Which is better, Windows 11 Home or Pro? Your tips here

Updated By

Linda 

Authored By

Tracy King 

Last Updated on April 19, 2024

It's no secret that many people get confused between Windows 11 Home and Pro. In this guide, you'll learn the differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro, which will assist you in making the right choice. You can easily install the version of Windows 11 you prefer on your computer following the provided instructions.

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Which is better, Windows 11 Home or Pro?

Understanding these differences will help you decide which is right for you.

Pricing – For starters, there is a significant difference in the cost of Windows 11 Home versus Pro. If Microsoft prices the new version the same as Windows 10, that will mean $139.99 for Home and $199.99 for Pro.

Setup – Windows 11 Home has a requirement that users set it up with a Microsoft account and an internet connection. Windows 11 Pro, by contrast, allows for local-account setup without connecting to the internet. Also, only Windows 11 Pro can join a domain, a necessity for managing corporate devices.

User Interface – The user interface is almost the same across all Windows versions. However, there are a few differences to note. Virtualization is another difference between Home and Pro. Windows 11 Home doesn't support Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox. You can't remote into a Windows 11 Home PC using Microsoft Remote Desktop.

Windows 11 Pro includes support for Hyper-V. Hyper-V is a built-in virtualization technology that lets users try out different operating systems and earlier versions of Windows without affecting the primary system. Users of Windows 11 Home can also access this feature through third-party software.

CPU and RAM support: The limits are different for Windows 11 Home and Pro. While Windows 11 Home supports up to 64 CPU cores, Windows 11 Pro can handle up to 128. Windows 11 Home supports up to 128 GB of RAM, which is ample for most users. However, Windows 11 Pro supports up to a whopping 2 TB of RAM.

Security - Security is paramount and one of the key aspects to consider. Especially for business users dealing with highly sensitive data, Windows 11 Pro offers additional layers of security. It supports BitLocker encryption, which encrypts data on your hard drive. It also comes with Windows Information Protection (WIP) support. In contrast, Windows 11 Home provides basic security features only.

Enterprise management - Both Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro offer enterprise-management features, though there are some differences. Key parts of this functionality are not available in the Home edition. Windows 11 Pro includes Group Policy, which lets IT administrators set configurations for a group of devices at once. It also has an enterprise update feature that allows companies to customize how updates are pushed to consumers, so as to avoid disruptions.

Hardware Requirements - All versions of Windows require specific hardware to run officially. Windows 11 Home and Pro have the same minimum system requirements. However, there are some unique limitations with Windows 11 Home. Windows 11 Home has a memory limit of 128 GB. Windows 11 Pro increases this to 2 TB, which is essential if you want to create many VMs with a lot of RAM.

Summary of functional differences -

If you have a PC with Windows 11 Home and you want Windows 11 Pro, you can upgrade.

Which Should You Choose: Windows 11 Home or Pro?

As mentioned, most of the advanced features are geared towards business users. Some security features are also in place to protect sensitive information. For most non-enterprise users, Windows 11 Home might be more suitable. Besides, it comes at a lower price than the Pro version. After considering all the features and price differences, if you still prefer the Pro edition, then you know your needs. If you're a business user or frequently use virtual machines, then Windows 11 Pro will be your best friend. Otherwise, you can fully rely on Windows 11 Home. You can always choose between Windows 11 Home and Pro based on your requirements.

How do I get the Windows 11 Home or Pro version you need on your PC?

Here's a comprehensive step-by-step guide for installing Windows 11 Home or Pro for Windows users: 1. **Check System Requirements**: - Ensure your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, including processor speed, RAM size, storage space, and a compatible TPM chip. 2. **Backup Your Data**: - It's always advisable to back up important files and data before a major OS upgrade, just in case. 3. **Update Windows 10**: - Make sure your Windows 10 is up-to-date by checking and installing all available updates through 'Settings' > 'Update & Security' > 'Windows Update'. 4. **Download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant**: - Visit the Microsoft website (https://www.microsoft.com) and navigate to the 'Windows 11 Download' page. - Click on the 'Download now' button to get the 'Windows 11 Installation Assistant'. 5. **Run the Installation Assistant**: - Double-click on the downloaded 'Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe' file to run the installer. - Accept the license terms and follow the on-screen prompts. 6. **Choose Your Edition**: - During the installation, you'll have the chance to select which edition of Windows 11 (Home or Pro) you want to install. 7. **Wait for Installation**: - The installation process may take some time and your PC might restart several times. Be patient. 8. **Set Up Windows 11**: - After installation, you'll be guided through basic Windows 11 settings like language, region, network connection, etc. 9. **Sign In with an Account**: - You can choose to sign in with an existing Microsoft account or create a new one. 10. **Complete the Setup**: - Configure additional settings such as privacy, Cortana, and update options. 11. **Enjoy Windows 11**: - Once the setup is complete, you're ready to start using the new Windows 11. Please note that if your device isn't eligible for a direct upgrade to Windows 11, you might need to use an ISO image file via the Media Creation Tool for a clean install. Before proceeding with a clean install, make sure to backup all your data and have a valid Windows 11 product key.

