Licensing Microsoft
06.09.2021

Downgrade rights software

Downgrade rights represent the ability to acquire rights to use a lower version of the software.


The rights to use older versions of the software are described in Microsoft License Terms. The downgrade right for software products derived from volume licensing programs is unlimited. This is different for licenses acquired with hardware (OEM) or boxed versions of software (FPP). In the case of OEM distribution, the use of the downgrade right is only possible for server or client operating systems.

Edition vs. Version

Microsoft distinguishes two different terms: "version" and "edition". The term "version" refers to the generation of products, such as Microsoft Office Suite 2016 and Microsoft Office Suite 2013. The term "edition" means a specific range of functional parameters of a product. Examples are Microsoft Office Professional Plus and Microsoft Office Standard.


Downgrade rights are usually limited to the same functional releases of each version of the product. If you want to use the right to downgrade, you must have the same software edition. Let's take an example to understand how it works: with Office 2019 Professional Plus, you can downgrade to Office 2016 Professional Plus or Office 2013 Professional Plus. However, you cannot downgrade from Office 2019 Professional Plus to Office 2016 Standard or Office 2016 Home and Business.

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On the other hand, Microsoft provides certain exceptions here, such as Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB / LTSC, which can be downgraded to Windows 8 / 8.1 Enterprise and Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 10 Pro.

Do you know that?

If you have a license to use Windows 10 Enterprise, the downgrade right is also available for Windows 10 Pro.

What are the downgrade rights?

The table below shows the downgrade rights for specific range of products.


OEM Windows 10 Pro Volume licensing Windows 10 Pro Volume licensing Windows 10 Enterprise Volume licensing Windows 10 Education
Windows 7 Enterprise no no yes yes
Windows 7 Professional yes yes yes yes
Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise no no yes yes
Windows 8.1 Pro yes yes yes yes

Source: Microsoft

If you need to use an older version of the software product from volume licensing programs, the downgrade rights are unlimited. You can find a wide range of volume licenses with savings of up to 80 % in our offer. So do not hesitate to contact us.

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