If you want the option to encrypt all files on all drives using BitLocker Drive Encryption or want the ability to defer monthly updates, then consider going Pro. Do I need Windows 11 Pro?ĭepends on what you need. Learn more by comparing on Microsoft's website. Windows Pro edition adds the following features that are not available with Home edition: Domain Join, Hyper-V, BitLocker, Microsoft Update for Business, Remote Desktop Server, and Assigned Access features while the Pro version does. Security of the operating systems remains the biggest difference between the Windows Home and Pro programs, with the Pro version ultimately reigning as the safer choice to secure and protect your information. FAQs What is the difference between Windows Home and Pro?
Instead, use Microsoft's generic product key to force the upgrade.įollow the prompts and restart to complete the upgrade.īecause you previously upgraded to Pro on this hardware, Microsoft's activation servers will recognize the digital license and activate your newly installed copy. If that happens to you, don't bother searching for the product key you used to upgrade. I used a recovery image to reinstall Windows 11 on a PC that had originally shipped with Windows 11 Home and had been upgraded to Windows 11 Pro. That happened to me during the course of testing for this article. In that scenario, you might inadvertently restore the original Home edition. The one gotcha in this series of scenarios comes when you have a system that includes digital licenses for both Home and Pro editions. Scenario 3: How to restore the Pro edition upgrade after a reinstall If the system isn't properly activated, click Troubleshoot to see if you can resolve the issue. Assuming you didn't make major hardware changes, Microsoft's servers will recognize the hardware and you should see a notice that the system is activated with a digital license. CloseĪfter setup is complete, sign in and check the activation status ( Settings > System > Activation). If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping.