Windows 11 Home updated to Pro without my input

[merelymeghan]

11/11/25 - I returned from work and opened my laptop. It showed the Welcome screen as though it was a new laptop, which I thought was odd, but all of my files appeared unchanged, so I chalked it up to an auto-update.

11/12/25 - I returned from work, opened my laptop, and saw the Activate Windows watermark. I checked Settings, and it showed I was now running Windows 11 Pro which I found surprising since I bought the laptop in March 2025 preinstalled with Windows 11 Home and had never upgraded the OS. I ran the troubleshooter, and it showed I have a digital license for Windows 11 Home but was running Pro.

11/13/25 - I saved my files and did a clean reinstall of Windows 11. It installed Windows 11 Pro again. I have been searching for help on many different forums to no avail. This is my last hope. 

I have done no hardware updates since owning the laptop. I have not purchased or installed Windows 11 Pro manually or by my hand at all. I have only installed Windows 11 automatic updates as they become available. I have never brought this laptop to work nor have I logged into my work network with this laptop. 

The errors have changed over the last few days, but the current error is 0x8007232B, and the Troubleshooter still says I have a digital key for Windows 11 Home but am running Pro.

How can I get my OS back to Windows 11 Home, so I can use the digital key on my hard drive, activate my Windows, and have full functionality of my machine again?

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @merelymeghan,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

That’s a really unusual and frustrating situation you’re stuck in a loop where Windows keeps installing Pro, but your digital license is for Home, leaving you with activation errors. The error code 0x8007232B usually means Windows is trying to activate using a Volume License Key (often used in enterprise environments), which explains why activation fails.

Why This Happened

• A recent update or reinstall likely pulled a generic Windows 11 Pro image instead of Home.
• Your device’s digital entitlement is tied to Windows 11 Home, so activation fails on Pro.

Step 1: Confirm Current Edition

• Press Win + R, type: winver
• It should show Windows 11 Pro.

Step 2: Switch Back to Windows 11 Home

You don’t need a full reinstall, just change the edition using your digital license:

1. Go to Settings → System → Activation → Change product key.
2. Enter the generic Windows 11 Home key: 

(This tells Windows to switch to Home.)

1. Click Next → Install.
2. Windows will downgrade from Pro to Home without deleting your files.

Step 3: Activate Windows

• After a restart, go to Settings → Activation → Troubleshoot.
• It should detect your digital license for Home and activate automatically.

Step 4: If Downgrade Fails

• Download the Windows 11 Home ISO from Microsoft: 👉 HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Support
• Create installation media and reinstall Windows 11 Home.
• Skip entering a key during setup, your digital license will activate Home automatically.

Step 5: Prevent Future Issues

• In Settings → Windows Update → Advanced Options, disable optional updates that might trigger edition changes.
• Avoid third-party activation tools they can cause mismatched editions.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

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Regards,

VikramTheGreat