Windows 11
Same Windows 11 experience you know and love. Choose the edition that fits how you use your PC.
Windows 11 Home
Perfect for most users. Great for everyday tasks, gaming, streaming, and staying connected with what matters.
Intuitive and easy to use
Great for gaming and everyday productivity
Microsoft Store, widgets, and more
Device encryption & Windows Hello
Windows 11 Pro
Built for power users, professionals, and businesses that need extra security, management, and advanced features.
Everything in Home, plus:- Advanced security & data protection
Remote Desktop & domain join- Advanced management & business tools
- BitLocker device encryption
Upgrading Home to Pro
You do not need a new PC or a clean install. Windows 11 Pro is sold as an upgrade licence that unlocks the Pro features on the copy of Home you already have — your files, apps and settings all stay exactly where they are.
How the upgrade works
- Open Settings › System › Activation
- Choose Upgrade your edition of Windows
- Either buy the upgrade there, or select Change product key and enter a Pro key you already own
- Windows applies the licence and restarts once — nothing is erased
It takes a few minutes and does not touch your data. PC Support can walk you through it if the Activation page does not offer the option.
What the upgrade unlocks
- BitLocker drive encryption for the whole disk
- Remote Desktop — connect to this PC, not just out from it
- Domain and Azure AD join for work networks
- Group Policy and advanced management tools
- Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox for virtual machines
- Support for far more RAM than Home allows
Worth knowing: the upgrade only runs one way. Going back from Pro to Home needs a clean install, so upgrade only if you actually need one of the features above.
Home vs Pro: At a Glance
| Feature | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Everyday Users, Gamers, Families | Professionals, Businesses, IT Admins |
| RAM Support | Up to 128GB | Up to 2TB |
| Join a Domain | × | ✓ |
| BitLocker Encryption | × | ✓ |
| Remote Desktop (Host) | × | ✓ |
| Hyper-V Virtualization | × | ✓ |
| Group Policy Management | × | ✓ |
| Windows Update for Business | × | ✓ |
| Assigned Access (Kiosk Mode) | × | ✓ |
Common Windows 11 issues, and how to fix them
The five problems our PC Support team sees most with Windows 11, and the checks that resolve them. Several of these look like unsupported hardware but are a switch in the BIOS.
Want the full details from Microsoft?
These go deeper than a buying guide — straight from the source.
Links open microsoft.com in a new tab.
Core Concepts
The five things that matter most when choosing an edition.
- Same core experienceHome and Pro share the same apps, interface, and gaming performance. The difference is business and power-user features.
- Home covers most peopleEveryday computing, gaming, and streaming, with device encryption, Windows Hello sign-in, the Microsoft Store, and widgets.
- Pro adds security and managementBitLocker drive encryption, Remote Desktop hosting, domain join, Hyper-V virtualisation, Group Policy, and kiosk mode.
- RequirementsA supported 64-bit processor, 4GB or more of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0 — often just needs enabling in the BIOS.
- LicensingRetail licences transfer to a new PC; OEM licences stay with the first system they activate on. You can upgrade Home to Pro later without reinstalling.
What Customers Ask Us
Five questions our PC Support team is asked most about this. Tap any one to open it.
What is the real difference between Home and Pro?
Pro is the same operating system with extra management and security tools — it is not faster, and it adds nothing for gaming. The features people actually buy it for are BitLocker drive encryption with recovery-key management, Remote Desktop as a host so other machines can connect in rather than only out, joining a work domain or Azure AD, Group Policy, and Hyper-V for running other operating systems in a window. If none of those describe what you need, Home is the right choice and the difference in price buys real hardware.
Do I need Pro for gaming?
No. Every gaming feature is in Home — DirectX 12, Auto HDR, DirectStorage, Game Bar, Game Pass and every storefront work identically. There is no performance difference between the editions, and any listing implying Pro is quicker for games is wrong. The one place the memory ceiling could theoretically matter is that Home supports up to 128GB of RAM, which is far more than a normal desktop will ever have fitted.
