What is the difference between Windows 11 Home single language and Windows 11 Pro?

Windows 11 Home and Pro editions have a lot in common between them, but a few features are exclusive to the Pro version. Released in 2021, Windows 11 is Microsoft's latest desktop operating system that is distributed as a free update over its predecessor, Windows 10. The two operating systems differ significantly in terms of their design but are pretty similar under the hood, with similar performance in gaming, productivity and other applications.

For all its advantages, Windows 11 has been somewhat controversial, thanks to its steep compatibility requirements that prevent most existing PCs from updating to the new software. While the minimum hardware requirements are not too different from that of Windows 10, what makes Windows 11 different is its requirement of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, which is unavailable in many older laptops and desktops. There are ways to unofficially bypass this requirement, but it is a cumbersome process that is not recommended for most mainstream users.

As explained by Microsoft, Windows 11 Home and Pro editions share a lot of features, but there are also a few notable differences between them. While most of these are enterprise and business-oriented features that are available only on the Pro version, a few power-user features are missing from the Home version as well. First off, Windows 11 Home needs an internet connection for the setup process. While Pro users can set up Windows 11 with a local account, Home users are forced to use a Microsoft account to sign in. There is, however, an unofficial workaround to bypass this requirement. Another significant difference between the two versions is the availability of Bitlocker Device Encryption. Windows 11 Home does not have the feature, whereas Windows 11 Pro does.

Missing Features In Windows 11 Home

Windows 11 computers

Another prominent feature missing from Windows 11 Home is access to the Group Policy Editor. Once again, there is a workaround to access the Group Policy Editor in Windows 11 Home, but it isn't available by default. Advanced users who need native virtualization will also miss Hyper-V in Windows 11 Home. However, users can still install Hyper-V on Windows 11 Home or use VirtualBox or VMWare instead, so its absence is not necessarily a deal-breaker. Windows Sandbox and Remote Desktop Connection are two more great features that are only available in Windows 11 Pro.

In terms of hardware, Windows 11 Pro supports up to 2 CPU sockets, 128 cores, and up to 2TB of RAM, whereas Windows 11 Home supports 1 CPU socket, 64 cores, and up to 128GB of RAM. In addition, Windows 11 Pro offers a bucketload of additional features for enterprise users, including Assigned Access, Dynamic Provisioning, Kiosk Mode, Mobile Device Management, Azure cloud support, and more. It also offers Windows Information Protection (WIP) support, which helps protect enterprise apps and data against accidental leaks.

As for the similarities between Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro, both offer the same design, which includes the new centered Start Menu, the new Microsoft Store, Snap Layouts, Microsoft Teams integration, Widget support, and more. There's also Android app support via Windows Subsystem for Android, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), as well as AutoHDR for gaming. Some of the other similarities include Windows Hello, Windows Security, Parental Controls, Kids mode in Microsoft Edge, virtual desktops, support for touch and stylus input, etc.

Next: Windows 11 God Mode And How To Enable It, Explained

Source: Microsoft

Windows 11 is now available for everyone to buy. It's the latest major version of Windows and the first one in 6 years. And there's a lot to love about it. Not only are we getting an all-new UI, UX, and lots of changes, but we're also getting several new features, even if not a lot of them will make their way to the operating system on day one.

Just like Windows 10, and as has been typical of Windows for several years, Windows 11 will come in different editions—Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro. But what are the differences between both editions, and more importantly, which should you get?

Why Are There Different Windows 11 Editions?

Windows 11 PC using Snap

Windows has offered different editions for a good part of its existence as an operating system. The reason for that is pretty simple. While a one-size-fits-all OS without extra editions is definitely something that's doable (and, in fact, was done for a decent amount of time), it's better to maintain different versions of Windows because not everyone needs every feature, and not every computer supports every feature.

Looking back at the Windows XP days, we had two main versions—Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. Most other editions pretty much just branched off of those two. Then, Windows Vista, and then Windows 7, made things a little more complicated by introducing several versions—Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Enterprise, Business, and Ultimate, with a differing feature set between all of them.

It's safe to say that it was kind of a mess, but for a rough summary, Starter was normally destined for lower-end PCs, Home Basic and Home Premium were meant to cover home PC needs, Enterprise and Business were destined for PCs in a business environment, and Ultimate included everything from every edition.

Things were further condensed in Windows 10, as Microsoft offers either Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro to consumers. Those are not the only ones, as there's also a handful of other editions and differences, such as Windows 10 in S mode, Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, Education, and Enterprise, as well as a few more. But for the most part, Home and Pro are the only two editions most users should be aware of.

