How to Downgrade Windows 11 Pro to Home If you’re working with a device running Windows 11 Pro but don’t need the enterprise-grade features, performing a clean install of Windows 11 Home is often the simplest and most cost-effective solution. In this video, we’ll cover how to completely replace Windows 11 Pro with a clean installation of Windows 11 Home. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub for more tech content like this. Step-by-Step to Downgrading Windows 11 Pro to Home Step 1: Back Up Everything Start by backing up documents, app settings, and browser bookmarks. Once partitions are deleted, recovery is nearly impossible without an image backup. Backing up is non-negotiable, since this process completely erases your drive. Step 2: Create the Installation Media Run Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool, choose Windows 11 Home, and let it create a bootable USB drive with 8GB+ storage for installation media. This ensures you’re installing the correct edition and the latest version available Step 3: Boot From USB Plug the USB into the target PC, then restart and open your boot menu. Select the USB drive, and the Windows Setup environment will launch automatically. You may need to press F12, DEL, or ESC during startup, depending on your device manufacturer. Step 4: Start the Installation Click Install now. When asked for a product key, you can skip it for now: Windows will let you select the edition manually in the next step. Step 5: Select Windows 11 Home Choose Windows 11 Home when prompted. If the option doesn’t appear, you can force it using one of two configuration files on your USB installer. We’ll discuss this as an optional step later on. You’ll either need to create an ei.cfg file to force the Home edition display or a PID.txt file containing your valid Windows 11 Home product key. Step 6: Delete All Existing Partitions Select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced). Delete each existing partition until you’re left with a single entry labeled Unallocated Space. Then, click Next to install Windows 11 Home onto that blank space. Step 7: Complete Out-of-Box Setup Once installation finishes, follow the prompts to choose your region, connect to a network, and set up a user account. You can sign in with a Microsoft account or set up a local account, depending on your environment. When you reach the desktop, start reinstalling applications and restoring user data from your backups. Step 8: Activate Windows 11 Home Once Windows boots into the desktop, connect to the internet to trigger automatic activation. If your device originally shipped with Windows 11 Home, activation will complete automatically within a few hours. If activation doesn’t happen automatically, open Settings > System > Activation, select Change product key, and enter your valid Windows 11 Home key manually. Optional: Forcing the Home Edition Selection Sometimes Windows Setup won’t offer the Home edition, especially if the device’s firmware was previously tied to a Pro license. In that case, modify your USB drive to force the installer to select Windows 11 Home. This method requires creating an ei.cfg file or alternatively a PID.txt file, and then a PID.txt file with your Home edition product key. Our blog outlines this optional step in full detail, so feel free to check it out after this video. Performing a clean installation of Windows 11 Home not only declutters the system but also simplifies device management for non-enterprise users. Keep in mind that this downgrade is permanent and requires a full reinstall, there is no in-place downgrade method. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to downgrade Windows 11 Pro to Home, linked in the description below.