Can I upgrade from Home to Pro later, and how?
Yes, and it does not need a reinstall. Go to Settings, System, Activation, choose Change product key and enter a Pro key there; Windows prepares the upgrade and restarts with your files and applications intact. Because of that, there is no reason to buy Pro “just in case” — start on Home and move later if you find you need one of the Pro features. Make sure Windows is activated before you try, since an unactivated installation will not upgrade cleanly.
What is the difference between OEM and retail licences?
The practical differences are transferability and how the licence is tied to the machine. A retail licence is bought as a standalone product and can generally be moved to a different PC once you remove it from the old one. An OEM licence is intended to be sold with a system and becomes associated with that hardware, so it is not designed to move with you to a new machine — which is also why replacing a motherboard can require reactivation. Exact terms come from Microsoft’s own licence documents, so it is worth reading those rather than relying on a summary.
What is TPM 2.0, and do I have it?
It is a small security feature used for things like drive encryption and secure sign-in, and Windows 11 requires it. Most systems from roughly 2017 onward have it, but it often ships switched off in the BIOS — which is why a capable PC can be told it does not meet the requirements. Look for PTT on Intel boards or fTPM on AMD ones under the BIOS security settings. To check whether it is active, press Windows + R and run tpm.msc, which reports whether a TPM is present and ready.
Last Updated: July 2026 | Newegg PC Support — Windows 11 Buying Guide
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What Windows 11 Home covers
Home is the edition on almost every consumer PC, and for most people it is the right one. Everything that makes a PC feel fast — gaming, browsing, streaming, office work — is in Home.
The interface, the app store, Windows Update and the security basics are identical to Pro.
DirectX, Auto HDR and Game Bar are all in Home. Nothing about gaming is held back.
Home costs less, and the difference buys you real hardware instead.In plain terms: unless you need one of the specific Pro features, Home is the edition to get. It is not a cut-down version for normal use.
What are you using it for?
Home does everything most people need. Here is what that looks like in practice:
You can upgrade later. Moving from Home to Pro is done in Windows settings without reinstalling anything, so there is no need to buy Pro “just in case”.
Worth knowing
Two things that catch people out:
Memory ceilingHome supports up to 128GB of RAM.
Far more than a normal desktop will ever have fitted.
No BitLocker drive encryptionHome has device encryption on supported hardware, but not full BitLocker management.
The main reason a home user might still want Pro.
Short version: Home is right for the large majority of people, gaming very much included.
What Windows 11 Pro adds
Pro is not a faster or better version of Windows. It is the same operating system with extra tools aimed at businesses and advanced users — encryption, remote access and virtualisation.
Full drive encryption with management tools. The most commonly cited reason to choose Pro.
Let another machine connect in. Home can connect out, but cannot be connected to.
Join a work domain and be managed by IT. Irrelevant at home, essential at work.In plain terms: pick Pro if you need drive encryption, remote access into the machine, or your workplace requires it. Otherwise it is money spent on features you will not open.
Which Pro feature?
Pro is Home plus a specific set of management and security tools:
Pro does not make a PC faster. Performance, gaming features and hardware support are the same as Home. If a listing implies Pro is quicker, it is wrong.
Worth knowing
Two things that catch people out:
Upgrading from HomeDone in Settings with a licence key, no reinstall needed.
So there is no penalty for starting on Home.
Hyper-V virtualisationRun other operating systems in a window.
Useful for testing and development, rarely otherwise.
Short version: Pro is for encryption, remote access and workplace management — not for speed.
Windows says this PC does not meet the requirements
Nearly always TPM or Secure Boot being switched off in the BIOS rather than hardware that cannot run Windows 11.
Usually one of these: TPM disabled, Secure Boot off, the drive using an older partition style, or genuinely unsupported hardware.
Try these in order
- Check what is actually missing. Run the PC Health Check app from Microsoft. It names the specific requirement rather than failing vaguely.You should see: A named item to fix.
