Upgrade Windows 8.1 Evaluation to Full version easily

If you are testing an evaluation version of Windows 8.1, you might be inconvenienced because Microsoft does not support any way to convert the evaluation edition to the full enterprise edition with a public KMS key like it is possible for Windows Server 2012. You cannot change the edition with DISM commands in Windows 8.1. Even if you download the ISO image of the enterprise edition of Windows 8.1 and try to upgrade the OS, it will not allow you to proceed.

Here is a workaround which lets you upgrade Windows 8.1 Evaluation to the Full version easily.

Using a simple Registry tweak, we can unblock the upgrade and use the setup program of the full version on the installed Windows 8.1 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 8.1 Enterprise Evaluation to Windows 8.1 Enterprise. See these pictures:
    Before:
    After:
  4. Now you can upgrade it using the regular Enterprise ISO image:
  5. After the upgrade, it is possible to activate the upgraded OS using your regular KMS server:

That's it! Using the same trick you can also change the edition from Enterprise to Windows 8 Pro if you need. It works like a charm (via habr).

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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.

21 thoughts on “Upgrade Windows 8.1 Evaluation to Full version easily”

  1. Correction to the registry key; change:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

    to:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

  2. Can you send me links to download Windows 8.1 Evaluation and Windows 8.1 Enterprise to install it ? Or with Windows 8.1 pro. Thank you :D .

  3. Hi there,
    I have a problem regarding on Upgrading my Windows 8.1 Enterprise Evaluation to Enterprise
    after the upgrade attempt complete, the system/ computer will restarted and then i got an error code: 0x101 0x20017.

    Help, please..

    Thanks,
    Lleron

    1. Just Beware if you are using VMs to allocate at least 1GB of RAM so that the setup phase runs properly.

      1GB Minimum for those thinking “but I have dynamic RAM…”

  4. this tweak doesn’t work when I tried on Lenovo ThinkPad tablet 2. Maybe you have some suggestions for solution of this issue? Are you have a page in Russian?

  5. Bro, why it can’t works? There are no option to save previous Windows setting, personal files and apps in setup menu

  6. Hi, how I get into this update tab ?? Lets say I have Windows ISO, then how I can see same window like you ? I mean that: “Choose what to keep”

    Please reply me on my email: darren69@azet.sk

    Thanks a lot

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