Upgrade to Windows 7 Professional. With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups to your home or business network. You can also connect to company networks effortlessly and more securely with Domain Join. With all the exciting entertainment features of Windows Home Premium, it's a great choice for home and for business. Need to use multiple languages on your PC or help protect your data with enhanced BitLocker security? Get Windows 7 Ultimate.  Windows 7 is designed to make your PC simpler--to be more reliable, more responsive and to make the things you do every day on your PC easier. Click to enlarge. |
Upgrade to Windows 7
All editions of Windows XP and Windows Vista qualify you to buy an upgrade license. 1. Choose your edition of Windows 7
Explore key features and choose the edition that's best for you. Be sure to check the expanded list of extended features in Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, and Windows 7 Ultimate. System requirements vary for each edition of Windows 7 because some features might require special hardware.
2. See if your PC has what it takes to run Windows 7
In general, if your PC can run Windows Vista it can run Windows 7. To make sure, download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to do a quick check. If you want certain features, such as HomeGroup or Windows Media Center, check to see if your PC has the hardware that's needed.
3. Check which operating system your PC is currently running
How you make the move to Windows 7 depends on your current operating system.
- Windows Vista
The transition to Windows 7 should be pretty smooth, although you may need to update your system to the latest service pack first.
- Windows XP (or any other operating system)
Windows 7 is best experienced on a new PC with the latest hardware, but if your computer meets the minimum specifications, you can install Windows 7 on a PC running Windows XP. Windows 7 must be "custom" installed (also known as a "clean" installation) over Windows XP. Before beginning the installation, you'll need to copy your files and settings to an external drive. After Windows 7 has been installed you will need to re-install all of your programs using the original installation media and then copy over the files and settings you backed up to your external drive. Because Windows 7 requires a custom installation, we strongly recommend that you get help with this process from your local computer service provider.
 More work, more play, and more of everything in between. Click to enlarge. |
 Manage lots of open programs, documents, and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows. Click to enlarge. |
 With Snap you can arrange two windows side-by-side just by dragging them to opposite sides of your screen. Click to enlarge. |
 Open files you use regularly in just two clicks with Jump Lists on the improved taskbar. |
Everything you need for work and home
Easiest Windows to use ever
- Simplify your PC with new navigation features like Aero Shake, Jump Lists, and Snap.
- Customize Windows to look and feel the way you like by changing themes and taskbar programs.
- Easy to network (with or without a server).
- Back up your complete system over a network.
Faster and more flexible
- Windows XP Mode gives you the business flexibility you need.
- Designed to make your PC sleep and resume quicker.
- Takes full advantage of 64-bit PC hardware and memory.
Best PC entertainment experience
- Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV with Windows Media Center.
- Blu-ray read/write support for data files.
- Includes integrated video and Dolby audio codecs.
`Simplifies Everyday Tasks
Simple to use
Preview
Manage lots of open programs, documents, and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows.
Pin
Open files and get around your PC faster with the improved taskbar. You can easily pin programs you use often to the taskbar and launch them in just one click.
 Windows 7 lets you peek behind open windows to get a quick look at your desktop. Click to enlarge. |
 Instantly locate and open virtually any file on your PC right from the Start menu with Windows Search. Click to enlarge. |
 Turn your PC into a TV with Windows Media Center, and enjoy your favorite videos and music with Windows Media Player. Click to enlarge. |
Jump Lists
Open files you use regularly in just two clicks with Jump Lists on the improved taskbar.
Snap
Windows 7 has simple new ways to manage open windows. For example, with Snap you can arrange two windows side-by-side just by dragging them to opposite sides of your screen.
Peek and Shake
Windows 7 lets you peek behind open windows to get a quick look at your desktop.
Windows Search
Instantly locate and open virtually any file on your PC, from documents to emails to songs, right from the Start menu, with Windows Search.
