Which Windows 11 edition is the right one? For a private PC, Home is enough. If you work in an office, want to encrypt drives with BitLocker, access the PC via Remote Desktop or join a domain, you need Pro. Pro for Workstations only pays off for very large hardware with more than two processors or more than 2 TB of memory. Enterprise, LTSC and IoT Enterprise are intended for managed company environments and for fixed-purpose devices, not for the normal workplace PC.
Quick decision
| Your situation | Suitable edition |
|---|---|
| Private PC, family, games, studies | Home |
| Self-employed, office, home office with company access | Pro |
| Small business with Windows Server and a domain | Pro |
| Workstation with more than 2 processors or more than 2 TB of RAM | Pro for Workstations |
| Larger organization with central IT and a per-user subscription | Enterprise |
| Measuring computer, point of sale, machine control: feature set should stay the same for years | Enterprise LTSC 2024 |
| Fixed-purpose device with a ten-year service life | IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 |
Most purchase decisions are between Home and Pro. The differences in detail are in the guide
Windows 11 Home or Pro.
The editions in one table
| Feature | Home | Pro | Pro for Workstations | Enterprise | Enterprise LTSC 2024 | IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intended for | Private users | Office, small and medium-sized businesses | High-performance workstations | Organizations with central IT | Special-purpose devices without feature updates | Fixed-purpose devices |
| Maximum memory | 128 GB | 2 TB | 6 TB | 6 TB | 6 TB | 6 TB |
| BitLocker drive encryption | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Device encryption | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Desktop (PC as the target) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hyper-V | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Group Policy, domain join | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Entra ID join | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ReFS, SMB Direct, persistent memory | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credential Guard, Personal Data Encryption | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Feature updates | annual | annual | annual | annual | none | none |
| Updates per version | 24 months | 24 months | 24 months | 36 months | until October 9, 2029 | until October 10, 2034 |
Microsoft states the memory limits in its overview of memory limits for Windows 11; Enterprise LTSC and IoT Enterprise LTSC technically correspond to the Enterprise edition. According to Microsoft, the workstation features have also been included in Enterprise since Windows 10. Features such as Hyper-V require suitable hardware, for example a processor with SLAT.
The same minimum requirements apply to all editions except the IoT editions: 64-bit processor with 2 cores, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. Details and how to check your PC are described in the guide
Windows 11 system requirements.
Home and Pro
Home contains everything for private everyday use: Windows Hello, device encryption, Windows Security, parental controls. During initial setup, Home requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account.
Pro adds the features for work: BitLocker, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox, Group Policy, joining an Active Directory domain or Microsoft Entra ID, kiosk mode, and update control through Windows Update for Business or WSUS. If you already have Home, you do not need to reinstall: you switch with a Pro key in Settings, see
Upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro. What to look out for when buying is covered in
Buying Windows 11 Pro.
Pro for Workstations
Pro for Workstations contains everything from Pro plus four things for very large computers: support for up to 4 processors and 6 TB of memory, the ReFS file system, SMB Direct for fast network adapters with RDMA, and support for non-volatile memory (NVDIMM-N). An ordinary office PC or a gaming PC with one processor gains nothing from this. You can find the comparison under
Windows 11 Pro or Pro for Workstations.
Enterprise
Enterprise builds on Pro. As its own features, Microsoft names, among others, Credential Guard, Personal Data Encryption and customization of the interface with Shell Launcher and Unified Write Filter. According to Microsoft, Windows 11 Enterprise E3 and E5 are assigned as a per-user subscription and require Windows Pro as the base on the device. For individual workplaces without central IT, Pro is therefore the usual choice.