#1. Check if your PC meets the requirements for Windows 11

To install Windows, a PC needs to meet certain minimum requirements:

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 64-bit (x64) architecture.
• Memory: 4 GB or more.
• Storage: 64 GB or greater available storage.
• System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable.
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
• Graphics card: Graphics device with DirectX 12 or later, and WDDM 2.0 driver or higher.
• Display: High definition (720p) display, 9" diagonal or larger, with 8 bits per color channel or better.
• Internet connection/MSA: Internet connectivity is required for initial device setup and to use certain features of Windows 11 Home. Exiting Windows 11 Home in S mode also requires internet connectivity.

To check if your PC is compatible with the Windows 11 version, you can use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. Simply download the tool and click on the "Check now" button to proceed.

#2. Prepare Your Computer for Installing or Upgrading to Windows 11

Before you upgrade or install Windows 11, your first step should be to back up all your important files to an external hard drive for safekeeping. Next, you'll need to convert your operating system drive from MBR to GPT.

Check your hard drive partition style. If it's not GPT but MBR, you need to convert it because Windows 11 requires a GPT partition. You can use the tool Partition Master to convert an MBR disk to GPT. Just download the software on your computer and right-click the MBR disk you want to convert and select "Convert to GPT".

Step 1. Download and run tools Partition Master on your computer.

Step 2. Enter the Disk Converter and choose “Convert MBR to GPT”, then click “Next” to continue.

Step 3: Select the MBR disk you want to convert to GPT and click "Convert" to start the conversion.

Then, click on the “Perform 1 Action” button in the toolbar and choose “Apply” to start the conversion process.

Next, you'll need to enable UEFI and Secure Boot on your computer.

From Windows systems:

1. Go to Settings > Update & security. 2. Click Recovery. 3. Under Recovery, click Advanced startup.

From Recovery to Advanced Startup Choose an Image

• Click on “Restart now.”
• After your PC restarts, go to the “Troubleshoot” screen.

● Next, go to Advanced options: UEFI firmware settings. Find the Secure Boot option and set it to Enabled.

#3. Download and install Windows 11 Home or Pro

This guided walk-through helps people download and install Windows Home or Pro on their computer.

Let's see how to do a clean install of Windows 11 on your PC by booting from a USB drive.

● Use a Windows 11 USB media to boot your device.

Press any key to start the device.

• On the Windows Setup screen, click Next.

● Click the Install Now button.

• Click the I don't have a product key link to continue. If this is your first time installing Windows 11, you will need a product key.

Choose the version of Windows 11, if applicable.

This selection must match the edition that your product key activates. If you choose the wrong edition, Windows 11 won't activate, and you'll need to repeat this process.

Press the [Next] button.

Select Accept terms and continue to proceed.

● Click the Next button.

• Click the Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) option to proceed with a clean install.

Select the disk to install Windows 11

● Select the partition where Windows is currently installed (usually “Drive 0”), and click the Delete button.

If "Disk 0" has multiple partitions, you'll need to select each one and delete it so that the installer can use the entire drive for the new installation. Windows 11 will create the necessary partitions during its setup. You don't need to delete partitions on secondary drives if you have them. If your device has a blank hard drive, select it and click the "Next" button.

● Click the “Yes” button.

Select a blank drive.

Select the drive to install Windows 11 on

● Click the “Next” button.

Once that's done, the Windows 11 installer will put a fresh copy of the new operating system on your laptop or desktop.

Both Windows 11 Home and Pro are great, so get yours today and enjoy the wonderful experience of using it on your PC.

Both editions come with their own set of unique features that make them better than the previous versions. You can choose either Windows 11 Home or Pro, depending on your needs. Both editions are quite advanced. There's no doubt that Windows 11 Home is ideal for regular users. On the other hand, Windows 11 Pro is particularly great for business users. Some of its advanced features may not be useful to regular users.

So choose accordingly, enjoy the ride, and collect the best expressions.