How to change Windows - 32 bit to 64 bit

In this guide, we will explain how to switch from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version while keeping your files. You will have to reinstall your applications, but all your data will remain in place.

You can always buy genuine product keys for Windows in our catalog:

Windows 11 – from 11.2 €

Windows 10 – from 9.16 €

Use the links on our website to download Windows 11 or Windows 10 installers. To create a bootable flash drive, use the Rufus application according to these instructions.

Checking Compatibility

Before upgrading to the 64-bit version of Windows, make sure your processor supports 64-bit architecture. To do this:

1. Open Start and find System Properties.

2. Make sure it says “x64-based processor”

Steps to Upgrade to a 64-bit System

1. Downloading the Windows Installer

– Download the 64-bit Windows 10 installer or Windows 11 installer.

– Create a bootable USB flash drive using the Rufus utility, following these instructions.

2. Creating a Partition on the Disk

– Open Start, type Computer Management, and find the Disk Management section.

– Or simply type Disk Management in the search (on Windows 10).

– Right-click on the D drive (or C if there is no second drive) and select Shrink Volume.

– Reduce the disk size by about 5 GB (5120 MB).

– Create a new simple volume and format it (check Quick Format during creation).

3. Mounting the ISO Image

– Mount the previously downloaded Windows image as a virtual drive (right-click and select Mount).

– Copy all files from the image to the newly created partition.

4. Configuring Boot from the Image

– Download and install the EasyBCD application from the official website or from our server.

– Open EasyBCD, select the Add New Entry tab, then select WinPE and specify the path to the boot.wim file in the sources folder.

– You can also rename the image; in our case, we entered Win10x64 Install.

– After that, save the changes by clicking the green plus sign and restart the computer.

5. Starting the Installation

– When restarting, a menu to choose the operating system will appear. Select the entry you created (in our case, “Win10x64 Install”).

– After booting, the classic Windows installation will begin.

– At the product key entry screen, select I don’t have a product key.

– Choose the same version of Windows you had before (in our case, it’s the Pro version).

– Proceed with “Custom installation.”

– Next, select the disk where your Windows is located and click Next.

– A warning will appear that the disk contains files and folders from the previously installed Windows and that they will all be moved to the Windows.old folder. Click “OK.”

– After this, the installation of the new x64 version of Windows will begin, keeping all your old files (you will have to reinstall applications and drivers).

– Wait for the installation to complete; the system may restart several times.

– If prompted to choose which boot drive to start from, now select the original one. (At the end of the article, we will explain how to remove this choice if it appears at every system startup.)

– After installation, you will likely need to go through the classic Windows setup before it launches. Choose your language, keyboard layout, log in to your account, etc. Go through all the steps and launch the system.

6. Post-Installation Setup

– After installation, go to the Windows.old folder on the C drive and ensure your files are saved.

– Open System Properties and make sure your Windows is x64.

– Now open Disk Management and delete the temporary partition created during the preparation stage.

– Select Delete Volume.

– Then Delete Partition.

– Finally, select Extend Volume to return these 5 GB to the hard drive.

– Click “Next” everywhere and finish the extension.

8. Clearing the Boot Loader

– If after installation there is still an old entry in the boot menu that appears every time Windows starts, open System Configuration (just type msconfig in the search).