Windows 7 Professional
Take a closer look
Windows 7 Professional has everything you need for work and home, including all the Home Premium features you love and the business features your work demands. Connect to company networks easily and more securely and share files across the various PCs in your home. In addition, you can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover your data easily with automatic back-ups to your home or business network.
Note: If your computer is running Windows XP, you’re eligible to buy the upgrade version of Windows 7. However, when you upgrade, you’ll need to first back up all of your files to an external drive, and then re-install your applications from the original discs or setup files. For detailed instructions, see Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 (custom installation).
- This product includes both 32- and 64-bit versions for a single computer. Learn more.
- 90 days of Microsoft Support Services included: click here for details
- Simplify everyday tasks by finding something instantly, comparing documents side-by-side, or opening your favorite file in just two clicks
- Watch Internet TV; pause, rewind, and record TV, movies, and other video content; or use Touch to interact with your PC in new ways
- Run many existing productivity and business programs designed for Windows XP—if not pre-installed, it can be downloaded free from Microsoft.
- Take advantage of the powerful diagnostics and troubleshooters built into Action Center to resolve many computer problems on your own
- Interact with any compatible device connected to your computer—see device pictures and status and run common tasks from a single window
- Back up your files to an external hard drive, secondary hard drive, writable CD or DVD, or to a network location
- Use Windows Search from the Start menu to instantly locate and open virtually any file on your PC—from documents to emails to songs—just by typing a word or two
- Use HomeGroup to connect your PCs running Windows 7 to a single printer
1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
Required Memory
1 GB RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
Required Hard Disk Space
16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit); for the download version, an additional 3 GB is required
Required Media Drive
DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
Required Connectivity
Internet access (fees may apply)
Music and sound require audio output
Required Video Card
DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or later driver
Additional System Requirements
Windows XP mode requires at least 2 GB of RAM (32-bit)/3 GB RAM (64-bit) and 15 GB of available disk space.
Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware.Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware.
Additional requirements to use certain features: Internet access (fees may apply). Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware. For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required. Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware. HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7. DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive. Music and sound require audio output. Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware.
Depending on the version of Windows you're currently running, installing Windows 7 on your PC may be a lengthy process. Before you buy or install Windows 7 on your PC:
Run Windows Upgrade Advisor to make sure your PC can run Windows 7.
Decide to buy an Upgrade or Full product
All editions of Windows XP and Windows Vista qualify you to upgrade. So, if you're running either on your PC today, buy a package labeled "Upgrade."
Understand the upgrade process for your PC
Moving to Windows 7 Professional from Windows Vista Business qualifies as an upgrade. All other paths, including a move from a 64-bit edition of Windows Vista to a 32-bit edition of Windows 7, require a more detailed re-installation process.
Determine if 32- or 64-bit is right for you
Each package contains two disks: one with the 32-bit edition and one with the 64-bit edition of Windows 7. Please make sure you know which to install on your PC.The benefits of 64-bit are most apparent when you have a large amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer, typically 4 GB of RAM or more. In such cases, because a 64-bit operating system can handle large amounts of memory more efficiently than a 32-bit operating system can, a 64-bit system can be more responsive when running several programs at the same time and switching between them frequently. Please note: if you are presently running 64-bit software on a PC running a 64-bit edition of Windows Vista and you move to a 32-bit edition of Windows 7, your 64-bit software may no longer work.
Use the Compatibility Center to ensure your other hardware and software will work with Windows 7.
Find out how easy it is to upgrade to Windows 7 with the Getting Started guide.
Do you use a small notebook PC (also known as a netbook)?
If you've got a netbook, you probably don't have a CD or DVD drive – so you may be wondering how you can upgrade to Windows 7.
We've got your answer.
The Microsoft Store is the only place where you can download Windows 7 directly to your netbook. Learn how it works.
