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Upgrade Windows 10 Evaluation to Full version easily

If you are testing an evaluation version of Windows 10 and decided to upgrade to the full version, you will face a stumbling block. The evaluation version offered is of the Enterprise edition but Microsoft does not support any way to convert the evaluation version to a fully licensed version of enterprise edition! You cannot change the edition with DISM commands or using any other method. Even if you download the ISO image of the enterprise edition of Windows 10 and try to upgrade the existing "evaluation" OS, it will not allow you to proceed.
Here is a workaround which lets you upgrade Windows 10 Evaluation to the Full version easily.
Windows 10 banner logo devs 01Using a simple Registry tweak, we can unblock the upgrade and use the setup program of the full version on the installed Windows 10 evaluation edition. This will preserve all installed apps and settings. Follow these simple steps:

  1. Open Registry Editor.
  2. Go to the following Registry key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

    Tip: See how to jump to the desired Registry key with one click.

  3. Change the EditionID value data from EnterpriseEval to Enterprise. Next, change the value data of the ProductName value from Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation to Windows 10 Enterprise.

Now you can upgrade it using the regular Enterprise ISO image! After the upgrade, it is possible to activate the upgraded OS using your regular KMS server or MAK key.

That's it! Using the same trick, you can also change the edition from Enterprise to Windows 10 Pro if you need. It works like a charm.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

54 thoughts on “Upgrade Windows 10 Evaluation to Full version easily”

  1. What does it means by “Now you can upgrade it using the regular Enterprise ISO image”? and how to do that?

  2. Where did you get the “regular Enterprise iso image”? Or do you mean purchasing the Win 10 upgrade license through volume licensing and using that with the operation above?

    1. It is not my business where the user got the Enterprise ISO image. The article assumes that you have it, regardless the method you used to get it.

      1. Yes but it is an unhelpful article if the full Enterprise iso cannot be downloaded or otherwise purchased

        1. sorry jori. you have to find & downloaded the full version of windows 10 enterprise yourself; neither Sergey nor I will do this for you. i mean you can easily figure this out by starting from Google.

  3. I have the Enterprise ISO, but can’t seem to trigger the upgrade, only a full re-install which defeats the purpose. How do you trigger the ‘upgrade’?

  4. What’s the point of this, you still need a key for Windows 10, and no key out there works/lets you proceed. So it’s ultimately a complete reinstall after all..

  5. I followed the steps accordinglly but all the time I get an error after 10% of Installation saying “error on Installation of Windows 10”
    Is there any log file to see what went wrong? Or someone please have an idea f what went wrong?

    1. try creating a Win10 enterprise install media to a USB flash drive. then run the Win10 enterprise install thru the usb drive.
      I sometimes get installation errors because of bad installation media thru DVD media.

  6. This doesn’t appear to work with the latest version of the evaluation (Build 1563.rs2_release. 170317-1834)

    If I go through the setup with the Windows 10 Enterprise ISO then I only get offered a new install

    1. For Build 17763 you need change this values in registry:
      CompositionEditionID: EnterpriseS
      EdidtionID: EnterpriseS
      ProductNasme: Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019

      1. @Konstantin Dolgachev :
        Thank you Mr. Dolgachev for posting this. The original guide didn’t allow me to upgrade and keep files. Using your params allowed me to upgrade and keep my files from my expired Win10 Enterprise Eval Build 17763.rs5_release.180914-1434.

  7. Hello Sergey,
    I installed windows enterprise eval.
    I changed the EditionID value data from EnterpriseEval to Enterprise.
    I changed ProductName value from Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation to Windows 10 Enterprise.
    I used KMSpico 10.2.1Final and successfully completed installation
    Now Windows got activated!!! but windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation license message gets displayed on bottom right.what do you think happened? I’ll see tomorrow if “windows License valid for 86days” changes or not regardless of that, windows “evaluation” system got activated.can I get rid of evaluation message too from desktop?
    any comments?

    thanks & cheers,
    madhuronda,
    system admin
    vijayawada,India [14-Jul-17]

    1. Hello all,

      “windows License valid for 84days” remains today[used universal watermark remover].The evaluation days are ticking & “windows license valid message for x days” is getting updated.has anyone got a “valid days counter” patch?
      what happens to system if I go past 90 days?I guess it’s clock work

      Thanks,
      madhuronda [16-jul-17]

  8. Need change TREE params:
    EditionID: EnterpriseSEval > Enterprise
    ProductName: Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation > Windows 10 Enterprise
    and Product(some one) has EnterpriseSEval to Enterprise

  9. Hi, Constructive criticism to follow Gents; your article is full of holes. Firstly there are three locations within the CurrentVersion that refer to Evaluation. Secondly and more importantly; the procedure Fails. Suffice to say I don’t believe you actually completed this process ‘Completely, from start to finish’ I believe you probably searched the registry, found a couple of familiar evaluation references, changed them, then kicked off the Enterprise install as an Upgrade. WOW – could have saved you a little time and suggest you use the DISM tools and follow the Microsoft Articles regarding there use. only limitation is that you can not change edition to an online install – you need to make a windows PE boot disk, boot off it, create an image of the Enterprise Evaluation installation, mount the image, run a couple of commands to modify the edition and insert the product key and Bam! your all good to go and rollout the image. Just Sayin…

