How to check your Windows 11 edition (Home or Pro)

• To check your Windows 11 edition, open Settings > System > About, and confirm whether the specifications section reads “Windows 11 Pro” or “Windows 11 Home.”
• It’s also possible to confirm the edition using the System Information or Run app, or by running commands using PowerShell or Command Prompt.

I can check whether a computer is running Windows 11 Home or Pro in just a few clicks, but knowing the edition is more important than it may initially seem. If I’m trying to enable a particular feature, follow a troubleshooting guide, or decide whether I need to upgrade, the edition tells me what my current installation supports and which features may be out of reach.

Windows 11 gives me several ways to check the installed edition, including the Settings app, System Information, Run, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. I typically use Settings because it’s the quickest method, but the other options can be especially handy when I’m troubleshooting a device or working with a system where Settings isn’t accessible.

It’s also worth clearing up that edition and version aren’t the same thing.

The version refers to the Windows release, such as Windows 11 or Windows 10. The edition identifies the specific variant of that release. For Windows 11, the editions include Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, Education, and Enterprise.

So, when I check whether my computer has Windows 11 Home or Pro, I’m checking the edition. This distinction matters because some operating system features and management capabilities are available only in certain editions, which can mean the difference between using a feature immediately and needing to upgrade.

In this guide, I will teach you four quick methods to check whether a device is running Windows 11 Pro or Home. If you want to check the operating system version, use these instructions instead.

Confirm Windows 11 edition in 5 ways

To check whether your computer is running Windows 11 Home or Pro, you can use the Settings app, System Information, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. Here’s how.

1. Check your edition from Settings

To find out the edition of Windows 11 installed on your computer, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

2. Click on System.

3. Click the About tab.

4. Confirm the “Windows 11 Pro” or “Windows 11 Home” edition under the “Windows specifications” section.

   

2. Check your edition from System Information

To check whether you have Windows 11 Home or Pro from the System Information app, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for System Information and click the top result to open the app.

3. Click on System Summary.

4. Confirm the edition under the “OS name,” which should read “Microsoft Windows 11 Pro” or “Microsoft Windows 11 Home.”

   

3. Check your edition from Command Prompt

To determine the edition of Windows 11 with commands, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to check if you have Windows 11 Pro or Home, and press Enter:

   systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name"

   

4. Check your edition from PowerShell

To check if you have Windows 11 Pro or Home from PowerShell, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to find out the edition of Windows 11 and press Enter:

   Get-WindowsEdition -online

4. Confirm if it says “Professional,” then you have Windows 11 Pro. If it says “Home,” then you have Windows 11 Home.

   

5. Check your edition from About Windows

To confirm the edition of the operating system with the winner command, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Run and click the top result to open the app.

3. Type the following command and click the OK button:

   winver

   

4. Confirm the edition of Windows 11.

   

Once you complete the steps, you will know which edition of Windows 11 is installed on your computer. If you have the Home edition and need the Pro features, you can use these steps to upgrade the device.

Pureinfotech’s Take

I find this to be one of those small details that’s easy to ignore until you actually need it. I’ve seen plenty of situations where someone follows a guide for a feature, only to discover that the option isn’t available because they’re running a different edition.

For everyday users, I don’t think there’s any reason to worry about whether you have Home or Pro unless you’re looking for something specific. I also wouldn’t recommend upgrading just because Pro sounds like the better edition. If Home does everything you need, there’s little reason to spend extra money.

I do recommend checking the edition before troubleshooting or trying to enable a feature. It takes seconds, and it can save a lot of unnecessary digging when the real limitation is simply the Windows edition.

What edition of Windows 11 are you running, Home or Pro? Let me know in the comments.