Resolving Windows 11 Pro Not Upgrading to Enterprise in Intune - Bulk Solution for Enterprise Deployment!

Organizations using Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 often expect Windows 11 Pro devices enrolled in Intune to automatically upgrade to Windows 11 Enterprise. However, in some cases, devices remain on Windows 11 Pro despite having the required license. This blog explores the reasons behind this issue and provides resolutions.

Expected Behavior

When a device is enrolled in Microsoft Intune and the user has a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 license, Windows 11 Pro should automatically upgrade to Windows 11 Enterprise. This process relies on cloud-based licensing validation via Azure AD and Microsoft Intune.

To check how many devices are running Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise in your Intune environment, follow these steps:

Using Intune Device Reports

  1. Sign in to Microsoft Intune Admin Center (https://endpoint.microsoft.com).
  2. Navigate to Devices > All devices.
  3. Click on Columns and ensure that "SKU" is selected.
  4. Export the device list by clicking Export at the top.
  5. Open the downloaded CSV file and filter the " SKU" column to check counts for Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Enterprise.


Common Reasons for Upgrade Failure

Even with the correct licensing, some devices may not upgrade automatically due to:

  1. Azure AD Sync Issues: The device may not be correctly joined to Azure AD.
  2. Intune Configuration Delays: Intune policy sync delays can prevent immediate edition upgrades.
  3. Licensing Assignment Errors: The user may not have an active Windows license under their Microsoft 365 subscription.
  4. Network or Connectivity Issues: Devices must communicate with Microsoft activation servers.
  5. Local Activation Issues: Cached activation settings on the device may cause failures.


Manually Trigger Windows Edition Upgrade

If the automatic upgrade does not trigger, manually initiate the edition change:

  1. Open Settings > System > Activation.
  2. Click Change product key.
  3. Enter the generic Windows 11 Enterprise key: NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43.
  4. Click Next and restart the device.
  5. Windows should now activate as Enterprise based on cloud licensing.

To bulk upgrade Windows 10/11 Pro to Enterprise using Intune and Windows Subscription Activation, follow these steps:

Verify Device Azure AD Join Status

Subscription-based activation only works for Azure AD or Hybrid AD joined devices. To check:

  • Run this on the affected device in PowerShell:

 dsregcmd /status

  • If AzureAdJoined = YES, the device is correctly enrolled.
  • If DomainJoined = YES, the device is Hybrid AD joined (should also work).

Bulk Fix for Devices via Intune

If some devices do not upgrade, try this PowerShell script via Intune

$ProductKey = "VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T"

slmgr.vbs /ipk $ProductKey

slmgr.vbs /ato

Restart-Computer -Force

  • Deploy this script via Intune → Devices → Scripts → Platform Scripts
  • Assign to all affected devices.

The key NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43 is the Generic Volume License Key (GVLK) for Windows 10/11 Enterprise editions. GVLKs are used to activate Windows installations in volume licensing scenarios, typically with a Key Management Service (KMS) or through subscription-based activation methods.


Support Document : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/kms-client-activation-keys?tabs=server2025%2Cwindows1110ltsc%2Cversion1803%2Cwindows81


Summary

  • Use NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43 for Windows 10/11 Enterprise.
  • Run slmgr /ipk and slmgr /ato to manually trigger activation.
  • For multiple devices, deploy the PowerShell script via Intune.
  • Ensure the user has a valid Microsoft 365 E5 or Windows E3/E5 license.

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