Enterprise LTSC 2024
LTSC stands for Long-Term Servicing Channel. During its lifetime, an LTSC release only receives security and quality updates, no new features. Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024 corresponds to Windows 11, version 24H2 and is serviced until October 9, 2029. Microsoft explicitly writes that LTSC is not intended for most PCs in an organization but for special-purpose devices. Apps and tools developed for the normal Windows release, such as in-box apps and the Microsoft Store, may only have limited support. More on this:
Windows 11 LTSC 2024: who it is intended for and
Windows 10 LTSC 2021 or Windows 11 LTSC 2024.
IoT Enterprise
According to Microsoft, Windows IoT Enterprise is binary identical to Windows Enterprise. The difference lies in licensing and distribution: the IoT line is intended for fixed-purpose devices such as point-of-sale systems, kiosks, digital signs, medical devices or industrial controllers. The LTSC release of IoT Enterprise is serviced for ten years, the 2024 release until October 10, 2034. In addition, Microsoft allows lower minimum requirements for such devices. Details are in the guide
Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC explained.
Updates and length of support
Windows 11 receives a feature update once a year, in the second half of the year. Each version is serviced with updates for 24 months on Home, Pro and Pro for Workstations, and for 36 months on Enterprise and IoT Enterprise. The current version is 26H2 of September 29, 2026; on Home and Pro it receives updates until October 10, 2028. If you install the feature updates, you stay serviced permanently. Only LTSC has a fixed end date.
Typical cases
Family PC and studies. Home is enough. On suitable hardware, device encryption protects the data even without BitLocker.
Tax consultancy with six workplaces and one server. Pro, because the PCs join the domain and are managed through Group Policy. For the server you additionally need client access licenses, see
Licensing Windows Server.
Home office with access to the office PC. The PC you access needs Pro. The device you connect from may also run Home.
Test bench in manufacturing. Enterprise LTSC 2024 or IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024, if the manufacturer’s software is certified for a fixed Windows release.
At VivaKeys
- Windows 11 Home
- Windows 11 Pro
- Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
- Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024
- Windows 11 IoT Enterprise and Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024
All offers with current prices are in the
Windows 11 category, earlier versions under Operating systems. You receive the product key by email; there is no physical medium.
More guides on Windows at work
- Windows 10 end of support: what to do now
- Moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11
- Activate Windows 11 with a product key
- Find your Windows product key
- Transfer a Windows license to a new PC
- Install Windows 11 and 10 with a USB flash drive
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Windows 11 Pro and Home? Pro additionally includes BitLocker, Remote Desktop as the target, Hyper-V, Group Policy and joining a domain or Microsoft Entra ID. Home uses at most 128 GB of memory, Pro up to 2 TB. Operation and the included apps are the same.
What is Windows 11 Pro N? According to Microsoft, the N editions include the same features as the normal editions, but no media technologies, no Windows Media Player and not certain preinstalled media apps. These can be added with the Media Feature Pack under Settings > Apps > Optional features. A key for Pro does not activate Pro N and vice versa.
Can I turn Home into Windows 11 Pro later? Yes. Enter a key for Windows 11 Pro under Settings > System > Activation. Programs and files are kept.
Which Windows 11 edition is best for games? Home is enough. The gaming features such as DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR and DirectStorage are the same in Home and Pro.
Is Windows 11 still available as a 32-bit version? No. According to Microsoft, Windows 11 only runs on 64-bit processors.
How long will Windows 11 be supported? Microsoft has not named an end date for Windows 11 Home and Pro. Each annual version is serviced for 24 months; after that you need the next feature update. Only the LTSC releases have a fixed date.
Sources
Checked on 2026-11-10 against the publisher’s information:
- www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compare-windows-11-home-vs-pro-versions
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/platform-variants/media-feature-pack-list-for-windows-n-editions
- www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
- www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/business/compare-windows-11
- www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/business/windows-11-pro
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/memory/memory-limits-for-windows-releases
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-licensing
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows11-release-information
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/ltsc/overview
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/ltsc/whats-new-windows-11-2024
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-11-enterprise-ltsc-2024
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-11-iot-enterprise-ltsc-2024
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot/iot-enterprise/getting_started
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-11-requirements