Difference Between Windows Home Pro Enterprise VL N and KN Editions

Windows 10 and Windows 11 come in various editions—Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, and more. With so many options available, it can be confusing to determine which edition is the best fit for your needs. To simplify this, we’ve compiled a detailed comparison of the most common Windows editions: Home, Pro, and Enterprise, along with additional versions like VL, N, and KN.

Let’s go through each edition one by one to help you understand the key differences and make an informed decision.

Before diving into the details of each edition, here’s a brief summary highlighting the key differences and similarities between them:

	Home	Professional	Enterprise	Education
N/KN Edition	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maximum Supported RAM	4GB (32bit) 128GB (64bit)	4GB (32bit) 512GB(64bit)	4GB (32bit) 512GB (64bit)	4GB (32bit) 512GB(64bit)
Continuum	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cortana	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Microsoft Edge	Yes	Yes	Except for LTSB	Yes
Mobile Device Management (MDM)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windows Hello	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
BitLocker	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Business Storage	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Current Branch for Business (CBB)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Active Directory Member	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Enterprise Data Protection	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Enterprise Mode Internet Explorer (EMIE)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hyper-V	No	Only 64bit	Only 64bit	Only 64bit
Azure AD Member	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Remote Desktop Connection	Only Client	Client & Host	Client & Host	Client & Host
Windows Update for Business	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
AppLocker	No	No	Yes	Yes
Credential Guard	No	No	Yes	Yes
Device Guard	No	No	Yes	Yes
DirectAccess	No	No	Yes	Yes
Windows to Go	No	No	Yes	Yes
Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB)	No	No	Yes	No

1. Windows Home Edition

Target Audience: Home users and casual consumers.

Features: Windows Home includes essential features like Cortana, Microsoft Edge, Continuum, and universal apps. It is a great option for personal and household use with a simple, user-friendly interface.

Limitations: It lacks advanced business features such as Group Policy Management, BitLocker, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V, and the ability to join a Microsoft domain network.

Best For: Home computers and casual users who don’t need business or advanced security tools.

Windows Home Edition is commonly pre-installed on laptops purchased from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). It offers a range of core features such as Cortana, Microsoft Edge, Continuum, and universal apps, making it a solid choice for everyday consumers.

However, some advanced networking and business-related features are missing. For example, Windows Home cannot join a Microsoft domain network and lacks a built-in Group Policy Editor, though you can manually install the Group Policy Editor on Windows 10 and 11 Home editions.

For home use, Windows Home Edition is well-suited to personal computers, providing essential features without overwhelming complexity. However, it does not include advanced features like BitLocker encryption, Enterprise Mode IE, Remote Desktop, or Client Hyper-V, which are typically required by business users.

2. Windows Pro Edition

Target Audience: Small businesses, professionals, and power users.

Features: Windows Pro offers everything included in Windows Home, plus additional features such as:

• BitLocker encryption
• Remote Desktop access
• Hyper-V for virtualization
• Group Policy Management
• Azure Active Directory for connecting to business networks
• Windows Information Protection for data security

Best For: Users who require advanced security, networking capabilities, and remote access, making it ideal for small businesses and professional work environments.

Windows Professional Edition is widely used in office and business settings, particularly where joining a Windows Server domain is necessary. This edition includes all the features of Windows Home, plus several advanced functionalities tailored for professional use.

Key features of Windows Pro include Group Policy Management, BitLocker Encryption for enhanced security, Remote Desktop access, Hyper-V for virtualization, and the ability to join Azure Active Directory. Additionally, it offers enterprise-grade data protection and Windows Update for Business, ensuring streamlined updates and security patches for business networks.

With these features, Windows Professional is designed to meet the demands of business environments that require secure data handling, network management, and remote access.

3. Windows Enterprise Edition

Target Audience: Large enterprises and organizations.

Features: Windows Enterprise includes all the features of Windows Pro, with additional enterprise-grade tools, such as:

• Direct Access for remote network access
• Windows To Go for creating portable Windows environments
• AppLocker to control which applications can run on the system
• BranchCache for optimizing bandwidth usage across large networks
• Start Screen Control via Group Policy
• Credential Guard and Device Guard for enhanced security

Licensing: Only available through Volume Licensing channels, where businesses can activate multiple devices.

Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC): Enterprise versions also come in LTSC, providing extended support and updates for stability, with new releases every 2-3 years.

Best For: Large-scale organizations needing enhanced security, remote access, and device management.

Windows Enterprise Edition builds upon the features of Windows Professional, offering additional advanced tools tailored for large enterprises. Some of the key features exclusive to Windows Enterprise include Direct Access, Windows To Go creator, AppLocker, BranchCache, Start Screen control through Group Policy, Credential Guard, and Device Guard. These features provide enhanced security, manageability, and remote access capabilities essential for large organizations.

Windows Enterprise is available exclusively through Volume Licensing channels, making it the ideal choice for businesses that need to activate multiple devices across their network.

Additionally, Windows Enterprise is offered in the Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), a version designed for long-term stability and support. LTSC editions are updated less frequently, typically every 2-3 years, ensuring a longer maintenance period compared to regular editions.

4.Windows Education Edition

• Target Audience: Schools, colleges, and educational institutions.
• Features: Windows Education shares most features with Windows Enterprise, making it ideal for academic environments. It is designed to support the needs of students and faculty with secure and manageable devices.
• Differences: Some enterprise-specific features have been removed, but there are no major restrictions on functionality.
• Licensing: Available through Volume Licensing and often pre-installed as the OEM operating system on devices for the education sector.
• Best For: Schools, universities, and other educational institutions seeking a full-featured, secure Windows environment.

