Hey folks, I need some help with a frustrating Windows 11 activation problem. I had upgraded my laptop to **Windows 11 Pro** using an **OEM key** that I bought online, and everything was running smoothly. But recently, I performed a **clean install** of Windows 11 to start fresh, and now it automatically installed **Windows 11 Home**. I'm stuck and can't figure out how to get back to **Pro**. Here's what's happening:
- Post-clean install, I noticed that Windows activated automatically with the Home edition.
- When I check my OEM key using `slmgr /dli` or `slmgr /xpr`, it shows that my key is tied to **Windows 11 Home**, not Pro.
- I've attempted to go to **Settings > Activation > Change product key** to enter my **Pro OEM key**, but it throws an error saying the key is invalid for this edition.
- I even tried reinstalling without entering a key, hoping to select **Pro during setup**, but it still defaults to Home.
It looks like my laptop is picking up the **original OEM Home key** embedded in the BIOS and defaulting to that every time.
Here are some additional details that might help:
- The laptop originally came with **Windows 10 Home**.
- The **Windows 11 Pro OEM key** I purchased was working fine before the clean install.
- Currently, I can't seem to use my Pro key at all, and I'm stuck on the Home edition.
I have a few questions:
1. How can I **force Windows 11 Pro to install** instead of Home?
2. Can I still use my Pro OEM key, or is it **locked or invalid** now?
3. Is there a way to **bypass the embedded Home key** and get Windows to properly prompt for edition selection during installation?
Any guidance or step-by-step instructions would be greatly appreciated! I don't want to waste my Pro key, but I feel trapped on Home right now. Thanks!
3 Answers
You can try the ei.cfg method to force the installation of Windows 11 Pro. Just create a text file called ei.cfg and paste this in it:
```
[EditionID]
Professional
[Channel]
OEM
```
Place that file in the Sources folder of your installation USB. This should prompt you which version to install during the setup. If your OEM isn’t working, you might try using a Retail channel instead. Fingers crossed it works for you!
Have you checked your installation media? You might still need to configure the ei.cfg file correctly. Use this content:
```
[EditionID]
Professional
[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
0
```
Put it in the SOURCES folder of your USB, and that should force Windows to install Pro without prompting for any version selection. If your system is connecting to the network, it should re-authenticate your OEM license afterward.
I tried this too but had no luck. The setup still defaults to Home.
If your OEM key is valid, you shouldn’t even need to reinstall Windows. Use a generic Windows 11 Pro upgrade key instead, and that should convert your system to Pro without any hassle. The generic key is `VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T`. After that, it should activate automatically with your OEM key.
I tried using the generic key, but I got an error saying 'unable to upgrade your edition.' Disabling my network didn't help either.
I attempted this method and unfortunately, it didn't work for me either.