Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Which Edition Do You Need?
In short: choose Home for personal use, gaming and school. Choose Pro if you need BitLocker encryption, to connect to your PC with Remote Desktop, or to join a company network.
What both editions share
Windows 11 Home and Pro look and feel the same. Both include the Start menu, Microsoft Edge, Windows Security, Snap layouts, Microsoft Store apps and regular security updates. Most people will never notice a difference in day-to-day use.
What Pro adds
| Feature | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| BitLocker drive encryption | No (device encryption on some PCs) | Yes |
| Remote Desktop host (connect to this PC) | No | Yes |
| Hyper-V virtual machines | No | Yes |
| Join a domain / Microsoft Entra ID | No | Yes |
| Group Policy management | No | Yes |
| Windows Sandbox | No | Yes |
Who should choose Home?
- Home users, students and gamers.
- Anyone who doesn’t need to encrypt drives or control the PC remotely.
Who should choose Pro?
- Freelancers and small businesses that handle client data.
- People who connect to their PC from another device with Remote Desktop.
- Developers and IT users who run virtual machines.
Can I upgrade from Home to Pro later?
Yes. Go to Settings → System → Activation → Change product key and enter a Windows 11 Pro key. Windows upgrades your edition and keeps your files and apps. Our activation guide walks you through it.
Check your PC first
Windows 11 needs a compatible 64-bit processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. You can check with Microsoft’s free PC Health Check app.
Still not sure which product fits? Read our licensing guide, browse the catalog, or ask our team. A real person will help you choose.