
6. Choose what to keep, keep personal files and apps, keep personal files only, or nothing.

Then, just follow the guidance to carry out the rest steps.

#3 Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro in Media Creation Tool

Media Creation Tool is a Microsoft official program that can help you directly download all editions of Windows 10 automatically with its own downloader. With it, you do not need to manually find the official webpage and download the system you want.

For an important preparation, you have to change some settings in the registry. Go to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion in your Registry Editor, change ProductName string’s value from Windows 10 Enterprise to Windows 10 Pro and alter EditionID string’s value from Enterprise to Professional.

This preparation is to enable Media Creation Tool to automatically download Windows 10 Professional’s installation files in the below process.

1. Download Media Creation Tool onto your PC.
2. Then, double-click on the exe to start the process.
3. Accept the applicable notices and license terms.
4. Choose Upgrade this PC now and wait patiently to let it download Windows 10 necessary files and create Windows 10 media.

Then, just follow the on-screen instructions to finish the task.

#4 Change Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro with Installation Media

To downgrade from Win10 Enterprise to Pro with an installation device, you can carry out the operations on the target computer with the same preparations as described in the above Method 3. Or, you can perform the task on a Windows 10 Pro PC if you have one without those preparations.

No matter on which machine, just select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC in the fourth step in the above method 3. Then, specify the language, edition, and architecture. Next, select which kind of installation media you’d like to create, USB flash drive or ISO file. Then, just follow the guide to finish.

If you choose a USB flash drive, you need to prepare a blank USB with no less than 8 GB storage space and insert it into your computer. If there are important files within the USB, just move them out or back them up with MiniTool ShadowMaker.

If you select an ISO file, just pick up a location to save the ISO image and later burn it into a USB or CD/DVD for use with Windows Disc Image Burner.

Then, you can clean install Windows 10 Pro on your computer with the installation USB/CD/DVD.

#5 Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro via Backup and Restore

Finally, if you have another computer running Windows 10 Pro edition, you can create a backup of the system and restore the backup to Windows 10 Enterprise PC. This will rely on MiniTool ShadowMaker mentioned above.

For preparation, you need to connect 2 USB disks to the Win10 Pro PC, one for storing the system image and one for creating bootable media.

1. Download and install MiniTool ShadowMaker on the Win10 Pro machine.
2. Launch the tool. If it asks for purchase, click the Keep Trial option to continue using it for free.
3. In its main interface, move to the Backup tab.
4. In the Backup tab, the source for system backup is selected by default.
5. Click on the Destination module to select a USB hard drive to save the system image.
6. Click Back up Now to start.

Wait until the process completes. Then, you need to create a bootable media with MiniTool ShadowMaker to boot Win10 Enterprise computer into Windows PE (Windows Preinstallation Environment) to conduct system restore. Just go to the Tools tab and select Media Builder to follow the instruction.

Next, connect the two USB disks to the Win10 Enterprise computer and set up the machine to boot from the bootable USB in its BIOS. When you successfully boot up from the bootable USB, you will enter WinPE and MiniTool ShadowMaker will open automatically.

1. Switch to the Tools tab in MiniTool ShadowMaker.
2. Click on the Universal Restore option, which improves the chance of system bootability after restoration compared to normal system restore.
3. Then, follow the guide to finish the system restoration to a different computer.

Wait until the whole process completes. In this way, you have managed to alter OS from Enterprise to Pro.

Windows 10 Enterprise vs Pro

In general, Windows 10 Enterprise is almost identical to Windows 10 Pro and event to Windows 10 Home in terms of user interface (UI) except for the name in Windows Settings and the config screen. As for function, the advanced Win10 Enterprise system provides more features than the Win10 Pro system, which offers more utilities than Win10 Home.

The following are the features that are only available in Windows 10 Enterprise compared with Windows 10 Pro.

• DirectAccess: It is a VPN-type component that allows automatic VPN connections every time a user connects directly to the network while increasing security through an encrypted session.
• AppLocker: It enables you to create AppLocker rules in the Local Security Policy editor by setting up a whitelist and blacklist for programs as you preferred.
• App-V (Application Virtualization): It permits system administrators to create virtual instances of apps in a container. Then, Windows can run those programs in a self-contained virtual environment.
• UE-V (User Experience Virtualization): It enables users to save their system and app settings as they move from one computer to another so as to work in the same Windows environment.
• WTG (Windows To Go): It allows users to install Windows onto a USB flash drive or an external hard disk. So, you can plug the USB into any other computer and boot from it to work under a familiar system.

Knowing the above features that are embedded in Win10 Enterprise OS but not in Win10 Pro OS, you may have an impulse to upgrade from Windows 10 Pro to Enterprise to enjoy them. However, it’s somehow troublesome to upgrade a system that is similar to downgrade a system described above. If you really want some features above like Windows To Go, you can rely on third-party programs such as MiniTool ShadowMaker mentioned above to help you create bootable media.

As for Windows Enterprise or Pro, which is better or which to choose, it’s hard to say. They are just two editions of the Windows operating system for users with different needs. You need to select the one that suits you most.

Verdict

That is all about downgrading Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro. Hope you can understand the information and manage to degrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Pro. If you have any different ideas or want to share something about this topic, just leave a comment below. If you encounter any problem while using MiniTool ShadowMaker, just contact [emailprotected].

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