Feature comparison
| Feature | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Apps, games, performance | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Security and updates | Yes | Yes |
| Device Encryption (supported hardware) | Yes | Yes |
| BitLocker and BitLocker To Go management | No | Yes |
| Remote Desktop (connect to this PC) | No, client only | Yes |
| Hyper-V virtual machines | No | Yes |
| Windows Sandbox | No | Yes |
| Group Policy Editor | No | Yes |
| Domain and Microsoft Entra ID join | No | Yes |
| Windows Update for Business | No | Yes |
| Maximum RAM | 128 GB | 2 TB |
| CPU sockets | 1 | 2 |
Who should choose Home
Home covers personal use well: browsing, office apps, photo and video editing, gaming and study. If you've never needed to open Group Policy or run a virtual machine, you probably won't miss Pro. Windows 11 Home keys.
Who should choose Pro
- Remote workers who connect to their desktop from a laptop or tablet.
- Developers and IT learners who use Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox or test multiple operating systems.
- Anyone handling sensitive files who wants BitLocker with recovery key control and encrypted USB drives.
- Small businesses joining PCs to a domain or managing them with Intune.
Switching later
Going from Home to Pro is simple: enter a Pro key and Windows upgrades in place, keeping your data. See Upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro. Going from Pro back to Home requires a clean reinstall, so if you're undecided and already on Pro, stay on Pro.