Windows 11 comes in two main editions for PCs, Home and Pro. They share the same look and most everyday features. The differences are in security, remote access and management tools, which matter more for a business than for a home user.
Quick answer
Choose Windows 11 Home for personal use, study and general browsing. Choose Windows 11 Pro if you need full-disk encryption management, Remote Desktop access to the PC, virtual machines, or to manage the PC as part of a business network.
What Pro adds
| Feature | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| BitLocker drive encryption management | Device encryption only, on supported hardware | Full BitLocker |
| Remote Desktop (connect to this PC) | Can connect out, cannot host | Can host connections |
| Hyper-V virtual machines | No | Yes |
| Windows Sandbox | No | Yes |
| Group Policy management | No | Yes |
| Join a work domain or Entra ID | No | Yes |
| Maximum RAM supported | 128 GB | 2 TB |
Who should choose Windows 11 Home
- Home users, students and families
- Anyone who does not need to connect to the PC remotely or run virtual machines
- Sole traders with a single PC and simple needs
Who should choose Windows 11 Pro
- Small businesses that want encrypted laptops and central management
- Freelancers who work remotely and need to reach their office PC
- Developers and IT staff who run virtual machines
- Anyone joining a company network or domain
Can I upgrade from Home to Pro later?
Yes. In Windows go to Settings, System, Activation and choose to upgrade your edition. This normally requires a Pro licence key or a purchase from the Microsoft Store, and does not require a reinstall.
Retail, OEM and volume licences
Retail licences can usually be moved to a new PC. OEM licences are tied to the first device they are installed on. Volume licences are intended for organisations. Keys sold far below normal prices can be revoked or turn out to be misused volume or region-restricted keys, so buy from Microsoft or an authorised reseller and keep your proof of purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windows 10 still an option?
Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows 10 in October 2025, so security updates now need an extended support arrangement. Most users should move to Windows 11 if their PC supports it.
Will my PC run Windows 11?
Windows 11 needs a supported processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. Microsoft’s PC Health Check app tests this.
Do I need Pro for a small business?
Not always. If you handle customer data on laptops, BitLocker and central management make Pro the safer choice.
Our edition pages are here: Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home. Need a fleet of PCs set up properly? See our IT setup services.
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