- Turn TPM on in the BIOS. It appears under security settings, often as PTT on Intel boards or fTPM on AMD ones. Enable it and save on exit.You should see: Windows + R, then
tpm.msc, reporting the TPM as ready. - Turn Secure Boot on. Also in the BIOS security section. If it is greyed out, the drive may still be using the older MBR partition style.You should see: Secure Boot shown as enabled in System Information.
- Check the requirements against your hardware. Microsoft publishes the processor lists and the minimums for memory and storage.You should see: A clear answer as to whether the machine qualifies.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
My product key will not activate
Usually the edition not matching the key, or hardware changes having unlinked a digital licence.
Usually one of these: a Home key being used on a Pro installation or the reverse, an OEM licence tied to different hardware, no internet connection, or a typing error.
Try these in order
- Check the edition matches the key. Settings, System, About shows which edition is installed. A Home key will not activate Pro.You should see: The edition and the key describing the same product.
- Make sure you are online. Activation needs a connection. Check it and try again.You should see: Activation complete after retrying.
- Re-enter the key carefully. Settings, System, Activation, then Change product key. Enter it without spaces and check characters that look alike.You should see: The key accepted.
- Use the activation troubleshooter after a hardware change. If you replaced the motherboard or drive, the troubleshooter in the Activation screen can relink a digital licence to a Microsoft account.You should see: Windows reporting itself as activated. If it still will not, contact PC Support and we will go through it with you.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
Windows Update keeps failing on the same update
Usually a stalled download or too little free space rather than anything serious.
Usually one of these: insufficient free space, a partly downloaded update, or a pending restart blocking the next step.
Try these in order
- Check free space on the Windows drive. Updates need several gigabytes of headroom. Free some up if the drive is nearly full.You should see: The update proceed once there is room.
- Restart properly, then retry. Choose Restart rather than Shut down, since fast start-up can leave the previous state in place.You should see: The update install after the restart.
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter. Settings, System, Troubleshoot, Other troubleshooters, then Windows Update. It clears stalled downloads for you.You should see: The update retry and complete.
- Install it manually if it still fails. The Microsoft Update Catalogue lets you download a specific update by its KB number and install it directly.You should see: That update installed, after which the rest usually follow.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
The PC feels slow right after installing Windows
A fresh install runs on generic drivers and spends its first hour or two indexing and updating. Both are normal and temporary.
Usually one of these: generic graphics and chipset drivers, background indexing and updates, memory running at its default speed, or a power-saving profile.
Try these in order
- Let it settle first. Leave it on and connected for an hour or so. Windows indexes files and fetches updates in the background, and that competes with everything else.You should see: Things improve on their own.
- Install the chipset and graphics drivers. Get the chipset driver from your motherboard maker and the graphics driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel directly, rather than relying on Windows Update.You should see: A clear improvement, especially in anything graphical.
- Enable the memory profile. In the BIOS, turn on XMP or EXPO so the memory runs at its rated speed rather than its slow default.You should see: The advertised speed reported, and a snappier feel.
- Set the power mode. Settings, System, Power, then Balanced or Best performance.You should see: Higher clock speeds under load.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.
I cannot upgrade from Home to Pro
The upgrade is done in Settings and does not need a reinstall — but it needs a Pro key, and a Home key will not do it.
Usually one of these: using a Home key, entering the key in the wrong place, or Windows not being activated to begin with.
Try these in order
- Check Windows is activated first. Settings, System, Activation. An unactivated Home installation will not upgrade cleanly.You should see: Windows reporting itself activated.
- Use the Change product key option. In the Activation screen, choose Change product key and enter the Pro key there. Do not use the Microsoft Store upgrade route if you already hold a key.You should see: Windows prepare the upgrade and restart.
- Confirm the key is for Pro. A Home key entered here is rejected. Check the wording on the licence you hold.You should see: The key accepted.
- Check afterwards. Settings, System, About should report Windows 11 Pro.You should see: The edition changed with all your files and apps still in place.
Still stuck? Stop there rather than forcing anything. Use Chat with PC Support or Request a Callback on this page and tell us which of these steps you have already tried — it saves repeating them.