Windows 11 Home and Pro share the core Windows 11 experience. Pro adds business security, networking, management, and virtualization capabilities.
Home or Pro?
| Requirement | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Personal and household computing | Designed for this use | Also possible |
| BitLocker Drive Encryption management | Not the full Pro capability | Included |
| Remote Desktop host | No | Yes |
| Domain or Microsoft Entra join | No | Yes |
| Client Hyper-V | No | Yes, with compatible hardware |
Minimum requirements
Microsoft lists a compatible 64-bit processor with at least two cores, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, UEFI with Secure Boot capability, TPM 2.0, DirectX 12 compatible graphics, and a supported display. Processor-model eligibility must be checked separately.
Setup and lifecycle
Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro for personal use require internet access and a Microsoft account during initial setup. Support is tied to the installed Windows 11 release, so devices must remain on a supported version.