Windows 11 Home or Pro? Home is enough for a private PC: browsing, Office, games, photos. You need Pro as soon as one of these features is required: BitLocker drive encryption, Remote Desktop access to this PC, Hyper-V or Windows Sandbox, Group Policy, or joining a company domain or Microsoft Entra ID. Operation, speed, updates and gaming features are the same in both editions. A later switch from Home to Pro is possible without reinstalling.
Quick decision
Home is enough if …
- the PC is used privately and does not have to join a company domain,
- you do not run virtual machines with Hyper-V,
- you do not want to access this PC via Remote Desktop,
- at most 128 GB of memory is installed.
Pro is right if …
- drives and USB flash drives are to be encrypted with BitLocker,
- you access the PC via Remote Desktop while traveling or from your home office,
- the PC belongs to a company network with Windows Server, Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID,
- you test software in virtual machines or in Windows Sandbox,
- your employer, your industry software or your IT support requires Pro.
Security
| Feature | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Device encryption | Yes | Yes |
| BitLocker drive encryption and BitLocker To Go | No | Yes |
| Windows Hello (face, fingerprint, PIN) | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Hello for Business | No | Yes |
| Secure Boot | Yes | Yes |
| Firewall and network protection, Windows Security | Yes | Yes |
| Smart App Control | Yes | Yes |
| Parental controls | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Information Protection | No | Yes |
| Windows Sandbox | No | Yes |
Device encryption is included in both editions. It automatically encrypts the system drive on hardware that supports it. BitLocker in Pro gives you control: you encrypt individual drives selectively, define how they are unlocked and, with BitLocker To Go, also protect USB flash drives and external hard drives. If you carry customer data on a laptop, Pro serves you better.
Working in a company
| Feature | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Joining an Active Directory domain | No | Yes |
| Joining Microsoft Entra ID | No | Yes |
| Group Policy | No | Yes |
| Remote Desktop: access to this PC | No | Yes |
| Remote Desktop: connecting to other PCs | Yes | Yes |
| Management through mobile device management | No | Yes |
| Windows Autopilot | No | Yes |
| Windows Update for Business, WSUS | No | Yes |
| Kiosk mode, assigned access | No | Yes |
With Remote Desktop, the direction matters. According to Microsoft, the PC that is accessed must run a Pro edition. The device you connect from may run Home or an entirely different operating system. For the home office this means: the office PC needs Pro, the private laptop does not.
A domain is the central user and device management in a company network with Windows Server. Home cannot join a domain. This cannot be added afterwards, except by switching to Pro.
Virtualization and hardware limits
| Feature | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Hyper-V (virtual machines) | No | Yes |
| Windows Sandbox | No | Yes |
| Maximum memory | 128 GB | 2 TB |
| Minimum hardware requirements | same | same |
| Microsoft account during initial setup | required | required for personal use setup |
According to Microsoft, Hyper-V cannot be installed on Windows 11 Home. In Pro it requires a 64-bit processor with SLAT. The memory limit of 128 GB plays no role for ordinary PCs; it is only reached on workstations. If you need even more than 2 TB or more than two processors, read on under
Windows 11 Pro or Pro for Workstations.
The minimum requirements are the same for both editions, see
Windows 11 system requirements. Microsoft writes that Windows 11 Home, and Windows 11 Pro for personal use, require an internet connection and a Microsoft account during initial setup.
What is the same in both editions
- Interface, Start menu, File Explorer, widgets, snap layouts
- Included apps, Microsoft Store, Microsoft Edge
- Gaming features such as DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR and DirectStorage
- Monthly security updates and the annual feature update
- Length of support per version: 24 months
Pro is not faster than Home. If you choose Pro only for performance, you spend money without getting anything in return.
Typical cases
Private laptop for studies and streaming. Home. Device encryption protects the data if the device is lost and the hardware supports it.
Self-employed with customer data on the laptop. Pro, because of BitLocker and BitLocker To Go for external drives.
Office with eight PCs and one Windows Server. Pro on all workplaces, because Home cannot join the domain. Which licenses the server needs is covered under
Licensing Windows Server.
Developer who tests software in virtual machines. Pro, because of Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox.
Gaming PC. Home. For games, Pro brings no advantage.
Switching later
You do not have to commit for good. A PC with an activated Windows 11 Home becomes the Pro edition with a key for Windows 11 Pro under Settings > System > Activation, without reinstalling. The steps are in the guide
Upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro. Microsoft does not list the reverse path from Pro back to Home as a supported switch; that requires a reinstallation.
At VivaKeys
You can find both with current prices in the
Windows 11 category. You receive the key by email. All editions from Home to IoT are compared in the overview
Windows 11 editions at a glance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Windows 11 Pro and Home? Pro additionally includes BitLocker, Remote Desktop as the target, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, Group Policy and joining a domain or Microsoft Entra ID. Home is limited to 128 GB of memory, Pro to 2 TB.
Is Windows 11 Pro faster than Home? No. Microsoft states the same minimum requirements for both editions and does not list any performance features in its comparison that only Pro would have. A difference only arises when your hardware exceeds the memory limit of Home.
Can I switch from Windows 11 Home to Pro without reinstalling? Yes. Enter a key for Windows 11 Pro under Settings > System > Activation. Files, programs and settings are kept.
Does Windows 11 Home have BitLocker? No. Home includes device encryption, which automatically protects the system drive on suitable hardware. BitLocker with its own management and BitLocker To Go for removable drives are available from Pro upwards.
Do I need Windows 11 Pro for Remote Desktop? Only on the PC you want to access. You can establish the connection itself from a PC with Home, from a tablet or from a smartphone.
Does a key for Windows 11 Pro also work for Home? No. A key only activates the edition it was issued for. With a Pro key, however, a Home system is switched to Pro.
Sources
Checked on 2026-11-10 against the publisher’s information:
- www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compare-windows-11-home-vs-pro-versions
- www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/business/compare-windows-11
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/memory/memory-limits-for-windows-releases
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-11-requirements
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/compatibility/windows-11-system-requirements
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/virtualization/hyper-v/get-started/install-hyper-v
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/connectivity-networking/how-to-use-remote-desktop
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/install-upgrade/upgrade-windows-home-to-windows-pro
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/upgrade/windows-edition-upgrades
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows11-release-information