Upgrading Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 (In-Place Upgrade)

Perform a smooth in-place upgrade from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021, retaining personal files and applications.

IMPORTANT: Before proceeding with the upgrade of the operating system, it is highly recommended to create a full external backup of your existing system and data.

This ensures that you have a secure copy of all important files, settings, and configurations in case anything goes wrong during the installation process. Use an external storage device or reliable cloud service to store your backup copy. Once the backup is complete, please proceed with the installation steps below.

Note: Microsoft does not officially support in-place upgrades from Windows 10 Pro to LTSC editions. This method is a workaround and may not be suitable for all environments, especially in production. As with any major OS change, ensure your backup is up-to-date before starting the upgrade process.

1. Download Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 ISO

Access Forscope Asset Management portal here.
Log in using your order number credentials.
Download the ISO file, ensuring you select the same language and architecture (e.g., English, 64-bit) as your current Windows installation.

2. Mount the ISO File

Right-click the downloaded ISO file.
Select Open with > Windows Explorer.
The ISO will mount as a virtual drive, displaying its contents, including setup.exe.
Keep the window open.

3. Open the Command line as administrator

Type cmd in the search bar at taskbar.
Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
In the command window enter the following command and press Enter:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" /v EditionID /d EnterpriseS /f

Confirm that you see: The operation completed successfully.

Note: The registry change is temporary. Proceed to the next step immediately after running this command, as the values may revert if you wait too long.

4. Start the Upgrade

Return to the mounted ISO window.
Double-click setup.exe to launch the installer.
Follow the on-screen prompts. Ensure Keep personal files and apps is marked as available.

Complete the installation process.

After the upgrade, activate Windows using your Enterprise LTSC 2021 product key.

Post-Upgrade Note: Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 does not include certain default apps such as Microsoft Store, Cortana, and Xbox Games, among others. These features are not supported in LTSC editions. You may need to manually uninstall unsupported apps via Settings.