    1. Well actually it does work!
      I just tried it with the dev vm Microsoft provides us, the latest version (1805) is based on win10 1803 so the latest one (as of now).
      You do have to change an additionnal entry in the registry, which was not present in earlier versions of win10.
      The entries to be modified are :
      – CompositionEditionID
      – EditionID
      – ProductName
      I removed Eval or Evaluation from these right before trying to “upgrade” to the full Enterprise edition using the en-us x64 iso and i can indeed upgrade while preserving files and applications.
      If it does not allow to keep apps and files, check the message at the bottom of the screen, if it says wrong edition id, then check again in the registry, i had to do it twice for it to stick long enough for the upgrade process to kick in…

  10. Thanks, Sergey! 3 years later and this still works perfectly. I just did it with the latest W10 1803 Enterprise EVAL with no issues and it really saved me from the needless pain of having to reinstall everything.

  11. Does not work with Windows Enterprise Evaluation 1903

    The registry edits will not update.

    I will report back after making all three reg edits.

    1. Yes! It’s possible! Just not check for updates in the installation wizard! So, first change the properties in the windows registry and inmediatly open the installation wizards and don’t check for updates. I think that this functionallity change again the registry with the original values and this is the reason why it’s not possible to upgrade.

  12. Hi,
    Wher can i get the Windows 10 enterprise version (not the evaluation version) to upgrade from enterprise evaluation version?

    “i changed as per u said above”

  13. Thanks so much. Since I manage several projects with competing environments, I decided to create a VM for my newest project. Since Hyper-V was so accommodating about it, I used an evaluation copy, thinking that, of course, they would make it easy for me to upgrade to a paid copy when the evaluation time was up. Your advice here was the difference between having to re-create the entire environment and just being able to work.

    Thanks!

  14. I followed Blubster instructions and I was able to install Windows 10 Enterprise over Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation, keeping all the apps and personal info. This saved me a considerable amount of time and aggravation by not having to do a clean OS install, install all the apps, migrate personal info, restore backups, etc.

    It is still incomprehensive to me why Microsoft does not allow to register an Evaluation version or make it clear that after the test ride you need to go back where you started.

    Anyways THANK YOU very much to Sergey for coming up with a brilliant bucks solution.

  15. Kids please, stop complaining

    This article is made for IT pros that have access to win 10 enterprise and stumble onto this insanity by ms.
    this is not a guide how to get win 10 enterprise, you wont. get a volume license contract first

  16. The Whole Fix:

    I have just spend over a week resolving this issue for a client, this was resolving the issue on a 1909 build.
    Please see the whole process below:

    1) Ensure Windows Enterprise Eval is Fully Patched (This Part Is the key to resolving the issue)

    2) Download the ISO that matches the same language of the Eval In My Case it was GB so I downloaded the following:
    SW_DVD9_Win_Pro_10_1909.2_64BIT_Eng_Intl_Pro_Ent_EDU_N_MLF_X22-26618.ISO

    3) Mount the ISO

    4) Change: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion:
    CompositionEditionID to Enterprise
    EditionID to Enterprise
    ProductName to Windows 10 Enterprise

    5) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
    CompositionEditionID to Enterprise
    EditionID to Enterprise
    ProductName to Windows 10 Enterprise

    6) Run Setup on the Mounted ISO.
    (Please note you only have around 5 mins to start the upgrade in step 6 before the registry reverts back)

    You will know it works, as you will get a checking for update screen which goes from 0% to 100 %

    It will then ask you if your ready to upgrade, this will keep, applications, settings & profiles.

    I also managed complete this by using MDT litetouch.vbs and PDQ to automate the issue as it was 110 users who this effected.

    Hope this will help someone out of a IT departmental nightmare.

    1. Hi Dan,
      I am about to start this process on my Windows 10 Ent Eval. (I made a mistake when installing Win10, now its fully configured, etc. and don’t want to start over everything)
      What I am not sure about is the 1. step: “Ensure Windows Enterprise Eval is Fully Patched (This Part Is the key to resolving the issue)”
      Does this mean that my Win 10 Eval should have the latest official Windows updates installed?
      Many thanks for your answer in advance!
      Andrew

    2. Muchas gracias Dan tu método me ayudó, mi windows 10 enterprise Eval cambió a windows 10 enterprise el cual pude activar con KMS

      28/11/2020

  17. Hi,

    Works like a charm! Tested on a AWS EC2 instance with October 2020 Widnows Enterprise Evaluation.
    If someone try this with a remote instance note there was like 30-45 min until I was able to reconnect to the instance with RDP

    note: to get a ISO of the enterprise versión y did download the media creation tools and used the comand:

    .\MediaCreationTool20H2.exe /Eula Accept /Retail /MediaArch x64 /MediaLangCode en-US /MediaEdition Enterprise

    When requested I used the generic code provided by Microsoft: NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43
    You still will need to license the OS after the procedure

    Kind Regards

    From Windows 10 enterprise Eval to Windows 10 enterprise

    2021-03-11

    1. I have windows 10 enterprise evaluation build version 20H2 installed and seeking activation for win 10 enteprise as I am willing to activate. need help on activation for windows.

      Please help me get the right license key to purchase so my evaluation period does not expire.

  18. I have windows 10 enterprise evaluation build version 20H2 installed and seeking activation for win 10 enteprise as I am willing to activate. need help on activation for windows.

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