Microsoft primarily provides Windows in two completely different editions: Home and Professional.
Windows 11 Home is pre-installed on many PCs, whereas the Pro version is usually put in on enterprise gadgets. This is as a result of Windows 11 Pro could be built-in into an organization’s community infrastructure (Active Directory), whereas the Home version can not.
However, this characteristic shouldn’t be crucial for personal customers who’re unlikely to function a Windows server of their residence community.
Nevertheless, the Windows Pro version has some options which might be of curiosity to everybody.
If you need to make the most of this, you’ll be able to carry out a Pro replace for a charge. For particulars, see the field “Upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro.”
Home or Pro? Users of the Home version obtain a lot of the further Pro features freed from cost. Additional instruments present what’s lacking within the cheaper Windows version.
IDG
But an improve from Windows Home may also be fully free: Almost all Pro features could be changed by free software program.
It is even doable to unlock two Pro features within the Home Edition, which we describe in additional element on this article.
See additionally: Windows survival skills: 8 things every PC user should know how to do
The variations between Windows Home and Pro
There are literally only some factors the place the 2 editions differ. Here are an important and related for personal customers:
- Bitlocker encryption, which can be utilized to safe the whole drive or USB sticks, is reserved for the Pro version. Bitlocker is especially helpful for laptops in order that no person can entry your knowledge if the gadget is misplaced. However, Microsoft has added an analogous operate to the Home version of Windows 11 24H2 with gadget encryption (level 3). This requires you to log in with a Microsoft account. Users who don’t want a Microsoft account or use Windows 10 can use various strategies (factors 4 and 5).
- Hyper-V is software program that can be utilized to virtualize working methods. For instance, you’ll be able to set up Linux or Windows in Hyper-V whereas Windows is working and use it as a digital second system. We describe how Hyper-V could be activated within the Home version and what the choice Virtualbox gives in factors 6 and 7.
- The distant desktop permits distant entry to the desktop of one other Windows laptop by way of the community. The Home version solely gives distant assist, the place a consumer should first invite a helper earlier than they will entry the opposite PC. Both strategies are solely appropriate to a restricted extent for spontaneous assist by way of the web. Remote entry solely works if the required ports are open within the router firewall. This shouldn’t be crucial for different distant help packages (see level 8).
- Group insurance policies supply centralized administration of consumer rights. They are primarily utilized in bigger firm networks through which features could be restricted or specified on all PCs by way of the central server. Local group insurance policies are a variant for computer systems that don’t belong to a Windows area. The editor for this may be activated within the Home version, or another software can be utilized (see field “Configuring Windows with group policies”).
Encryption with Windows on-board sources
With the Home version of Windows 10 and 11, you can’t encrypt drives with Bitlocker. However, it’s doable to combine encrypted exterior exhausting drives or USB sticks into the file system. Encryption have to be carried out on one other PC on which the Pro or Enterprise version is put in.
If no different laptop is out there, use a digital PC (level 6 or 7).
Security for exterior drives: Encrypt the drive with Bitlocker underneath Windows Pro. Although the Home Edition can not create it, it could actually nonetheless combine it into the file system.
Microsoft
Go to “Settings” (Win-I), seek for Bitlocker and click on on “Manage Bitlocker.” Click on the specified drive after which on “Activate Bitlocker.”
Tick the field “Use password to unlock the drive” and enter a sufficiently safe password. After clicking on “Next,” save the restoration key in a file, for instance. Follow the additional directions of the wizard.
A drive encrypted on this manner may also be used with the Home version. If you open it within the file supervisor by double-clicking on it, Windows will ask you for the password.
Device encryption of Windows 11 24H2
Microsoft has geared up Windows 11 24H2 Home with a brand new operate that can be utilized to encrypt the system drive. Bitlocker offers the idea, albeit with fewer choices than the Pro version. Windows login with a Microsoft account can be required.
In Windows 11 24H2 Home: Activate “Device encryption” within the “Settings” if you’d like Windows to encrypt the system partition. A Microsoft account is required for this.
Chris Hoffman / IDG
If you’re utilizing model 24H2, it’s best to test the choice within the “Settings” underneath “Privacy and security > Device encryption.”