Windows Education Edition is designed specifically for educational institutions, offering a robust set of features similar to those found in Windows Enterprise. While some minor features have been removed over time, the Education edition remains feature-rich, with no significant limitations or restrictions.

This edition provides institutions with the tools needed for a secure and managed environment, making it ideal for schools and universities. Like the Enterprise edition, Windows Education is available through Volume Licensing channels, allowing multiple device activations. Additionally, it is often pre-installed as the OEM operating system on devices created by Microsoft for the education sector.

5. Windows VL (Volume Licensing)

• Target Audience: Businesses requiring multiple licenses.
• Features: Allows companies to purchase bulk licenses for multiple devices. Commonly used with Pro and Enterprise editions to reduce costs for large deployments.
• Best For: Organizations looking to manage numerous devices under a single license agreement.

6. Windows N Edition

• Target Audience: Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.Features: Windows N editions are designed to comply with European laws, removing media-related applications. The N stands for “Not with Media Player,” meaning that pre-installed apps like Windows Media Player, Groove Music, Movies & TV, and Voice Recorder are excluded.
• Effects on Other Apps: Without these media components, some underlying tools and applications—such as OneDrive and the Photos app—will not play videos. Features like App Sync, Webcam functionality, and Wireless Display will also not work.
• Gaming Features: Some features related to the Xbox app, such as Game DVR, will not work, and certain Windows 10 camera devices using the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) are also incompatible.
• Best For: Users who prefer alternative media software or are located in Europe or Switzerland, where these restrictions apply due to legal regulations.

Windows N editions are specifically created to comply with European laws and standards, particularly for users in Europe and Switzerland. The “N” in Windows N stands for “Not with Media Player,” meaning it does not come with Windows Media Player or related media applications pre-installed.

Each version of Windows, such as Windows 11 Home, has a corresponding Windows 11 Home N edition, and this applies to other editions as well.

Applications Removed in Windows N Editions:

In comparison to standard Windows editions, the following apps have been removed from Windows N editions:

• Windows Media Player
• Skype
• Groove Music
• Movies & TV app
• Voice Recorder app

Since these applications included essential audio and video codecs, their removal affects other tools and functionalities within the system. This results in certain underlying applications no longer working properly, including:

• Cortana
• Windows Hello
• PDF viewing in Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft Office media features
• Some Windows Store apps.

Features Affected in Windows N Editions:

In addition to the removed apps, the following features will not function in Windows N editions:

• Alarm sounds will not play.
• Wireless Display will not work.
• Webcam functionality will be limited.
• Features related to the Xbox app, such as Game DVR, will not work.
• App Sync will be disabled.
• OneDrive and the Photos app will not play videos.
• Windows 10 camera devices that rely on the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) will not function.

6. Windows KN Edition

• Target Audience: Users in South Korea.
• Features: Similar to N editions but designed for the South Korean market. Excludes multimedia applications due to local regulations.
• Best For: Users in South Korea looking for Windows without built-in multimedia software.

Windows KN Edition: Designed for the Korean Market

Windows KN editions are specifically tailored for the South Korean market, where they exclude Windows Media Player (WMP) and Windows Messenger to comply with local regulations.

With the removal of Windows Media Player, the essential media codecs are also excluded. This means many applications, features, and tools dependent on these codecs, such as media playback, audio, and video functions, will not work properly in the KN edition. Similar to the Windows N edition, several key features may be impacted, limiting multimedia functionality.

Restore Missing Features with Media Feature Packs

If you have purchased a Windows N or KN edition, you can restore the removed media features by downloading Microsoft’s Media Feature Packs. These packs provide the necessary updates to bring your operating system in line with a regular Windows edition, restoring full media functionality.

• Media Feature Pack for Windows 10
• Media Feature Pack for Windows 11

Keywords: Windows KN edition, Windows Korea version, Media Player removed in Windows KN, Media Feature Pack for Windows, Windows 11 KN, Windows 10 KN

Key Differences at a Glance:

Edition	Target Audience	Key Features	Licensing
Windows Home	Home users, casual consumers	Basic Windows features, lacks business functionalities	Pre-installed (OEM), retail
Windows Pro	Small businesses, professionals	Group Policy, BitLocker, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V, Azure AD	Retail, OEM, Volume Licensing
Windows Enterprise	Large organizations	All Pro features + Direct Access, AppLocker, BranchCache, LTSC	Volume Licensing only
Windows Education	Schools, universities	Similar to Enterprise, designed for educational use	Volume Licensing, OEM
Windows VL	Businesses with multiple devices	Bulk licensing for multiple device activations	Volume Licensing only
Windows N	European users	No pre-installed media apps, otherwise similar to Home/Pro/Enterprise editions	Retail, Volume Licensing
Windows KN	South Korean users	No pre-installed media apps, similar to N editions	Retail, Volume Licensing

Conclusion

Selecting the right Windows edition depends on your specific needs. Windows Home is best suited for casual users, while Windows Pro offers advanced features for business users. Windows Enterprise and Education provide comprehensive tools for large organizations and educational institutions. Volume Licensing (VL) is perfect for businesses needing multiple device activations, while N and KN editions are tailored for users in Europe and South Korea who prefer Windows without built-in media applications.

By understanding the differences between these Windows editions, you can choose the one that best fits your needs, whether for home, business, or academic purposes.