Short answer: For most home PCs and gaming machines, Windows 11 Home is all you need: the two editions run the same apps and games at the same speed. Choose Windows 11 Pro if you want BitLocker drive encryption you can manage, Remote Desktop access to the PC, Hyper-V virtual machines, Windows Sandbox, Group Policy or the ability to join a work domain. Microsoft charges £119.99 for Home and £219.99 for Pro in the UK; AutoSoftKey supplies pre-owned licences for Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro at £29.95 each, so the price gap that usually decides the question disappears.
Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro share the same kernel, the same interface, the same hardware requirements and the same updates. The differences are a fixed list of business-oriented features that Microsoft reserves for Pro, plus a couple of hardware ceilings you will only meet on a workstation. This guide sets out that list feature by feature, explains who actually benefits from each one, and then deals with the practical questions: cost, gaming, upgrading an existing Home installation, and what to do if you are still on Windows 10.
Microsoft’s UK prices in this guide were read from the Microsoft Store UK and microsoft.com/en-gb on 2 September 2026; AutoSoftKey prices are the ones shown on the linked product pages at the same date. Microsoft changes prices without notice, so check the live figure before you commit.
Windows 11 Home vs Pro at a glance
| Feature | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| BitLocker drive encryption (managed) | Device encryption only, on supported hardware | Yes, full BitLocker with recovery-key control | Laptops carrying client or business data |
| Remote Desktop (host) | Can connect out only | Can be connected to from another PC | Working on a home PC from elsewhere |
| Hyper-V virtual machines | No | Yes | Developers, testers, running a second OS |
| Windows Sandbox | No | Yes | Opening suspicious files safely |
| Group Policy Editor | No | Yes | Anyone who wants to control updates and settings centrally |
| Domain join / Microsoft Entra ID join | No | Yes | PCs managed by an employer or IT provider |
| Assigned Access (kiosk mode) | No | Yes | Reception, retail and display screens |
| Windows Update for Business (defer updates) | No | Yes | Businesses staging updates |
| Maximum RAM | 128 GB | 2 TB | Workstations only |
| CPU sockets | 1 | 2 | Dual-socket workstations only |
| Local account during set-up | Microsoft account and internet required | Local account possible via the work-or-school route | Anyone avoiding a Microsoft account on the PC |
| Gaming, apps, drivers, updates | Identical | Identical | — |
Everything else — Windows Hello, Windows Security antivirus and firewall, Secure Boot, parental controls, Find My Device, the Microsoft Store, DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR and DirectStorage — is in both editions.
The Pro features explained, and who actually uses them
BitLocker
Both editions can encrypt the system drive, but Home only offers the simplified “device encryption” that switches on automatically when the hardware supports it and stores the recovery key in your Microsoft account. Pro gives you BitLocker proper: encrypt any drive including USB sticks, choose where the recovery key lives, require a PIN before Windows starts, and manage it through the control panel or policy. If a laptop with customer files, accounts or a tax return on it could be lost or stolen, this feature alone justifies Pro.
Remote Desktop
Both editions can open a Remote Desktop session to another machine. Only Pro can be the machine you connect to. If you want to reach your home or office PC from a laptop elsewhere, that PC must run Pro (or you use a third-party tool such as Chrome Remote Desktop, which works on Home).
Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox
Hyper-V is Microsoft’s built-in hypervisor for running Linux, older Windows versions or test environments as virtual machines. Windows Sandbox is a disposable, isolated Windows desktop that resets every time you close it, ideal for opening an attachment you do not trust. Neither exists on Home; VirtualBox and VMware Workstation run on Home if all you need is a virtual machine.
Group Policy, domain join and management
The Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) lets you control thousands of Windows settings in one place — how and when updates install, what users can change, which features are disabled. Domain join and Microsoft Entra ID join let an employer’s IT team manage the PC. A PC that will be supplied to you, or managed for you, by a company almost always has to be Pro; a PC you manage yourself rarely needs any of this.
Windows 11 Home vs Pro for gaming and everyday performance
There is no performance difference. The scheduler, graphics stack, DirectX version, memory management and driver model are identical, and benchmarks that compare the two editions on the same hardware come out level within run-to-run noise. Pro’s 2 TB memory ceiling is irrelevant on a desktop that tops out at 64 or 128 GB. Buy Home for a gaming PC unless you want one of the Pro-only features above for another reason.