If “Device encryption” shouldn’t be displayed, the system necessities for Windows 11 are in all probability not met. Then test within the firmware settings of the PC whether or not TPM and Secure Boot are activated.
If you activate gadget encryption, it’s best to save the related restoration key. You can decide the important thing by way of account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey after logging in along with your Microsoft account.
The restoration secret is required so to entry your knowledge by way of a rescue or secondary system within the occasion of Windows or {hardware} issues.
See additionally: How to make Microsoft Windows services work for you
Encrypt drives with Veracrypt
If you don’t need to or can’t use Bitlocker or gadget encryption, Veracrypt is an nearly equal various. The software additionally has the benefit that it’s accessible for Linux and Mac OS. You may also use it to combine encrypted Windows drives underneath these methods.
In phrases of safety, it’s troublesome to check Bitlocker and Veracrypt. With the open supply software Veracrypt, you’ll be able to look at the supply code and test the code high quality and implementation of the algorithms. This shouldn’t be doable with Bitlocker.
Neither technique can promise 100 % safety — finally, using any software program is a query of belief.
A study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology (SIT) in 2020 is entitled “VeraCrypt with minor flaws.” No critical vulnerabilities had been discovered.
Veracrypt shouldn’t be as properly built-in into the system as Bitlocker. It is considerably cumbersome to make use of and it’s a must to enter the password for decryption each time you restart Windows. For safety causes, the password ought to be greater than 20 characters lengthy and sufficiently advanced.
If that is an excessive amount of effort for you, it’s best to think about whether or not you actually need to encrypt the whole exhausting drive. Perhaps the answer introduced in level 5 will suffice. Please additionally be aware that Veracrypt solely requests the password on a restart. When reactivating after “Sleep,” solely the Windows password is requested by default.
If you need to encrypt the system partition, proceed as follows:
Step 1: The use of Veracrypt is taken into account safe. Nevertheless, it’s advisable to create an entire backup of the Windows partition or not less than the non-public recordsdata.
If, for instance, the facility fails throughout encryption, the recordsdata on the exhausting drive will now not be readable. Also have a USB stick prepared that’s formatted with the FAT32 file system.
About 5MB of free house is adequate and you can even use the stick for different functions.
In Veracrypt you’ll have to create a sufficiently lengthy password for an encrypted drive for use each time you restart your laptop.
Veracrypt
Step 2: In Veracrypt, go to “System > Encrypt system partition/system drive.” Follow the easy-to-understand directions of the wizard. You can settle for the defaults nearly all over the place.
When getting into the password, please be aware that the Veracrypt bootloader works with the U.S. keyboard structure. The program takes this into consideration and switches the keyboard structure when getting into the password. Tick the “Show password” field to see the precise password.
Step 3: The wizard prompts you to create a rescue knowledge provider. By default, Veracrypt saves the required file underneath the identify “VeraCrypt Rescue Disk.zip” in your “Documents” folder.
Unzip the file and replica the “EFI” folder it comprises to your FAT32-formatted USB stick. After clicking on “Next,” the wizard will test whether or not the folder is current.
Step 4: In the “System encryption pre-test” step, click on on “Test.” Read the outline, which is greatest printed out. Click on “Yes” when you’re prompted to restart the PC. Type within the password and ensure with the Enter key.
If Veracrypt doesn’t settle for the password, for instance whether it is entered incorrectly, press the Esc key. Windows will then begin as typical from the beforehand unencrypted exhausting drive and you’ll have to configure the encryption once more.
Otherwise, Windows will begin after you enter the password. After Windows logon, the “Pre-test completed” window seems routinely, through which you click on on “Encrypt.” Veracrypt then begins the encryption course of, which can take a while. A window will inform you of the progress.
Step 5: Try booting from the rescue drive. You may have to vary the boot sequence within the firmware setup. The rescue system gives a easy menu that can be utilized to restore the Veracrypt boot loader, load another boot loader, or decrypt the system partition.
Upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro
The Home version could be transformed to a Pro version with out reinstallation. All you want is a brand new product key.
Microsoft presently expenses $99 for the improve within the official retailer. In the PCWorld shop, however, you can get the official upgrade for just $59.
