The Differences between Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro

The differences between Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro explained

Join us as we explain the differences between Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro. There are 2 main versions of Windows 10: Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro. Windows 10 pro is mostly used on professional laptops and computers, whereas Windows 10 Home is more suited to regular home systems. So, what practical differences are there between these 2 versions of Windows 10? In this article we will go in more details about the different features of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro, you can then have a better understanding and be able to make the decision which version will best suit your needs.

In short

The biggest difference between Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro is the level of security offered. Windows 10 Pro is more secure and better at protecting your PC and data. We find that many home users actually prefer to use the pro version over Windows 10 Home. Of course, there is a lot more to it, using the pro version of Windows 10 you can carry out additional tasks such as connecting a Windows 10 Pro device to a domain. This isn’t possible on a standard Windows 10 Home device. You can also remote desktop and remote control another pc remotely in the office exclusively on the Pro version.

Overview  

Windows start menu	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Home
Cortana	Yes	Yes
Windows Store Apps	Yes	Yes
Windows Ink	Yes	Yes
Windows Hello	Yes	Yes
Programs outside the Windows Store	Yes	Yes
Hyper-V	Yes	No
BitLocker	Yes	No
Microsoft Update for Business	Yes	No
Remote Desktop	Yes	No
Assigned Access	Yes	No

What are the major differences between Windows 10 Pro & Windows 10 Home?

As the list above shows, there are several advantages that Windows 10 Pro has over the Home version. The most notable features are: BitLocker, Update for Business, Remote Desktop, and Assigned Access. But what do they actually do in practice?

BitLocker and updates

Windows 10 Pro Protect files with BitLocker

BitLocker is a tool that encrypts the files on your hard drive or external USB flash drives. This feature can protect important private data on your PC or laptop. The main purpose of BitLocker is that only you will be able to access your files using a password. Your computer needs a TPM chip in order to use BitLocker. This feature is especially useful when traveling, even if you’re just visiting a local cafe. Once a drive is encrypted, BitLocker will encrypt all other files subsequently added to it. Users have the option to pause encryption or remove it entirely, so you’re not stuck with it forever. It’s really quite straightforward to use: logging in to your PC is all you need to do to make all of your files accessible to you. It’s only if your PC is ever lost or stolen that BitLocker works, preventing your files from being accessed by any other person than you.

Update via the Cloud

Another security advantage of Windows 10 Pro over Home is that it arranges updates automatically via the cloud. With this, you can update multiple laptops and computers in a domain at once using a central PC. This will save a lot of time if you run multiple computers. Many users prefer the Pro version of Windows 10 over the Home version due to this time saving ability.

Remote Desktop and Assigned Access

Windows 10 Pro enables you to Connect remotely with Remote Desktop

Windows 10 Pro also allows you to connect with another computer in the domain remotely. This useful feature is called Remote Desktop. Why would you need to do this? It’s great for working from home whilst retaining access to important files on an office computer. On location, all data can be easily accessed, so you’ll always have the files you need, whether you’re in the office or working from home.

Windows 10 Pro enables access to certain specified apps only via Assigned Access

The ability to activate the Assigned Access function, is another difference between Windows 10 Pro and Home. Only the Pro has this feature. You can use this function to pick which apps other users are allowed to use on the computer. This means you can limit what others can use your computer or laptop for. For example, users may be limited to internet access only, or everything but the internet, via Assigned Access. You have total control over what others have access to and can do in your system.

Windows Sandbox 

As a general rule, you should not run any unknown and suspicious files, but some people can’t help it, maybe it’s because they’re curious. Does that anonymous download that promises to speed up performance actually work? Or is it malware in disguise as a useful program? Windows 10 pro has a solution for you, run a virtualization environment to execute the program in a sandbox. That way, it won’t actually cause any harm. With Windows Pro you get this safety feature as part of the OS.

Hyper-V

Hyper-V is a Windows-only hypervisor used for running virtual machines on CPUs that support it. If you need to run virtual machines then Windows 10 pro is the best options. This feature alone might be worth the cost of Pro. Please note that although Hyper-V is included with each Windows 10 Pro license, it must be downloaded separately.

Also here are some other differences listed:

• Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer.
• Client Hyper-V.
• Group policy management.
• Enterprise state roaming with Azure Active Directory.
• Assigned Access.
• Dynamic Provisioning.
• Shared PC configuration

The cost of Windows 10 Pro

Want to know more about the different price points of Windows 10 and the value Windows 10 can bring? Generally you can expect to pay around £110 to download Windows 10 Home when purchasing online. Windows 10 Pro is usually closer to £200 to download. An on online retailer may offer it for a little less.  However, at MS Office Store we offer a special deal, where a Windows 10 Pro license is available for much less. Additionally, you also get our outstanding customer support. Should you need any tech support to get up and running we have a reliable team to help you with any technical issues. At MS Office Store we are able to offer excellent value to our customers because we don’t operate high-street shops, we’re not listed on any stock markets, we don’t have an overpaid CEO, we don’t run TV Ads or celebrity campaigns; we only deliver our products digitally. We pass these savings directly on to you, our customers. At MS Office Store we specialise in delivering exceptional quality at outstanding prices, with exceptional customer service every time.