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Yes—but only for supported edition paths. Microsoft’s current tool name is Windows Configuration Designer. In the Windows ADK, its Start-menu entry still appears as Windows Kits > Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer, which explains the older wording in many instructions. Create an advanced provisioning project, set Runtime settings > EditionUpgrade > ChangeProductKey to the destination-edition key, export a .ppkg, and apply it with administrator rights. The package changes the Windows edition; it does not provide a license or downgrade Windows to an earlier release.
Check the source-to-target edition path first
Edition upgrades are not interchangeable. Microsoft’s Windows edition-upgrade table identifies which source and destination editions work with a provisioning package, whether a restart is required, and which other deployment methods are available. Check that table for the exact Windows 10 or Windows 11 path before creating a package.
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| Example transition | Provisioning-package status | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Home to Pro | Not supported through a provisioning package | Use a supported activation or deployment method instead. |
| Pro to Enterprise | Supported; the table lists it as not requiring a reboot | Confirm the entitlement and the exact edition on the device. |
| Other edition pairs | Path-specific; some are supported and some require a restart | Read the table’s source SKU, destination SKU, method and reboot columns. |
| Windows N or KN variants | Use the corresponding N or KN destination where the path is supported | Do not substitute a non-N/KN destination without checking the documented path. |
This is an edition change within the supported Windows release family, not a downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 or from a newer release to an older one. Downgrade scenarios have separate requirements.
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Install or open Windows Configuration Designer
You can install the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) and select the Configuration Designer component, or use Microsoft’s standalone Microsoft Store app. With the ADK installation, launch it from Windows Kits > Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer. The retained menu label does not mean you installed a different tool.
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Create the advanced provisioning project
- Open Windows Configuration Designer and select Advanced provisioning.
- Give the project a name and complete the initial project details.
- For the device type or settings scope, choose All Windows desktop editions.
- In Available customizations, expand Runtime settings, then EditionUpgrade.
- Select ChangeProductKey and enter the product key for the destination edition.
Use a key that corresponds to a license or subscription entitlement you are authorized to use. The wizard provides a place to supply the destination key; it does not grant that entitlement and should not be treated as a source of generic keys.
Save and export the .ppkg
- Save the project after setting EditionUpgrade > ChangeProductKey.
- Choose Export > Provisioning package.
- Complete the Build wizard and save the resulting
.ppkgin a controlled location.
The export wizard can collect package metadata such as name, version, owner and rank. It also offers optional package encryption and signing; signing requires a valid certificate. Those protections apply to the exported package, not automatically to the project directory.
Protect the project as well as the package
Microsoft warns that Configuration Designer project files are not encrypted. Restrict access to the project directory and any copies of the product key or other sensitive settings. If the package contains sensitive configuration, use the export security options and distribute it only through a trusted channel.
Apply the package during Windows setup (OOBE)
- Copy the
.ppkgto a USB drive. - Connect the drive while the target device is in the Windows out-of-box experience (OOBE).
- Use the OOBE provisioning-package option to select the file.
- If the USB drive is not detected, press the Windows key five times to open the package-selection flow documented by Microsoft.
Only use a package whose source and contents you trust. Provisioning can make substantial system changes, so verify the filename and package origin before accepting it.
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Apply it after setup
On a configured desktop, applying a provisioning package requires administrator privileges. You can apply it through the Windows Settings provisioning-package flow or by opening the .ppkg directly. Windows client provisioning supports runtime delivery from removable media and from a package that has been downloaded or copied locally.
After Windows processes the package, the device may need a restart if the documented source-to-target path requires one. Follow the status shown by Windows and the reboot behavior in Microsoft’s edition table rather than assuming every transition is immediate.
Choose the deployment method that fits the device count
| Situation | Practical option | Important consideration |
|---|---|---|
| One or a few devices | Enter the key manually in Activation settings or use changepk.exe /ProductKey <product_key> |
Often simpler than building and transporting a package. |
| Repeatable setup or hands-on deployment | Windows Configuration Designer .ppkg |
Useful for OOBE or runtime delivery; protect the package and project. |
| Managed organization | MDM/Intune policy or Configuration Manager, where the edition path supports it | Use the management channel and reboot requirements documented for that path. |
The choice of tool does not override edition compatibility. Every method still depends on a supported source edition, destination edition and valid licensing entitlement.
Common failure points
- The target edition is not offered or the package is rejected: recheck the exact source-to-target row; a general statement that an edition upgrade is possible is not enough.
- You used Home to Pro with a provisioning package: that route is not supported; select a documented activation or management method instead.
- The package opens but cannot be applied: confirm that you are using an administrator account and that the package file is intact and trusted.
- A restart occurs unexpectedly: consult the reboot column for the precise edition pair.
- You expected the package to activate Windows: confirm that the destination key and the organization’s license or subscription entitlement are valid; a
.ppkgis configuration data, not a license. - Sensitive project data is exposed: secure the unencrypted project files separately; encrypting the exported package does not encrypt the project source.
The Bottom Line
Use Windows Configuration Designer’s advanced provisioning workflow only after confirming the exact supported edition path. Set Runtime settings > EditionUpgrade > ChangeProductKey, export a protected .ppkg, and apply it as an administrator through OOBE or Windows runtime. Keep licensing, package trust and project-file security separate from the edition-change operation.
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