Now officially available, just like previous versions of Windows, it will come in a few different editions. Windows 11 editions are similar to Windows 10 editions, and different editions have certain different features, which makes the operating system more personalized for different users. For the general public, there are two main editions that you will find – Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro. As the name suggests, Windows 11 Pro is the most feature-rich edition, but most laptops come with the Home edition. Even Microsoft’s own devices come with Windows 10 Home, unless you buy the commercial variants of them, which come with Windows 11 Pro. In this guide, we’ll show you how to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro, and why you might want to.
If you are looking to learn more about the different versions, you can check out our article. In addition to Home and Pro, there are several versions for business and education users. There are also specific versions for different types of devices.
Article contents
Why should you want Windows 11 Pro?
As mentioned, Windows 11 Pro has certain features that are not available in the Home edition, but what exactly are you missing? Well, for most users, you are probably fine with Windows 11 Home. As the name suggests, the features in the Pro version are geared more towards professionals and enterprise-run computers. However, there are good reasons for wanting to. Here is a quick look at the differences between these two.
Feature Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Pro Set up with a local account No No Join Active Directory / Azure AD No Yes Hyper-V No Yes Windows Sandbox No Yes Microsoft Remote Desktop Client Only Yes BitLocker Device Encryption No Yes Windows Information Protection No Yes Mobile Device Management (MDM) No Yes Group Policy No Yes Enterprise State Roaming with Azure No Yes Assigned Access No Yes Dynamic Provisioning No Yes Windows Update for Business No Yes Kiosk Mode No Yes Max 128 GB RAM 2 TB Max No. Number of CPUs 1 2 Maximum No. The number of CPU cores is 64128
BitLocker encryption is an exclusive Pro feature, which helps protect data on your computer from external attackers. Encrypting your data means that only you can access it, and this is important if you are concerned about data privacy and security.
Another exclusive feature is remote desktop support. This allows you to connect to your computer remotely and control it from anywhere, which can be very useful for computers you leave in the office, for example. There is also support for Hyper-V virtualization. This allows you to create and run virtual machines, so you can test certain environments or risky software without harming the host computer.
However, it should be noted that there are quite a few apps that offer similar tools if you have Windows 11 Home. It is an example application for running virtual machines, useful for accessing remote computers. You don’t necessarily need the Pro version.
More specialized features of the Pro program include the ability to join Azure Active Directory or a business domain. Originally, Windows 11 Pro also allowed you to set up your device with a local account out of the box, but now, internet connection is required for both versions, and you still need a Microsoft account to set up Windows 11 Pro for personal use. So in both versions.
How to upgrade
If you’re set to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro, here’s what you need to do:
- Open the Settings app and choose Activation.
- Expand the Upgrade your version of Windows section to see your options. If you want to purchase an upgrade to Windows 11 Pro, click Open Store.
- You’ll see a comparison of the Home and Pro editions of Windows with the option to purchase the upgrade. Since the licenses for Windows 10 and Windows 11 are the same, the Microsoft Store shows both operating systems, but they will work together.
- Click Buy to get the new license. If you have Windows 11 Home, the upgrade should cost $99.
- You will need to enter your password and fill in your billing details if you have not already done so.
- Once the upgrade is purchased and applied, you must restart your computer to enable the new features.
Hiring the existing key
If you already have a Windows 11 Pro product key, you can activate it by following these steps:
- Go to the activation page in the Windows 11 Settings app, then click Change next to Change product key.
- You will be asked for administrator permission to run the Windows Activation Tool, then you can enter your Windows 11 Pro product key.
- Once the key is validated, you will need to restart your computer to enable the Pro features.
Windows 11 Home and Pro actually rely on the same installation files, so you don’t have to reinstall Windows or anything to upgrade. A simple restart will configure your version of Windows, and you’ll be good to go the next time you use your computer.
If your laptop can’t run Windows 11 or you’re just looking for an upgrade, check out our list. Most of them run on Windows 10 Home, which means you’ll also get Windows 11 Home when you get the update. Business laptops are usually the exception, as they tend to ship with Windows 11 Pro by default.