Windows 10 Home vs Pro | Microsoft OS Guide

Windows 10 Home vs Pro | Microsoft OS Guide

As a Windows user you will have noticed many product pages advertising Windows laptops and desktops will have “Home” or “Pro” in the titles/ descriptions. In this article we want to cover the differences between Windows 10 Home and Pro so you can understand which one you might need. The basic answer is that Windows Home is suitable for home and casual users, Windows Pro is best for entrepreneurs and businesses. 

What is Windows 10 and What is an OS?

What is Windows 10 and What is an OS?

When we refer to Windows 10, we are talking about the operating system or OS. All laptops, desktops, tablets and mobiles have operating systems. They are simply the software systems that manage and communicate with the hardware of the devices in order to run tasks or programs. Without an OS your device will not be able to communicate with the hardware and bring up basic information like your home screen, your files or allow you to run tasks like open your internet browser. There are various operating systems and even test software systems that you can boot your device into. The main ones of course being Windows, MacOS and Linux. There are also tablet or mobile operating systems like Android and iOS (Apple).

What are the differences between Home and Pro?

In basic terms, Windows 10 Professional has more features than its counterpart. This is the reason it is more expensive. Pro has a more varied business application which provides users with better networking and management between their fleet of laptops. It is really focused on being as helpful as possible to businesses and users who are sharing a network. Windows 10 Home is for an end consumer who is using their device for home use. Basic tasks like checking emails, browsing the internet or work tasks that don’t require them to be on a shared network with their business. Lets dive into some more details about some of the individual features of the two versions.

windows 10 pro vs windows 10 home

Remote Desktop

This past year has definitely opened the worlds eyes to the importance of our home and work devices. Laptops have been crucial in keeping us connected, keeping us working and allowed students and children to continue with their studies. One of the most important features of Windows for us here at Refurbo, has been the remote desktop feature. It allows a user to remotely control their PC from another device on the same network natively. This makes it easier for home workers to access work devices from their houses to continue their work, as long as they are using the businesses network. Fortunately, there are many applications that help with this, so while Windows Home does not have this specific feature, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. The difference is its not natively part of the OS.


Another major factor for many people when it comes to their devices is Security. You may have read our other blogs about ChromeOS and its focus on security. You may have also heard of Mac OS Firevault, which is the encryption feature of the Apple operating system. Apple in general, has a very good security system built in to its OS, much like Chrome. Windows also offers this, but Pro goes further than Home by providing Bitlocker, which is a full disk encryption feature built into the OS. It keeps your data secure from external parties or hackers trying to gain access to your device or files. This is especially relevant for businesses who may have remote workers sharing the business network. It adds a layer to the security for businesses who need to share their network across a broader area rather than just the business location. It also allows for encryption of individual files rather than the whole device for added flexibility, something Windows 10 Home does not offer. For home users, you still benefit from a comprehensive firewall and network protection feature as well as a general device encryption feature. This is more suitable for single users who don’t plan on accessing anything remotely.

Assigned Access

A particularly useful feature for businesses is Assigned Access. This allows users to determine which app other users are allowed/permitted? to use. If for example a company has one devices that is shared between employees, such as a reception PC, the IT team can decide which apps can be accessed and which cannot. It allows for more control over how devices are used within specific departments or areas. In certain businesses the IT team may need to deny access to certain folders or apps that have sensitive information that only some authorized employees are allowed to access. This does not mean that Windows 10 Home does not have a similar feature. Parental controls are used on any version to limit what certain users can access. You can simply set up a child account and link it to a parent account to restrict access to certain apps or websites. This adds a level of control for parents or schools. However, for a broader application Windows 10 Pro is much better for the roll out of assigned access for users.

Cloud Updates

The Pro version of Windows OS also has the capability to arrange updates via the cloud. This allows a user to update multiple laptops and PC’s in a domain at the same time, from one central unit. This saves a lot of time and facilitates the roll out of key updates within a business. It is much easier for a business with numerous laptops to have this functionality and ensures all users across their company are up to date with important security and software updates. This is something that the Home version of Windows is not built to do as it’s made for the use of one unit, so it is not a feature on this version of the OS.

Microsoft windows 10 cloud update

Final Thoughts

As the retail arm of CFA Trading Ltd, we are a Microsoft Authorized refurbishers and as such we have a direct relationship with Microsoft UK and US. We are supplied with genuine Microsoft OS licenses and we can assure you our products are trustworthy, as further supported by the Microsoft badges we sport on our websites:

Microsoft authorized refurbisher

If you are buying a refurbished product and are not sure about the company, ask them if they are a MAR or who supplies their Microsoft licenses. If they are not a registered MAR or registered under a TPR agreement with a MAR, they may be providing non-genuine licenses.

As for Pro vs Home, we hope that this article has given you an idea of the differences between the two and which one suits you best. If you are a casual user or someone who work from home without the need to stay connected to your business or employer, Windows 10 Home is suited to you. If you are using a work PC or need to have a method of staying as connected as possible to our business, you need Windows 10 Pro. Why not take a look at our refurbishedWindows laptops today to find the right unit for you.

If you are a business, school or non-profit organisation and are looking to get MAR licenses, please check out our Trade site at for all the information you need. Or give our MAR license experts a call on 0333 666 777 2.

May 20, 2021 Sergio Osorio

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