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User:Zenphia/Windows 11 editions

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Windows 11 has several editions, all with varying feature sets, use cases, or intended devices. Certain editions are distributed only on devices directly from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), while editions such as Enterprise and Education are only available through volume licensing channels. Microsoft also makes editions of Windows 11 available to device manufacturers for use on specific classes of devices, including IoT devices.

Baseline editions

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Baseline editions are the only editions available as standalone purchases in retail outlets.

Home
Windows 11 Home is designed for use in PCs, tablets and 2-in-1 PCs. It includes all features directed at consumers.
Pro
Windows 11 Pro includes all features of Windows 11 Home, with additional capabilities that are oriented towards professionals and business environments, such as Active Directory, Remote Desktop, BitLocker, Hyper-V, and Windows Defender Device Guard.
Pro for Workstations
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations is designed for high-end hardware for intensive computing tasks and supports Intel Xeon, AMD Opteron and the latest AMD Epyc processors; up to four CPUs; up to 6 TB RAM; the ReFS file system; Non-Volatile Dual In-line Memory Module (NVDIMM); and remote direct memory access (RDMA).

Organizational editions

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These editions add features to facilitate centralized control of many installations of the OS within an organization. The main avenue of acquiring them is a volume licensing contract with Microsoft.

Education
Windows 11 Education is distributed through Academic Volume Licensing. It was built off of Windows 11 Enterprise and initially reported to have the same feature set. As of version 1709, however, this edition has fewer features. See § Comparison chart for details.
Pro Education
This edition was introduced in July 2016 for hardware partners on new devices purchased with the discounted K–12 academic license. It was built off of the Pro edition of Windows 11 and contains mostly the same features as Windows 11 Pro with different options disabled by default, and adds options for setup and deployment in an education environment. It also features a "Set Up School PCs" app that allows provisioning of settings using a USB flash drive, and does not include Cortana, Microsoft Store suggestions, Windows Sandbox, or Windows Spotlight.
Enterprise
Windows 11 Enterprise provides all the features of Windows 11 Pro, with additional features to assist with IT-based organizations. Windows 11 Enterprise is configurable on two servicing channels, Semi-Annual Channel and Windows Insider Program.
SE
SE is an enterprise oriented edition that removes customer oriented features such as Your Phone and Widgets and disables the Microsoft Store. It is also required to log in using a Microsoft account during the OOBE. There is no limitation regarding running Win32 apps not downloaded from the Store.

Regional variations

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N

As with previous versions of Windows since Windows XP, all Windows 11 editions for PC hardware have an "N" variation in Europe that excludes certain bundled multimedia functionality, including media players and related components, in order to comply with antitrust rulings. The "Media Feature Pack" can be installed to restore these features. The variation cannot be changed without a clean install, and keys for one variation will not work on other variations.

Home Single Language

In some emerging markets, OEMs preinstall a variation of Windows 11 Home called Single Language without the ability to switch the display language. It is otherwise identical to Windows 11 Home. To change display language, the user will need to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.

The following sections are nowhere close to being finished and most of the information inside them is taken from Windows 10 editions.

Comparison chart

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Guide
Item Meaning
Yes Feature is present in the given edition
Yes, since [update] Feature is present in the given edition after installing a certain update
No Feature is absent from the given edition
No, since [update] Feature is absent from the given edition after installing a certain update (It might have been fully or partly present prior to that update)
[Explanation] Feature is partly present in the given edition
[Explanation], since [update] Feature is partly present in the given edition, after installing a certain update (It might have been fully present prior to that update, or not present at all)
Comparison of Windows 10 editions
Features Home Single Language Home Pro Pro Education Education Pro for Workstations Enterprise
Architecture IA-32, x86-64
Availability OEM licensing OEM,
Retail
OEM,
Retail,
Volume licensing
Academic
Volume Licensing
Volume licensing OEM (workstation PCs),
Retail (upgrade from Home or Pro),
Volume licensing
Volume licensing
Has N or KN variants? No Yes
Maximum physical memory (RAM) 4 GB on IA-32
128 GB on x86-64
4 GB on IA-32
2 TB (2048 GB) on x86-64
4 GB on IA-32
6 TB (6144 GB) on x86-64
Maximum CPU sockets 1 2 4
Maximum CPU cores 64 128 256
Minimum telemetry level[a] Required Diagnostic data off Required Diagnostic data off
Continuum Yes
Family Safety and Parental Controls Yes
Cortana[b] Yes Yes, disabled by default Yes, since 1703 Yes
Hardware device encryption Yes
Microsoft Edge Yes
Multiple language pack support No Yes
Mobile device management Yes
Side-loading of line of business apps Yes
Virtual desktops Yes
Windows Hello[c] Yes
Can pause updates? Yes, since 1903 Yes
Windows Spotlight Yes
Microsoft Store suggestions Yes Yes, disabled by default Yes
Remote Desktop Client only Client and host
Remote App Client only Client and host Client only Client and host
ReFS support Cannot create, since 1709 Yes
Windows Subsystem for Linux 64-bit SKUs only 64-bit SKUs only since 1607
Windows Sandbox No 64-bit only
Hyper-V No 64-bit SKUs only
Assigned Access 8.1 No Yes
BitLocker No Yes
Business Store No Yes
Conditional Access No Yes
Device Guard No Yes
Encrypting File System No Yes
Enterprise data protection No Yes
Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer (EMIE) No Yes
Joining a domain and Group Policy management No Yes
Joining a Microsoft Azure Active Directory No Yes
Private catalog No Yes
Windows Analytics No Yes
Windows Information Protection No Yes
Windows Update for Business No Yes
NVDIMM support No Yes
Remote Direct Memory Access No Yes
AppLocker No Yes No Yes
BranchCache No Yes No Yes
Credential Guard (Pass the hash mitigations) No Yes No Yes
Microsoft App-V No Yes No Yes
Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) No Yes No Yes
Microsoft UE-V No Yes No Yes
Start screen control with Group Policy No Yes No Yes
User experience control and lockdown No Yes No Yes
Unified Write Filter (UWF) No Yes No Yes
DirectAccess No Yes No Yes
Long-term servicing option available (LTSC) No Yes No No, since version 2004
Features Home Single Language Home Pro Pro Education Education Pro for Workstations Enterprise

Microsoft OEM licensing formula takes display size, RAM capacity and storage capacity into account. In mid-2015, devices with 4 GB RAM were expected to be $20 more expensive than devices with 2 GB RAM.

