[windows software] Another Licensing - Windows 11 Pro to Education Step-up via A3

[J_Worth]

Hello all,

 

Another query regarding this fandangled cloud activation stuff. I have a device that when purchased came with a Windows 10/11 Pro digital license burned into the motherboard. I have reformatted with Windows 11 Pro, enrolled this device into Entra ID and Intune via AutoPilot. However, logging in as a user with a M365 A3 license it doesn't step up to the Windows 11 Education.

 

Is the only way of "stepping up" these devices is to use Windows 11 Pro Education and activate this with a MAK and then it will step up?

 

I was under the impression that a device purchased with Windows 10/11 Pro OEM license is eligible for "stepping up" to Education A3.

 

Am I getting this confused?

 

Thanks all!

[Mark182]

If you have subscribed to M365 A3, the license already includes Windows 11 Education, more information here

[J_Worth]

Ok. But I've got a machine with a Windows 10/11 Pro OEM license, however, when logging in as a user with a M365 A3 license, the machine doesn't "upgrade" to Windows 11 Education. Do I have to activate these machines with a Windows 11 Pro Education MAK before they will "upgrade" to Windows 11 Education?

[Mark182]

This might help if you are using intune

[jmak]

We activate ours against a KMS server

[MrEprise]

A former colleague from one of the other Trust schools ran into this issue and yes he also had to install Pro Education in order for it to "step-up" and activate as Education, but I don't recall him having to activate Pro Education on any machine beforehand. I think it just needs to exist on a machine for Intune to convert the edition to Education and Activate.