Convert Windows Server Evaluation to Full Version

Introduction

Windows Server Evaluation editions are intended for testing purposes and are time-limited. To continue using the same installation in production, the Evaluation edition can be converted to a fully licensed version without reinstalling the operating system.

Microsoft supports this in-place conversion using the DISM tool, provided you have a valid product key for the target edition.

Before starting the conversion, make sure you have a valid product key for the Windows Server edition you want to switch to, such as Standard or Datacenter. The product key must exactly match the target edition.

Determine the current edition

To check which edition is currently installed, open Command Prompt or PowerShell with administrator privileges and run the following command:

The output will display the active edition identifier. Evaluation installations are typically shown as:

• ServerStandardEval

• ServerDatacenterEval

Check supported target editions

Not every edition can be converted to every other edition. To see which licensed editions are supported for your current installation, run:

The listed editions are the valid targets that can be used for the conversion.

Upgrade Evaluation to Full Version

Once the target edition is known and you have a valid product key, you can start the upgrade.
The value <TargetEdition> must match one of the supported editions returned by the DISM command.

Common target editions are:

• ServerStandard

• ServerDatacenter

Start the conversion using the following command. Replace <TargetEdition> with the desired edition and <ProductKey> with your 25-character Windows Server product key:

Generic Volume License Keys

During the process, it may appear that progress has paused briefly—this is normal.
Once the conversion is complete, a restart is required to finalize the edition change.

Verify Windows Server version

After the reboot, open Command Prompt or PowerShell again with administrator privileges and run:

The output should now display the licensed edition, such as ServerStandard or ServerDatacenter, confirming that the Evaluation edition was successfully converted.

At this point, you will see the Windows activation watermark in the lower-right corner of the screen. You can now activate Windows using your purchased Windows Server Standard or Datacenter license.

Conclusion

Congratulations!
You have successfully converted your Windows Server installation from Evaluation to a fully licensed version.

If you have any further questions or encounter issues, our support team is available daily and happy to assist you!