Easy to connect
 Setting up wireless connections is easier with consistent, one-click connections to available networks. Click to enlarge. |
 Enjoy the photos, music, and videos on your home PC when you're away from home with remote media streaming. Click to enlarge. |
 Windows Touch makes PCs with touch screens easier and more intuitive to use. Click to enlarge. |
 Manage Backup and Restore and other features through Action Center. Click to enlarge. |
 Search, organize, and edit files across a network in the same way you would a single folder.Click to enlarge. |
Wireless setup
With Windows 7, setting up wireless connections is easier with consistent, one-click connections to available networks, whether those networks are based on Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up, or corporate VPN.
HomeGroup
Connect Windows 7 PCs on a home network in just four clicks and easily get to the photos, music, and files on each one--even share printers--with HomeGroup.
Easy to browse the web
Internet Explorer 8
Visual search helps you quickly find the information you want by adding visual cues and previews to search results from top search providers including Live Search, Wikipedia, Yahoo, Amazon, and others.
Internet Explorer 8
Use Web slices to conveniently keep up with changes on frequently updated websites, like eBay auctions or traffic sites, directly from the IE8 toolbar.
Easy to communicate and share
Windows Live Photo Gallery
Windows Live Photo Gallery makes share your photos to your favorite photo site easy.
Windows Live Mail
Windows Live Mail makes managing multiple email accounts easy.
Windows Live Family Safety
Keep your child safe by managing what sites they can visit and who they can send/receive emails and im communications from.
Note: Windows Live components need to be downloaded separately.
Works The Way You Want
Faster and More Reliable
Resume from sleep
We designed Windows 7 to help PCs sleep and resume from sleep more quickly by improving the way Windows 7 manages drivers, programs, and power.
Faster and more reliable
We reduced the amount of memory your PC needs for open windows and to execute commands to help it be more responsive to commands.
Fewer clicks and less interruptions
Makes New Things Possible
Media on your terms
Windows Media Center
Turn your PC into a TV with Windows Media Center.
Windows Media Center
Watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV.
DirectX 11
DirectX 11 technology delivers breathtaking game graphics so real, it's unreal.
New ways to engage
Windows Touch
Windows Touch makes PCs with touch screens easier and more intuitive to use.
Media on your terms
Windows Media Player
More and more consumer electronics, from TVs to digital photo frames, can be connected to home networks. With Play To in Windows 7, you'll be able to easily send music, photos, videos from your PC to a networked device throughout your home.
You can enjoy the photos, music, and videos on your home PC when you're away from home with remote media streaming.
Work anywhere
Location Aware Printing
Windows 7 will automatically pick the right printer for you when you move from home to work networks.
Work anywhere with less effort.
- Get connected in three clicks wherever there's a wireless network connection.
- Keep documents on your PC and on network servers in sync automatically.
- Your PC will automatically use the printer you prefer for whatever network you're on.
- Simplify making presentations special settings that keep your PC from sleeping and turn off messages, notifications, and screen savers.
- Instantly locate virtually any file, email, or document on your PC just by typing a word or two.
- Get around your PC faster with the improved taskbar.
- Open programs you use regularly in one click and files you use regularly in just two.
- Manage lots of open programs, documents, and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows.
- Manage multiple email accounts, including Hotmail, Gmail, AOL, and Yahoo! Mail Plus, all in one place with one simple program.
- Get to the files, photos, and music on any PC with Windows 7 in the house from any other.
- Print to any printer in the house from any PC with Windows 7 in the house.
Safeguard your hard work.
- Advanced Backup and Restore makes it easier to keep your work safely backed up to external or network drives and accessible if you need it.
- File encryption helps keep proprietary and confidential information on a PC secure if it is lost or stolen.
- Preserve your investment in programs designed for Windows XP with Windows XP Mode.
- Windows Internet Explorer 8 helps keep your PC safer from malware and you safer from fraudulent websites designed to fool you into divulging private information.
- Easily add your PC to a secured, managed, network with domain join capabilities.
- Group policy controls help administrators more easily and effectively manage the security and configuration of multiple PCs.
Choose the Windows 7 Edition That Is Best For You
