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Windows 8 Upgrade Paths
Updated: June 26, 2013
Applies To: Windows 8, Windows 8.1
This document describes upgrade paths for the Windows® 8 and Windows 8.1 Preview operating systems.
In this topic:
This section describes the operating system editions from which you can upgrade to editions of Windows 8.
You can upgrade to Windows 8 and keep Windows settings, personal files, and applications from the following Windows operating system editions:
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Windows 7 Starter
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Windows 7 Home Basic
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Windows 7 Home Premium
You can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro and keep Windows settings, personal files, and applications from the following Windows operating system editions:
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Windows 7 Starter
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Windows 7 Home Basic
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Windows 7 Home Premium
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Windows 7 Professional
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Windows 7 Ultimate
You can upgrade to Windows 8 Enterprise (Volume License) from the following operating system editions:
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Windows 7 Professional (Volume License)
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Windows 7 Enterprise (Volume License)
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Windows 8 (Volume License)
Windows 8.1 Preview upgrades are available in the Windows Store or on media. Note that when you upgrade to Windows 8.1 Preview from the Windows Store, you cannot change editions. Upgrading to a different edition of Windows 8.1 Preview is supported from media only.
Volume license versions of Windows 8, Windows 8 Enterprise, and Windows 8 Enterprise Eval versions cannot be upgraded from the Windows Store. You must use media to upgrade these editions.
You must upgrade to Windows RT 8.1 Preview from Windows® RT by using the Windows Store. Media is not available for Windows RT 8.1 Preview upgrades.
The following editions are supported:
You can upgrade to Windows 8.1 Preview and keep Windows settings, personal files, and applications from the following Windows operating system editions:
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Windows 8
You can upgrade to Windows 8.1 Preview Pro and keep Windows settings, personal files, and applications from the following Windows operating system editions:
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Windows 8
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Windows 8 Pro
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Windows 8 Pro with Media Center
You can upgrade to Windows 8.1 Preview Enterprise (Volume License) from the following operating system editions:
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Windows 8 Pro
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Windows 8 Pro with Media Center
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Windows 8 Enterprise
The following table shows the settings, personal files, and applications that you can keep during an upgrade.
 Note |
|---|
| You cannot upgrade or keep your Windows settings, personal files, or applications if you are performing a cross-language installation. You can only keep your personal files during a cross-language installation by using Windows 8 Setup. |
| Installation paths to Windows 8 | Keep Windows settings, personal files, and applications | Keep Windows settings and personal files (data and system settings) | Keep personal files only (data only) | Keep nothing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Windows XP (Service Pack 3 or later) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Windows Vista® | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Windows Vista with SP1 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Cross-architecture installation (32-bit to 64-bit) Windows Vista with SP1 or later | No | No | No | No |
Cross-language Windows Vista with SP1 or later | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Windows 7 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Cross-architecture installation (32-bit to 64-bit) Windows 7 | No | No | No | No |
Cross-language Windows 7 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Windows 8 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Cross-architecture installation (32-bit to 64-bit) Windows 8 | No | No | No | No |
Cross-language Windows 8 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Windows 8.1 Preview | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Cross-architecture installation (32-bit to 64-bit) Windows 8.1 Preview | No | No | No | No |
Cross-language Windows 8.1 Preview | No | No | Yes | Yes |