Upgrade path

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Free upgrade

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At the time of launch, Microsoft deemed Windows 7 (with Service Pack 1) and Windows 8.1 users eligible to upgrade to Windows 10 free of charge, so long as the upgrade took place within one year of Windows 10's initial release date. Windows RT and the respective Enterprise editions of Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 were excluded from this offer.

Windows 10 free upgrade matrix
Windows version and edition Windows 10 edition
Windows 7 Starter Home
Windows 7 Home Basic
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 8.1 with Bing
Windows 8.1
Windows 7 Professional Pro
Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 8.1 Pro
Windows Phone 8.1 Mobile

Commercial upgrade

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The following table summarizes possible upgrade paths that can be taken, provided that proper licenses are purchased.
There is no upgrade path that can allow Windows RT 8.1 devices to install Windows 10.

Guide
Item Meaning
Upgrade Upgrade is possible, preserving apps, settings and data
Clean Upgrade is possible, but all apps, settings and data are lost.
Downgrade Upgrade is possible, but some features are lost.
Upgrade is impossible under any circumstances.
Same Edition The Windows edition and the Upgrade target are the same.
Supported upgrade targets
Windows
version
Windows
edition
Upgrade target
Windows
10 Home
Windows
10 Pro
Windows 10
Pro for Workstations
Windows 10
Pro Education
Windows 10
Education
Windows 10
Enterprise
Windows 10
Mobile
Windows 7 Starter Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Clean
Home Basic Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Clean
Home Premium Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Clean
Professional Downgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Ultimate Downgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Enterprise Clean Clean Upgrade Clean Upgrade Upgrade
Windows 8.1 (Core) Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Clean
with Bing Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Clean
Pro Downgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Pro for Students Downgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Pro with Media Center Downgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Enterprise Clean Clean Clean Clean Upgrade Upgrade
Embedded Industry Clean Clean Clean Clean Clean Upgrade
Phone 8.1 Upgrade
Windows 10 Home Same Edition Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Pro Downgrade Same Edition Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Pro for Workstations Downgrade Downgrade Same Edition Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade
Pro Education Downgrade Upgrade Upgrade Same Edition Clean Clean
Education Clean Clean Clean Clean Same Edition Upgrade
Enterprise Clean Clean Clean Clean Downgrade Same Edition
Mobile Same Edition

Release branches

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New releases of Windows 10, called feature updates, are released twice a year as a free update for existing Windows 10 users. Each feature update contains new features and other changes to the operating system. The pace at which a system receives feature updates is dependent on the release branch from which the system downloads its updates. Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education can optionally use a branch that receives updates at a slower pace. These modes can be managed through system settings, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Windows Update for Business, Group Policy or through mobile device management systems such as Microsoft Intune.

Windows Insider
Windows Insider is a beta testing program that allows access to pre-release builds of Windows 10; it is designed to allow power users, developers, and vendors to test and provide feedback on future feature updates to Windows 10 as they are developed. Windows Insider itself consists of four "rings", "Fast" (which receives new builds as they are released), "Slow" (which receives new builds on a delay after it is deployed to Fast ring users), "Release Preview" (which receives early access to updates for the Current Branch), and formerly "Skip Ahead" (which receives super-early builds for the next feature update while a current release is being finished).
Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted)
The Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted), previously known as the Current Branch (CB), distributes all feature updates as they graduate from the Windows Insider branch. Microsoft only supports the latest build. A feature update can be deferred for up to 365 days, a quality update can be deferred for up to 30 days before it will be listed as available in Windows Update. As of version 1703, additional settings are provided to pause checking of updates for up to 35 days, but they were not available on Windows 10 Home until version 1903.
Semi-Annual Channel
The Semi-Annual Channel, previously known as Current Branch for Business (CBB), distributes feature updates on a four-month delay from their original release to the Semi-Annual Channel. This allows customers and vendors to evaluate and perform additional testing on new builds before broader deployments. Devices can be switched back to the Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) at any time. The Semi-Annual Channel is not available on Windows 10 Home.
Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC)
This servicing option is exclusively available for Windows 10 Enterprise, IoT Core, and IoT Enterprise LTSC editions. Distribution snapshots of these editions are updated every 2-3 years. LTSC builds adhere to Microsoft's traditional support policy which was in effect before Windows 10: They are not updated with new features, and are supported with critical updates for 10 years after their release. Microsoft officially discourages the use of LTSC outside of "special-purpose devices" that perform a fixed function and thus do not require new user experience features. As a result, it excludes Windows Store, most Cortana functionality, and most bundled apps (including Microsoft Edge).

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ There are three (previously four) telemetry levels, in the order of magnitude: Diagnostic data off (Security), Required (Basic), and Optional (Full). The higher the level, the more information that is sent to Microsoft. Previous Windows 10 versions had a level between Required and Optional, and the older names for the levels are shown in the parenthesis.
  2. ^ Cortana is available only in certain markets. Experience may vary by region and device.
  3. ^ Windows Hello requires specialized hardware, such as a fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensor.

References

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Category:Windows 11