Windows 10 Home is the version that ships with most average computers, while Windows 10 Pro contains a handful of additional features and ships with more expensive or business-focused systems. We'll go into those in a little bit deeper detail later on. Windows 11 carries on with this same exact version structure—there's Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro—and for the most part, the differences between them are very similar to the differences between both Windows versions.

What Is the Difference Between Windows 11 Home and Pro?

Person Using Windows 11 Laptop

Microsoft compares both versions on the Microsoft website, and one glance at this webpage will tell you a lot about the differences between each version. And for the most part, Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro are more similar than you think.

Windows 11 Home comes with all the features and creature comforts you can expect from Windows 11, including Windows Hello, Secure Boot, Windows Security, parental controls, device encryption, and more.

Even features like WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) are available on the Home version of the operating system, and features like Android app support (which is coming in a future Windows 11 update) should be available for the Home version as well.

Windows 11 Pro has everything the Home version has, while also adding a few additional features, mostly serving professional environments. One of the most notable ones is BitLocker, which is a full volume encryption tool that can encrypt your drive volume using 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption and your computer's TPM. There's also a full suite of business management and deployment tools, including Azure integration and features like assigned access, dynamic provisioning, kiosk mode setup, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, full Windows Remote Desktop support, and more.

There are also a few differences that the Microsoft site doesn't make immediately clear. For starters, while Windows 11 Home doesn't support local accounts anymore and requires you to link your Microsoft account (Windows 10 Home did support this, but it was removed with Windows 11 Home). Windows 11 Pro, meanwhile, does support local accounts without needing to link your Microsoft account to it.

There are also a few differences regarding hardware limitations. Both feature the same minimum requirements, including 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, a 1 GHz dual-core CPU from AMD/Intel/Qualcomm, TPM 2.0, and a DirectX 12-compatible GPU.

However, Windows 11 Home only supports up to 64 CPU cores and 128 GB of RAM. It also doesn't support systems with two CPUs. That's already plenty, but if you need more than that for whatever reason, Windows 11 Pro supports dual CPU systems with 64 cores each (for a total of 128 cores) and up to 2 TB of RAM.

Which One Should I Use?

Person Working on Windows 11 Tablet

We've now laid down everything about both versions of Windows 11, and up until this point, a lot of you might say that Windows 11 Pro is the most logical option. After all, there's basically no downside to using Windows 11 Pro over Home. The requirements are the same, and even though your PC might not actually be used in a business environment or has crazy specifications, you can still benefit from features like BitLocker or the ability to create local accounts. But hold the boat for a minute, because we haven't talked pricing yet.

Currently, Windows 11 is being offered as a free upgrade from Windows 10. A Windows 10 Pro license, which will upgrade to Windows 11 on an eligible PC, will set you back $199. By comparison, a Windows 10 Home license costs $139. The Home edition is considerably cheaper than the Pro. If you decide to buy Home and end up wanting to buy Pro down the line, upgrading your operating system from Home to Pro is also an option that's available, but it will set you back $99 on the Microsoft Store, so that's even more expensive than buying a Pro license in the first place.

In the end, though, it'll all come down to your specific use case and needs. For the most part, though, the vast majority of users will probably be served well by Windows 11 Home. If you do need a specific Pro feature, like BitLocker, you'll probably want to go for Pro instead, but think about whether that's worth the extra $60 (or the extra $99 if you go for an update down the road).

Windows 11 Home is Probably Good Enough

We just laid down several differences between Home and Pro. While Pro has everything the Home version has and more, the average user will be served just fine by Windows 11 Home. All programs work the same, and aside from BitLocker and a few business features, it'll function identically. If you do need Pro for whatever reason, though, it has identical system requirements, local account support, and a few extra features.

Hopefully, you've now made up your mind.

What is the difference between Windows 11 home and 11 pro?

For starters, compared to Windows 11 Home, which only supports 1 CPU socket with 64 cores, Windows 11 Pro offers compatibility with 2 CPU sockets that can support 64-core CPUs each. CPU cores aside, Windows 11 Pro offers support for up to a whopping 2TB of RAM versus 128GB on Windows 11 Home.

Can I upgrade Windows 11 home single language to Windows 11 Pro?

If you have a Windows 11 Pro product key Select Change product key, and then enter the 25-character Windows 11 Pro product key. Select Next to start the upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.

What does Windows 11 home single language mean?

Single language means you won't be able to change the display language and you could only add new keyboard or language to type but not change the display language of the Windows. You have to upgrade to Windows 11 Multilanguage or Windows 11 Pro.

Should I upgrade from Windows 11 home to pro?

If you are an advanced user and need support for native virtualization, opt for Windows 11 Pro over the Home edition. Windows 11 Pro comes with Hyper-V, which is a native hypervisor built by Microsoft. Its performance is way better in comparison to software like VirtualBox and VMWare.