Despite the many unsupported versions of Windows 11, there are only two main versions: Pro and Home. The Home version is designed for personal consumers, while the Pro version includes additional features for professionals and businesses.
The table below summarizes the most important feature comparisons between the Pro and Home versions.
| Feature | Win11 Home Version | Win11 Pro Version |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot | Supported | Supported |
| Windows Hello | Supported | Supported |
| Device Encryption | Supported | Supported |
| Defender Firewall | Supported | Supported |
| Defender Antivirus | Supported | Supported |
| Windows Security Center | Supported | Supported |
| Secure Boot | Supported | Supported |
| Parental Controls | Supported | Supported |
| Touch | Supported | Supported |
| Digital Pen | Supported | Supported |
| Game Support | Supported | Supported |
| Microsoft Edge | Supported | Supported |
| Accessibility | Supported | Supported |
| Windows Information Protection | Not Supported | Supported |
| BitLocker | Not Supported | Supported |
| Mobile Device Management | Not Supported | Supported |
| Group Policy | Not Supported | Supported |
| Roaming with Azure | Not Supported | Supported |
| Domain | Not Supported | Supported |
| Microsoft Store for Business | Not Supported | Supported |
| Assigned Access | Not Supported | Supported |
| Dynamic Provisioning | Not Supported | Supported |
| Windows Update for Business | Not Supported | Supported |
| Kiosk Mode | Not Supported | Supported |
| Azure Active DIrectory | Not Supported | Supported |
| Hyper-V | Not Supported | Supported |
| Windows Sandbox | Not Supported | Supported |
| Defender Application Guard | Not Supported | Supported |
| RDP | Not Supported | Supported |
| Windows Hello for Business | Not Supported | Supported |
| Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) | Not Supported | Supported |
| Windows update for Business | Not Supported | Supported |
| Windows Autopilot | Not Supported | Supported |
Next, let’s take a closer look at the differences between the two versions.
Hardware Support
Both versions of the operating system support most hardware, but the Pro version supports more processing cores, memory, and server-grade hardware. For instance, Windows 11 Home supports up to 128GB of memory, while the Pro version supports up to 2TB of memory. The Home version supports a single processor with up to 64 cores, but Windows 11 Pro supports up to 128 processing cores and up to two processors.
Gaming Support
Both versions offer the latest technology for playing the latest DirectX games and support 4K gaming. If you need a computer specifically for gaming, Windows 11 Home should suffice, allowing you to invest extra money in a more powerful graphics card.
Virtualization Support
One advantage of Windows 11 Pro is Hyper-V, Microsoft’s virtual machine manager, which allows you to set up virtual machines to run other operating systems, including Linux distributions. As part of the virtualization stack, Windows 11 also includes Windows Sandbox, which creates a temporary lightweight virtual environment, allowing you to test applications and browse unknown websites without putting your computer at risk. Once you finish using Sandbox, you can close it, and the instance will be completely removed from your computer.
Windows 11 Home does not support Hyper-V or Windows Sandbox but includes some virtualization features like Windows Subsystem for Linux. If you choose the Home version and need to use virtual machines, you can install third-party applications like Oracle’s VirtualBox.
Remote Desktop Support
While you can use Remote Desktop to connect remotely to other devices on both Windows 11 Pro and Home, only the Pro version includes the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to allow other devices to connect remotely.
Security
Both Pro and Home versions include Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Firewall to protect your device and data from malware and malicious individuals. Additionally, Windows Hello is part of both versions, allowing biometric authentication through facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN.
Windows 11 Pro also includes BitLocker, Microsoft’s technology for full device encryption, to protect your files from unauthorized access. BitLocker allows you to encrypt any system drive and external storage. Windows 11 Home does not include BitLocker but comes with device encryption, essentially a simplified version of BitLocker that allows you to encrypt the entire system.
Enterprise Features
The most significant difference between the two operating systems is that Windows 11 Pro has features specifically designed for enterprise networks. For instance, Windows 11 Pro includes components to connect computers to enterprise networks via Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID. The Pro version also provides access to Windows Update for Business, Kiosk mode setup, mobile device management, dynamic provisioning, assigned access, Microsoft Store for Business, enterprise state roaming with Azure, Windows Autopilot, and more.
One of the most significant differences between the two main versions is that Windows 11 Pro includes the Group Policy Editor, which allows more fine-tuned configuration of the operating system. For example, network administrators can use the Group Policy Editor to manage various policies to enable, configure, or disable features that cannot be controlled through the Settings app.
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
Microsoft also offers an additional version called Windows 11 Pro for Workstations, which includes everything in the other two versions plus some extra features for those using the operating system on more powerful hardware. For example, Windows 11 Pro for Workstations supports up to 6TB of memory and up to four processors. Regarding more specific features, this version supports SMB Direct for faster file sharing, persistent memory technology, and Resilient File System (ReFS). However, the latest version of the operating system brings ReFS to both Windows 11 Pro and Home as virtualized storage.
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