Windows 7 Professional has the Home Premium features you love and the additional features your schoolwork demands. It was designed to help you work anywhere more easily and more securely. Whether you're recording Internet TV, playing an eye-popping 3D game, or creating a presentation with video embedded in it, Windows 7 Professional has the technology you need to get it done, easier and faster than ever before.
With Windows 7 Professional, you can think less about technology and more about getting things done. Whether you’re giving a presentation, working in the library or a café, or even taking a study break to play a few games, Windows 7 makes it easier.
Since Windows 7 manages power more efficiently and connects to wireless networks faster, it’s easier than ever to work on the go. Setting up your laptop for a presentation is a breeze. And Windows 7 lets your laptop remember your preferred printer on each network you use—no more manual switching.
Windows 7 has improvements to Backup and Restore for a "set it and forget it" approach to backing up your files and folders. With Windows 7 Professional, you can also back up files, folders, and even drives to an external drive, a USB drive or even a network.
Just because you use your PC for work doesn't mean you have to sacrifice play. When it's time for a break, you'll enjoy on-demand Internet TV, the unbelievably realistic game graphics of DirectX 11, and all the audio-visual goodness that comes with Windows Media Center—like the ability to watch, pause, and record live TV—and Windows Media Player.
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.