Windows 10, the newest version of the Windows operating system, is available in a total of seven editions: Home, Pro, Enterprise, Mobile (no longer supported), Education, Mobile Enterprise (not supported), and IoT Core. Out of these seven editions, only Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Education, and Windows 10 Enterprise are desktop editions.
Since Windows 10 Enterprise edition is exclusive to business and Education edition is meant for schools and students, we, home users need to choose an edition between Home and Pro.
Now, if you want to know the difference between Windows 10 Home and Pro editions or if you want to know what all features you’ll get when you upgrade from Home to Pro edition, go through the following chart released by Microsoft.
Difference between Windows 10 Home and Pro editions
|
Features |
Home |
Pro |
| Customizable Start |
Yes |
Yes |
| Windows Defender and Windows firewall |
Yes |
Yes |
| Fast startup with Hiberboot and InstantGo |
Yes |
Yes |
| TPM Support |
Yes |
Yes |
| Battery Saver |
Yes |
Yes |
| Windows Update |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cortana |
||
| Talk or type naturally |
Yes |
Yes |
| Personal and proactive suggestions |
Yes |
Yes |
| Reminders |
Yes |
Yes |
| Search web, device, and cloud |
Yes |
Yes |
| “Hey Cortana” hands-free activation |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Windows Hello |
||
| Native fingerprint recognition |
Yes |
Yes |
| Native facial and iris recognition |
Yes |
Yes |
| Enterprise level security |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Multi-doing |
||
| Virtual desktops |
Yes |
Yes |
| Snap assist (up to four apps on one screen) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Snap apps across screens on different monitors |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Continnum |
||
| Switch from PC to tablet mode |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Microsoft Edge |
||
| Reading view |
Yes |
Yes |
| Built-in ink support |
Yes |
Yes |
| Cortana integration |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Security |
||
| Device Encryption |
Yes |
Yes |
| Microsoft Passport |
Yes |
Yes |
| Enterprise Data Protection |
No |
Yes |
|
Windows as a service |
||
| Windows Update |
Yes |
Yes |
| Windows Update for business |
No |
Yes |
| Current branch for business |
No |
Yes |
|
Management and deployment |
||
| Side-loading of line of business apps |
Yes |
Yes |
| Mobile device management |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ability to join Azure directory, win single sign-on to cloud-hosted apps |
No |
Yes |
| Business Store for Windows 10 |
No |
Yes |
| Easy Upgrade from Pro to Enterprise Edition |
No |
Yes |
| Easy Upgrade from Home to Education Edition |
Yes |
No |
|
Existing fundamentals |
||
| Device Encryption |
Yes |
Yes |
| Domain Join |
No |
Yes |
| BitLocker |
No |
Yes |
| Group Policy |
No |
Yes |
| Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer |
No |
Yes |
| Assigned Access 8.1 |
No |
Yes |
| Remote Desktop |
No |
Yes |
As you can see, although Home edition is the most basic edition of Windows 10, most of the newly introduced features are available in the Home edition. The only features missing from Home edition when compared to the Pro edition are Domain join, Group Policy, BitLocker, Remote Desktop, Assigned Access, Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer, Business Store, Enterprise data protection, Windows Update for Business, and Current Branch for Business.
If you are a home user, the Home edition is perfect for you as features like Domain join, Windows Update for Business, and Current Branch for Business are not essential for home users. That said, it would have been nice to have BitLocker, Remote Desktop, and Group Policy features in Home edition.
Surprisingly, some of the advanced features like Windows To Go Creator, AppLocker, Credential Guard, and Device Guard are not exclusive to the Enterprise edition as these features are present in the Education edition as well.
Joseph Lisboa says
I would like to now if in Windows 10 Home Edition in my PC, I can install Microsoft Office “Professional” 2016
(Word, Excel, Power Point, Access, One Note, Outlook, Publisher).
I remember years back in college I was not allowed to install in my Horne Edition of the OS, Microsoft Office Professional applications.
Thank you
Joseph
Jim Springer says
Nothing is said about up-date procedure differences between Home and Pro.