Want to know the differences between the Home and Pro editions? Here is a complete comparison between Windows 11 Home and Pro editions.
As with older versions, Windows 11 has two major editions for regular users. i.e., the Home and Pro edition. As you might expect, the Pro edition is more expensive and feature-rich than the Home edition. If you bought a new laptop or pre-built desktop, you are likely running Windows 11 Home edition. For example, my current laptop came with Windows 11 Home edition, which I manually upgraded to the Pro edition.
Because there are two major versions, it’s natural to question the significant differences between Windows 11 Pro and Home editions. After all, why is the Pro edition substantially more expensive than the Home edition?
Comparing Windows 11 Home vs Pro editions and knowing the actual feature differences between them will help you in making responsible purchase decisions. For example, if you don’t need Pro edition features, you don’t need to spend extra. The Home edition will suffice.
So, without further ado, here is a simple yet detailed comparison and feature differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro editions.
Table of contents:
Compare Windows 11 Home and Pro editions
Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between the Home and Pro editions.
| Feature | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Group Policy Editor | No | Yes |
| BitLocker | No | Yes |
| Kiosk Mode | No | Yes |
| Active Directory | No | Yes |
| Azure Active Directory | No | Yes |
| Remote Desktop (Server) | No | Yes |
| ReFS Support (Resilient File System) | No | Yes |
| Windows Information Protection | No | Yes |
| Assigned Access | No | Yes |
| SMB Direct | No | Yes |
| Windows Sandbox | No | Yes |
| Hyper-V | No | Yes |
| MS Store for Business | No | Yes |
| Windows Update for Business | No | Yes |
| Dynamic Provisioning | No | Yes |
| Registry Editor | Yes | Yes |
| Device Encryption | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Security | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Firewall | Yes | Yes |
| Find My Device | Yes | Yes |
| Parental Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Secure Boot | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Hello | Yes | Yes |
| App & Browser Control | Yes | Yes |
| Edge Browser | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Store | Yes | Yes |
| Snap Layouts | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual Desktops | Yes | Yes |
| Widgets | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen & Pen Support | Yes | Yes |
Is Windows 11 Pro worth it?
Is it worth purchasing or upgrading to Windows 11 Pro? This is the first question that comes to mind after reading all the differences between Windows 11 Pro and Home editions.
“It depends,” is the answer.
If you need access to advanced options and tools like Group Policy Editor, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and so on, you should purchase or upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.
That being said, most users don’t use these tools and options unless they want to customize Windows over and above the regular settings app.
For the vast majority of regular home users, Windows 11 Home edition is adequate. As such, my recommendation is not to waste money on features that you don’t or only rarely use.
If you ever need tools like the Group Policy Editor, Remote Desktop, Windows Sandbox, etc., you can always upgrade to the Pro version when needed. Microsoft only charges the difference in price between Home and Pro editions.
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That is all. These are differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro editions.
I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need some help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.
