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Microsoft has created no fewer than seven editions of Windows 11, but there are only two most consumers will care about. Windows 11 Home is the core experience most people will be familiar with, and the version we use for most Windows 11 content on the site. As the name suggests, it’s designed for people who primarily use Windows at home or in their personal life. However, for some people, it’s also worth considering Windows 11 Pro. It might be built with business use in mind, but there are some useful features that individuals may use. Everything in Windows 11 Home is also available in Pro, but what do you actually get if you upgrade? Here’s everything you need to know. The differences between Windows 11 Home and ProIn most situations, you won’t notice a difference between the two versions. Alongside all the regular features, the following extra functionality is also available in Windows 11 Pro:
As you can see, a lot of these features focus on security. But that’s only because businesses tend to be more vulnerable to breaches or serious data loss, with the consequences usually more widespread. Windows 11 Home is still very secure, especially compared to Windows 10. That’s reflected in a TPM 2.0 chip and Secure Boot support being among its key hardware requirements. Which Windows 11 Pro features might Windows 11 Home users want?There are two key features it might be worth upgrading for, but workarounds are available for both. High-quality encryption can be achieved using a free tool such as VeraCrypt, which is also available for Linux and macOS. It’s regularly updated and available to download now. If you don’t want to use a Microsoft account, the solution is even easier. Make sure you skip the setup page asking you to connect to the internet, then type any information in the Microsoft account fields. This will produce an error message, but you’ll be able to proceed to local account setup instead. Learn more in our separate guide on how to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account. How to install Windows 11 ProIf you already have Windows 11 Home installed, it’s easy to upgrade to Pro. Just head to Start > Settings > System > Activation and click ‘Upgrade in the Microsoft app’ next to ‘Open Store’. This will cost you $199/£219.99. But if you’re still running Windows 10 Home, you can upgrade to Pro before installing Windows 11 instead. That’ll cost you $199.99/£219.99. Another option is to purchase a product key online and enter it in Settings by clicking ‘Change product key’. This might work out cheaper, but make sure you verify the trustworthiness of the site you’re buying from. Related articles you may like
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices. Is Windows 10 Pro better than Windows 11?The main differences between the two versions is that Pro offers BitLocker device encryption and Windows Information Protection (WIP), whereas the Home version does not.
What is the difference between Windows Pro and Windows 11?For example, Windows 11 Home PCs can only have one CPU socket, and thus only one CPU, while the Pro edition supports two. Similarly, Windows 11 Home only supports up to 64 CPU cores, while Windows 11 Pro can have up to 128. Windows 11 Home is also limited to "just" 128GB of RAM.
Is it worth upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10?But if you're still hesitant, there's really no reason why you should upgrade to Windows 11 right away. As long as you're on Windows 10, you'll have access to many of Windows 11's key features (like Auto HDR and virtual desktops) as well as critical updates and security patches through 2025.
Does Windows 10 Pro upgrade to Windows 11 pro?If your existing Windows 10 PC is running the current version of Windows 10 and meets the minimum hardware specifications to run Windows 11, it will be able to upgrade.
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