If you could have bought a Pro key, go to “System” within the “Settings” underneath Windows 11, click on on “Activation” after which on “Update Windows Edition.” Click on “Change” after “Change product key” and enter the brand new product key.
Foundry
Encrypted container with Veracrypt
If you encrypt your Windows partition, you now not have to fret in regards to the safety of particular person recordsdata. On the opposite hand, it isn’t significantly handy to must enter a protracted and sophisticated password when restarting the system.
For extra safety, solely encrypt the recordsdata which might be actually price defending. To do that, use Veracrypt to create an encrypted container file that holds the delicate recordsdata.
Secure container: Create an encrypted container file with Veracrypt. Store delicate and necessary paperwork in it. The file could be saved on any drive.
Veracrypt
Step 1: In Veracrypt, go to “Volume > Create new volume.” Leave the primary possibility “Create encrypted container file” and click on on “Next” and once more on “Next.”
Step 2: Specify the storage location and file identify after clicking on “File.” Follow the additional directions of the wizard.
Step 3: In the “Volume password” window, enter a sufficiently advanced password with 20 characters or extra. If you tick the “Show password” field, you’ll be able to test the entry.
Step 4 (elective): You may also use a brief password or a PIN when you additionally create a key file. To do that, tick the field subsequent to “Use key file” after which click on on “Key files.”
Click on “Create key file(s)” and generate the entropy by shifting the mouse. Enter a reputation for the important thing file, click on on the “Create and save key file(s)” button and choose the storage location.
Save the file to a USB stick. The container can’t be unlocked with out the stick or the important thing file together with the password.
Close the window, click on on “Add files,” choose the important thing file you could have simply created, and click on on “OK.” Continue with the wizard.
Step 5: In the Veracrypt important window, click on on a free drive letter, go to “Volume > Select file” and specify the file created in Step 2. Then click on on “Volume > Mount volume” and enter the password.
If you created a key file in step 4, tick “Use key file,” click on on “Key files,” and specify the file by way of “Add files.”
Step 6: For quicker entry to the encrypted container, right-click on the (digital) drive within the Veracrypt important window and choose “Add to favorites” within the context menu.
Tick the field “Mount selected volume at login” and ensure with “OK.” Veracrypt then routinely opens a window for getting into the password after the Windows logon.
If you’re utilizing a key file, it’s best to specify this by way of “Settings > Default key files.” Otherwise, you’ll have to choose the file every time within the password entry window. You can specify the identical key file when creating additional knowledge containers.
Virtual second PC with Virtualbox
Virtualbox is open supply software program and subsequently accessible freed from cost for all Windows editions. The vary of features corresponds roughly to Microsoft’s Hyper-V. Install Virtualbox and the Virtualbox extension package deal, which is required for some features, comparable to distant entry and encryption of digital exhausting disks.
Click on the “New” button to start out a wizard for establishing a digital machine in Virtualbox. You enter the ISO picture with the set up system and specify the working system and the dimensions of the RAM and digital exhausting drive.
After finishing the wizard, click on on “Start” and set up the working system as typical.
Configure VMs with Virtualbox: A wizard helps you with the set up of the system. You will want the ISO file of the Linux or Windows set up system, for instance.
Oracle
In the digital machine window, go to “Devices > Insert guest extensions” and set up the visitor extensions from the digital DVD drive. The optimized drivers guarantee higher graphics efficiency, for instance.
Remote entry or distant upkeep by way of the community
Remotely management one other PC: The free Rustdesk permits entry to a distant desktop. This works within the native community and in addition over the Internet with out additional configuration.
Rustdesk
You don’t have to depend on the distant desktop connection of the Pro version for distant entry. There is loads of software program for this job. For instance, the open supply answer Rustdesk is freed from cost.
The program doesn’t require a firewall configuration. The connection is established in encrypted kind by way of the supplier’s switching server.
The program works with out set up — the individuals concerned solely want to start out it. The individual looking for assist tells you the ID and password displayed. You then set up the connection, which the individual on the opposite PC should affirm.
Actions that require elevated rights should even be confirmed. For handy use, nonetheless, it’s best to set up Rustdesk utilizing the button on the backside left of the window. This additionally permits unattended entry to a pc. You should set a password for this within the settings underneath “Security.”
Further studying: Every Windows operating system, ranked
This article initially appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.