Searching for Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Differences?
If yes then you are in the right place.
Everyone knows Microsoft has officially launched its latest Windows OS.
And users are eagerly waiting to upgrade it on their PC or laptop.
But I have seen many users are confused about which version to choose. And like every year there are two main versions Home and Pro.
In the previous post, I have already shared a guide on Windows 10 vs Windows 11 which may help you to choose whether to upgrade it or not.
But if you have already made your decision and are confused about which edition to choose, then this post is definitely for you.
Here we have mentioned some major differences between Home and Pro versions of Windows 11 operating system.
So, let’s get started…
Also Read: Windows 11 Home in S Mode [ Turn Off ]
7 Major Differences Between Windows 11 Home vs Pro Version
But before we dive in further and check out all the major differences in detail. Here is one leaked news, You don’t need a Microsoft account for setting up your Windows 11 in Pro vs Home version but you will need a Microsoft account and a good internet connection for setup.
The other major difference is always Security features and updates. The Pro version is designed for providing the best security features and it is usually used by professionals. And this Pro Edition will have much more features useful for businesses as compared to the Home Edition. Apart from this, all these differences were also seen in Windows 10 version but here you will get much better security, performance, and privacy.
This is for sure that the Windows 11 Pro version is going to be much better than the Home version but it’s only for a specific group of users. Moreover, you will also see many encryption features and upgrades later in this post. Also, if you are in a hurry then you can check out this quick list of Windows 11 features that are amazing.
So, without further ado, let’s get see all differences specifically,
1. Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Price
This is the first question that comes from any normal user because nobody wants to spend a penny on any useless features. And that’s why they always check the differences or comparisons between any two versions.
Similarly for Windows 11 users are searching for the price difference between Home and Pro. And its difference price is almost $30 in the USA and INR 2200 in India. Moreover, this is a raw assumption according to the Windows 10 OS price.
| Windows 11 | Cost Price |
|---|---|
| Home Version | $110-140 |
| Professional Version | $190-210 |
If you are really interested in this pricing part then you can also check out How much is Windows 11 Going to Cost?
2. Feature Specific Differences
Although, I have already talked so much about the features of Windows 11 but this time will be comparing between its two versions Home and Pro. One major difference which you will be getting is Windows Information Protection. Basically, this is for professionals which helps them for adding a list of trusted apps that are protected to access and process corporate data.
Now let’s directly move to the difference table.
| Feature | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| BitLocker device encryption | No | Yes |
| Device encryption | Yes | Yes |
| Find my device | Yes | Yes |
| Firewall and network protection | Yes | Yes |
| Internet protection | Yes | Yes |
| Parental controls and protection | Yes | Yes |
| Secure boot | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Hello | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Information Protection (WIP) | No | Yes |
| Windows Security | Yes | Yes |
Original Source:- Microsoft.com
Now if you are planning for the Professional version then I would suggest you to first check If your computer is compatible with Windows 11?
3. Installation & Setup Process
After installing the newer Windows 11, you need to set it up and this is where the major difference is. For setting up Windows 11 Home version your PC should be connected to a stable internet connection and you should have a Microsoft account. Some users may find this annoying. In the Pro version, there is no restriction, you can just complete the setup with a local account without any internet connection. Although, you can remove the Microsoft account after setting up your Windows 11.
One major drawback of the Home edition is that your PC can’t join an active directory. Active directory is required for managing business devices like access to different features and other required things. This is only a drawback for business people, not for a normal windows user. These tools are used by professionals only.
Also Read:- Is It worth Installing Windows 11.
4. Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Gaming
If we look at the gaming perspective then according to me the Pro version will give you better gaming performance in Windows 11. Although, the hardware requirements are the same for the Home and Pro versions. But still, the Home version can support up to 64 CPU cores while the Pro version can have up to 128 CPU cores.
Also, if we look at the RAM performance then the Home edition is quite less as compared to Pro. The maximum RAM support of the Home edition is 128GB and it’s more than enough though. Whereas in the Pro edition, it is 2TB, this very much RAM may not be used by any single user. Although, there is a big difference in RAM size support but it doesn’t affect any user as the gaming PCs don’t need RAM greater than 64GB.
All these features have improved the performance extensively and that’s why most of the users are asking Is Windows 11 Faster than Windows 10?
5. Virtualization & Remote Desktop
The second major difference you will see is support for virtualization features. The Pro version allows you to use Hyper-V or Windows Sandbox but the Home edition does not. Hyper- V tool allows you to create a virtual machine using tools like Virtualbox. Using which you can easily test or install any operating system on your PC like Android OS. Windows Sandbox creates a completely clean copy of your current operating system without making any changes to the PC. It is mainly used for testing purposes.
Windows 11 Home version does allow you to be a remote desktop client but you can not be a host. But in the pro version, you can be the host and can access any Windows PC remotely. And you will have to use third-party applications for accessing the Windows 11 PC remotely on the Home edition. Virtualization tools are quite useful for some users but you can use these types of third-party apps on the home edition too.
6. Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Security
Here comes the very required feature difference, Security is the major concern in the era of technology. This is the main reason why big companies use the Pro version of Windows. You get Bitlocker encryption in the Pro edition, it encrypts the data stored on your HDD or SSD preventing your data from any external attacks as solving hard encryption is close to impossible. No one will be able to access your hard disk with this encryption feature.
As earlier discussed, Windows 11 Pro version also has Windows Information Protection, this tool helps in data loss prevention. Data leak is also not possible in the pro version because of this too. You can remotely delete your important data if your computer is stolen or lost. There are many third-party apps too which provide these features but this tool is built into Windows, it is more reliable and better. Both of these two features are not seen in the Windows 11 home version.
7. Enterprise & Business Management Features
The major difference between Windows 11 Home and Pro edition is only in the field of business. The Pro version has many other tools only used by big companies. You get support for Group Policy, updates for businesses, one host computer can push a particular change to every PC of the company.
And here are some of the enterprise & business management features in Windows 11 Pro edition:-
| Feature | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Assigned Access | No | Yes |
| Dynamic Provisioning | No | Yes |
| Enterprise State Roaming with Azure | No | Yes |
| Group Policy | No | Yes |
| Kiosk mode setup | No | Yes |
| Microsoft Store for Business | No | Yes |
| Mobile Device Management | No | Yes |
| Support for Active Directory | No | Yes |
| Support for Azure Active Directory | No | Yes |
| Windows Update for Business | No | Yes |
Original Source:- Microsoft.com
Now as you have seen all the major differences, let’s talk about the version you should choose. But if you are just surfing and still thinking then check this guide on Should I Upgrade to Windows 11? where I have shared 11 Important Reasons for this.
Which Version To Choose – Home or Pro?
As we have seen that the Home version will have the basic required features and the Pro version has the additional features which are only used by companies or businesses. If you have concerns about the security of your data then I would suggest that you should choose the Windows 11 Pro version. If you are a normal user who just doesn’t need any above-stated features then the home edition is for you.
And according to us, the professional edition is going to be at least $70-90 costlier than the Home edition.
That’s it for now…
Also Read: Pros and Cons of Windows 11.
Conclusion
So, that’s all about the differences between the Pro and Home versions of Windows 11. Also, we have tried to add each and every specification, feature, and requirement in this post.
Later we will also try to share a detailed comparison between Enterprise and Education versions.
Stay tuned for the next posts…
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