How to exchange Windows 10 Professional for Windows 11 Home

Dear PAMELA FINN,

Based on current compatibility guidelines, Surface Book 2 devices equipped with 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors (i5-8350U or i7-8650U) are eligible for Windows 11 upgrades. However, if your device does not meet the full requirements for Windows 11 Professional, you may be considering Windows 11 Home as an alternative.

A) Upgrade Path Considerations:

• Windows 11 Home and Pro share the same hardware requirements. The edition does not affect compatibility; rather, eligibility is determined by system specifications such as TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and processor generation.

If your Surface Book 2 does not meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11, it will not be eligible for either edition—Home or Pro—through standard upgrade channels.

You can verify compatibility using the PC Health Check tool, available from Microsoft’s website. This utility will confirm whether your device meets the necessary criteria.

B) Alternative Options:

If your device is not eligible for Windows 11, you may continue using Windows 10 Professional, which will receive support and security updates until October 14, 2025.

For users who wish to explore Windows 11 despite hardware limitations, some have opted for clean installations via ISO media, though this is not officially supported and may result in limited functionality or security risks.

We recommend confirming your processor model and running the PC Health Check tool to determine upgrade eligibility.

I hope this helps. Just kindly tick Accept Answer that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

Best regards,

Domic Vo

Dear PAMELA FINN,

Based on current compatibility guidelines, Surface Book 2 devices equipped with 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors (i5-8350U or i7-8650U) are eligible for Windows 11 upgrades. However, if your device does not meet the full requirements for Windows 11 Professional, you may be considering Windows 11 Home as an alternative.

• Windows 11 Home and Pro share the same hardware requirements. The edition does not affect compatibility; rather, eligibility is determined by system specifications such as TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and processor generation.

If your Surface Book 2 does not meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11, it will not be eligible for either edition—Home or Pro—through standard upgrade channels.

You can verify compatibility using the PC Health Check tool, available from Microsoft’s website. This utility will confirm whether your device meets the necessary criteria.

I hope this helps. Just kindly tick Accept Answer that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

Best regards,

Domic Vo

Hi PAMELA FINN,
To answer your question, yes, it is possible to upgrade your Surface Book 2 from Windows 10 Professional to Windows 11 Home, but there are a few important considerations and steps to follow.

Your Surface Book 2 can run Windows 11 only if it has an 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8350U or i7-8650U processor. If your device has a 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7300U, it is not eligible for Windows 111.

To confirm compatibility:

Use the PC Health Check tool from Microsoft to verify if your device meets the minimum requirements for Windows 11 Home.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-use-the-pc-health-check-app-9c8abd9b-03ba-4e67-81ef-36f37caa7844

I came across a helpful article that lists which Surface models are compatible with Windows 11 and which ones aren’t. If you're unsure whether your device can run Windows 11, this guide breaks it down clearly. You can check it out here

https://windowsreport.com/microsoft-lists-surface-models-compatible-and-incompatible-with-windows-11/

Windows does not support direct downgrades from Pro to Home. To install Windows 11 Home, you’ll need to do a clean installation and a valid Windows 11 Home product key.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment” I’m here to assist!

Best,
Carl