How much do Windows 11 Home and Pro cost in the UK?
| Edition | Microsoft Store UK | AutoSoftKey | Licence type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 Home | £119.99 | £29.95 | Pre-owned digital licence, no expiry |
| Windows 11 Pro | £219.99 | £29.95 | Pre-owned digital licence, no expiry |
| Home to Pro upgrade (Microsoft Store app) | Sold separately, priced at roughly the difference between the editions | Buy a Pro licence and change the key | — |
At Microsoft’s prices the £100 gap is the reason most people settle for Home. When both editions cost £29.95 the calculation changes: if there is any chance you will want BitLocker management, Remote Desktop or a virtual machine over the life of the PC, Pro costs nothing extra. AutoSoftKey’s Windows licences are pre-owned licences transferred from previous holders, supplied with order documentation and activation guidance; our guide to pre-owned software licences explains why they cost less and what the law says.
Upgrading from Windows 11 Home to Pro without reinstalling
You do not need to wipe the PC. Windows switches edition in place when you enter a Pro product key:
- Open Settings › System › Activation.
- Under Upgrade your edition of Windows, choose Change product key and enter the Windows 11 Pro key.
- Windows verifies the key online, downloads the Pro components and restarts. Your files, programs and settings stay where they are.
- Check Settings › System › About: the edition should now read Windows 11 Pro, and Activation should show Windows is activated.
The process takes ten to twenty minutes. Keep a backup before any edition change as a matter of routine, and make sure you are signed in with an administrator account. A Windows 11 Pro licence from AutoSoftKey can be used exactly this way on a PC that already runs Home.
Still on Windows 10? Where Home vs Pro fits into the upgrade decision
Microsoft ended standard support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. Microsoft’s consumer Extended Security Updates programme now runs until 12 October 2027 for PCs on version 22H2, with enrolment at no cost when you sync PC settings with a Microsoft account, for 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or for a one-off fee (US $30 or the local equivalent). That buys time, not features. When you do move, a Windows 11 Home licence upgrades a Windows 10 Home PC and a Windows 11 Pro licence upgrades a Windows 10 Pro PC, provided the hardware meets the Windows 11 requirements (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, a supported processor, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage). A PC that cannot run Windows 11 can keep a supported Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Home licence and enrol in ESU.
Which edition should you buy?
- Gaming PC, family PC, student laptop: Windows 11 Home. Nothing in Pro will change what you do with it.
- Laptop for work, freelancing or client data: Windows 11 Pro, for BitLocker and Remote Desktop.
- Developer, IT professional, tinkerer: Windows 11 Pro, for Hyper-V, Sandbox and Group Policy.
- PC that an employer or IT provider will manage: Windows 11 Pro is usually mandatory for domain or Entra ID join.
- Not sure, and the prices are the same: Windows 11 Pro. It does everything Home does.
Ready to choose your Windows 11 licence?
Both editions are supplied as pre-owned digital licences with order documentation and activation guidance sent to your checkout email after payment confirmation.
Windows 11 Home vs Pro FAQs
What is the difference between Windows 11 and Windows 11 Pro?
“Windows 11” on a new consumer PC is normally Windows 11 Home. Pro adds managed BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, Group Policy, domain and Microsoft Entra ID join, kiosk mode and higher memory limits. Everyday apps, games and updates are the same.
Is Windows 11 Home as good as Windows 11 Pro for gaming?
Yes. Frame rates, DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR and DirectStorage are identical in both editions.
Is it worth upgrading from Windows 11 Home to Pro?
Only if you will use a Pro feature: encrypting a laptop with BitLocker, connecting to the PC by Remote Desktop, running virtual machines or joining a work network. At £29.95 for a pre-owned Pro licence the upgrade is cheap enough to do for the option value alone.
Does Windows 11 Home or Pro include Word and Excel?
No. Neither edition includes Microsoft Office. Word, Excel and PowerPoint are bought separately, either as a one-off Office 2021 licence or a Microsoft 365 subscription; our Office 2021 vs Microsoft 365 guide compares the two.
Can I upgrade Windows 11 Home to Pro with a product key?
Yes. Enter a Windows 11 Pro key under Settings › System › Activation › Change product key and Windows switches edition in place without reinstalling.
What is the price difference between Windows 11 Home and Pro?
£100 at Microsoft’s UK store (£119.99 against £219.99). AutoSoftKey supplies both editions as pre-owned licences at £29.95.
Is Windows 10 still supported?
Standard support ended on 14 October 2025. Microsoft’s consumer Extended Security Updates programme provides security patches for enrolled Windows 10 22H2 PCs until 12 October 2027.