Difference between Windows 10 and Windows 10 Pro

Key Difference: Windows 10 Home is the most basic of the offerings. It is targeted towards the general consumers who usually have no need for the specialized features and programs. Windows 10 Pro, also known as, Professional tends to have more features than the Home version. This version is geared towards professionals and small businesses, whose needs differ slightly from the regular consumers.

Windows 10 is the latest operating system by Microsoft. Microsoft has said that Windows 10 will be the last operating system that they will launch. From now onwards, they will only release updates to Windows 10. By doing this, Microsoft hopes that it can bring all the users and on all the devices on the same page. Windows 10 is supported not only on PCs and laptops, but on smartphones, tablets, and even Xboxes. Hence, allowing for seamless convergence on all devices.

Windows 10 succeeds Windows 8 and 8.1, both of which were not received popularly. However, Windows 10 has been optimized to include the best of Windows 8 and 8.1, while also bringing back what users loved in previous Windows editions, specifically Windows 7. Windows 10 brings back the Start Menu that users missed in Windows 8, and has optimized it with the Live Tiles.

In order to make users happy, Microsoft has not only included many more functions, but has also made Windows 10 free. User with genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 can upgrade their systems to Windows 10 for free of charge within one year of its launch. After the one year is up, they will have to purchase it like everyone else.

Windows 10 is available in 8 different editions. These include Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB, Windows 10 Education, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise, and Windows 10 IoT Core. Each edition is a little different than the others and each has its own set of benefits and disadvantages.

Windows 10 Home is the most basic of the offerings. It is targeted towards the general consumers who usually have no need for the specialized features and programs. Windows 10 Pro, also known as, Professional tends to have more features than the Home version. This version is geared towards professionals and small businesses, whose needs differ slightly from the regular consumers.

Both Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro are intended for use on PCs, laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1s. They both have new updated features of Windows 10, such as Microsoft Edge, which is a successor to Internet Explorer, as well as Cortana, Start Menu, and Continuum compatibility, which will allow touch-capable devices to navigate desktop functionalities with the simplistic look and feel of a mobile platform.

Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro also have the new Task View, which also enables the user to create virtual desktops. The search in both will not only search the files on the computer, but on the internet and Windows Store as well. Windows 10 also includes the Windows Hello biometric login feature that uses the face or fingerprint instead of a password. Also, it allows the user to stream and play games on the PC from the Xbox One.

As compared to Windows 10 Home, the Windows 10 Pro also includes Azure Active Directory which allows for single sign-on to cloud services. Also included is the Hyper-V for virtualisation, BitLocker whole disk encryption, enterprise mode Internet Explorer, Remote Desktop, a version of the Windows Store for a personal business, Enterprise Data Protection containers and assigned access, which allows a PC to run only one modern application, to use like a kiosk. Windows 10 Pro also includes Group Policy Management, Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer (EMIE), and Remote Desktop.

Comparison between Windows 10 and Windows 10 Pro:

	Windows 10 Home	Windows 10 Pro
Developer	Microsoft
Released to Manufacturing	July 15, 2015
Available to Users	July 29, 2015
Update Method	Windows Update, Windows Store, Windows Server Update Services
Platforms	IA-32, x64, ARMv7	IA-32, x86-64
Kernel type	Hybrid
License	N/A
Preceded by	Windows 8.1	Windows 8.1 Pro
Succeeded by	N/A
Support State Date	October 13, 2020
Extended Support Date	October 14, 2025
Required Processor	1 GHz clock rate IA-32 or x64 architecture
Required RAM	IA-32 edition: 1 GB x64 edition: 2 GB
Required Graphics Card	DirectX 9 graphics device WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Required Display Screen	800×600 pixels
Required Input Device	Keyboard and mouse
Required Hard disk space	IA-32 edition: 16 GB x64 edition: 20 GB
Start Menu	Gives a combinations of the Smart Menu on Windows 7 and also incorporates Live Tiles
Assistance	Makes search better and incorporates Voice Activated Personal Assistant – Cortana
Price	Is Free for all users that are using Windows 7 and Windows 8 for the first year after its launch
Built in browser	New and improved Microsoft Edge that comes incorporated with Cortana and has a reading mode
Security	Allows users to integrate biometrics tools such as fingerprint and retina scanners	Allows users to integrate biometrics tools such as fingerprint and retina scanners. Also includes management tools like Secure Boot and Device Guard
Convergence	Seamless convergence on all devices. The same Windows 10 will run on the phone, tablet, laptop and even PCs
Search	Cortana is integrated into the Search feature, where instead of typing users can talk and ask Cortana to search something or open applications
File Explorer	Quick Access replaces Favorites. Allows users to access recent files and frequently visited folders
Multiple Applications	The SnapAssist feature allows users to run multiple apps next to each other. A new Snap Assist feature means up to four apps can be snapped per screen.
Task View	Task View is now a button the lower bar of the screen which opens up all the open applications in a stack, allowing easier access to pick
Multiple Desktops	Allows multiple desktops to separate applications and for a faster use within a single monitor so that users can access two applications on the same screen
Xbox	Comes with built-in Xbox app, offering a unified view of your games, the activity of friends, and gaming activities. Connected to Xbox Live and allows console connection to the game.
Azure Active Directory	N/A	Ability to join Azure Active Directory, with single sign-on to cloud-hosted apps
Bitlocker	N/A	Allows whole disk encryption
Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer (EMIE)	N/A	A compatibility mode that runs on Internet Explorer 11 and lets websites render using a modified browser configuration that’s designed to emulate either Windows Internet Explorer 7 or Windows Internet Explorer 8
Enterprise Data Protection containers and assigned access	N/A	Allows a PC to run only one modern application, to use like a kiosk.
Remote Desktop	N/A	Allows a user to access the desktop while not physically present
Client Hyper-V	N/A	Runs virtualized enterprise workloads
Windows Store for Organizations	N/A	Users can create their own Windows Store