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Windows 7: Windows Anytime Upgrade

In as few as 10 minutes, you can turn your netbook into a mini entertainment center or prepare your laptop for work by adding the ability to join a domain.

With Windows Anytime Upgrade, you can add new features to Windows 7 and do more with your PC. It’s easy, quick, and you’ll keep your programs, files, and settings.

All you have to do is buy an upgrade key from Microsoft or a local retail store to unlock those shiny new features. Windows Anytime Upgrade will walk you through the upgrade step by step. To learn more, see the Windows Anytime Upgrade FAQ.

Windows Anytime Upgrade choices

Windows 7 Starter

Windows 7 Home Premium

Windows 7 Professional

Getting started

Download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It can help you find out which features and editions of Windows 7 will run on your PC.
Choose whether you want to purchase the upgrade online or to go to a local retail store to buy a Windows Anytime Upgrade key.
On your PC, open Windows Anytime Upgrade (click the Start button, type Windows Anytime Upgrade into the search box, and then click Windows Anytime Upgrade in the list of results).
Follow the instructions on the screen for online purchases or that come with your upgrade key.

Here are answers to some common questions about Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade.

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How much does each edition of Windows 7 cost?

You'll see pricing information for each edition during the Windows Anytime Upgrade process. You can also go to an electronics store to see prices and to buy a Windows Anytime Upgrade key.

Can I use Windows Anytime Upgrade to upgrade a previous version of Windows to Windows 7?

No. Windows Anytime Upgrade can't upgrade previous versions of Windows to Windows 7. Windows Anytime Upgrade is designed only to upgrade your computer from one edition of Windows 7 to another edition of Windows 7.

Note: To use Windows Anytime Upgrade, your computer must be running an activated copy of Windows 7.

Can I upgrade both 32-bit versions and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 with Windows Anytime Upgrade?

Yes, you can use Windows Anytime Upgrade to upgrade a 32-bit version to a 32-bit version or from a 64-bit version to a 64-bit version of Windows 7. However, Windows Anytime Upgrade can't upgrade a 32-bit version to a 64-bit version of Windows 7 or a 64-bit version to a 32-bit version of Windows 7.

How can I find out if my computer will run features in other editions of Windows 7?

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is a program that you can download and run on your computer to find out if you have the necessary hardware to use specific features of a particular edition of Windows 7. To download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, go to the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor website (5 MB).

Note: Downloading this file over a high-speed Internet connection might take just a few minutes. Downloading this file over a modem or other slower Internet connection might take more time.

Can I return to the edition of Windows 7 my computer was running before the upgrade?

Yes, but you will need to do a clean installation of your previous edition of Windows 7, which means that your files and program settings will not be preserved.

Note: To reinstall your previous edition of Windows 7, you'll need to have your original edition's product key. It's a good idea to keep all of your Windows product keys in case you need to reinstall Windows.

Notes:

You can use Windows Anytime Upgrade to upgrade from 32-bit Windows 7 to 32-bit Windows 7 and from 64-bit Windows 7 to 64-bit Windows 7, but you can’t upgrade from 32-bit Windows 7 to 64-bit Windows 7 or vice-versa.
Windows Anytime Upgrade is only available for online purchase in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Windows Anytime Upgrade isn’t available in all editions of Windows 7.