Windows 11 IoT Enterprise vs Windows 11 Pro

Windows 11 IoT and Windows 11 Pro are both Windows operating systems with different features and intended uses: 

  • Security
    Windows 11 IoT offers more security features than Windows 11 Pro, including Device Guard, Credential Guard, and BitLocker encryption. 

  • Customization
    Windows 11 IoT offers more customization and lockdown options than Windows 11 Pro. 

  • Support
    Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC offers 10 years of support, while Windows 11 Pro offers 24 months. 

  • Updates
    Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC updates are controlled by the OEM, while Windows 11 Pro receives automatic updates. 

  • Licensing
    Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC uses one license key for all devices, while Windows 11 Pro uses one license key per end device. 

  • Price
    Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC is more affordable than Windows 11 Pro. 

  • Intended use
    Windows 11 IoT is better for developing IoT solutions and building smart devices. Windows 11 Pro is better for professional users and organizations that need advanced features, compatibility with legacy applications, and robust management capabilities. 

Some applications that use Windows 11 IoT include medical, digital signage, robotics, automation, in-vehicle, and kiosk. 

As a summary, here are the benefits of Windows 11 IOT LTSC over Windows 11 Pro:

Windows 11 ProfessionalWindows 11 IOT Enterprise LTSC
For general purpose use in PCsFor use in dedicated devices
24 month support10 year support
Automatic updatesUpdates controlled by OEM
One license key per end deviceOne license key for all devices
More expensiveAffordable pricing model (based on CPU)
Standard Windows OSDevice Builder to remove unwanted software packages
Generic featuresOEM features for dedicated devices

It is for the above reasons that for anybody who uses a computer for industrial purposes, we have 2 recommendations.

  • If you are not yet ready to make the transition to Windows 11, then Windows 10 IOT LTSC is the way to go. The latest version (released in 2021) will continue to have support through 2032.
  • As of May  2024, Windows 11 IOT LTSC is the new industrial OS option. It offers the ability to remove 36 software packages in the device builder (compared with only 20 removable packages in Windows 10 IOT). And on top of that it has a whole slew of new features, security and performance improvements for industrial and IOT applications
Information taken from Google AI and other sources.
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