Windows 10 editions
has several editions, all with varying feature sets, use cases, or intended devices. Certain editions are distributed only on devices directly from an original equipment manufacturer, while editions such as Enterprise and Education are only available through volume licensing channels. Microsoft also makes editions of Windows 10 available to device manufacturers for use on specific classes of devices, including IoT devices, and previously marketed Windows 10 Mobile for smartphones.
Base editions
Baseline editions are the only editions available as standalone purchases in retail outlets. PCs often come pre-installed with one of these editions.;
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Organizational editions
These editions add features to facilitate centralized control of many installations of the OS within an organization. The main avenue of acquiring them is a volume licensing contract with Microsoft.;
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Multi-session
;S mode
Since 2018, OEMs can ship Windows 10 Home and Pro in a feature-limited variation named S mode which evolved from the discontinued Windows 10 S. Organizations employing Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education can make use of S mode too. S mode is a feature-limited edition of Windows 10 designed primarily for low-end devices in the education market. It has a faster initial setup and login process, and allows devices to be provisioned using a USB drive with the "Set Up School PCs" app.Changes
With the exception of the Microsoft Teams desktop client and Microsoft Edge Chromium, the installation of software is only possible through the Microsoft Store, and built-in and Microsoft Store-obtained command line programs or shells cannot be run in this mode. System settings are locked to allow only Microsoft Edge as the default web browser with Bing as its search engine. The operating system may be switched out of S mode using the Microsoft Store for free. However, once S Mode is turned off, it cannot be re-enabled. Critics have compared the edition to Windows RT, and have considered it to be an alternative to ChromeOS.Device-specific editions
These editions are licensed to OEMs only, and are primarily obtained via the purchase of hardware that includes it:;
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IoT editions
Rebranded from Microsoft's earlier operating system editions in the Windows Embedded family. Binary identical to their non-IoT counterparts with version 1809 and older, while newer versions add support for smaller storage devices. Available via OEMs and volume licensing for specific versions.;
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Discontinued editions
The following editions of Windows 10 were discontinued. For both Mobile and Mobile Enterprise, Microsoft confirmed it was exiting the consumer mobile devices market, so no successor product is available.;
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Regional variations
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Comparison chart
| Item | Meaning |
| Feature is present in the given edition | |
| Feature is present in the given edition after installing a certain update | |
| Feature is absent from the given edition | |
| Feature is absent from the given edition after installing a certain update | |
| Feature is partly present in the given edition | |
| Feature is partly present in the given edition, after installing a certain update |
Microsoft OEM licensing formula takes display size, RAM capacity and storage capacity into account. In mid-2015, devices with 4 GB RAM were expected to be $20 more expensive than devices with 2 GB RAM.
Upgrade path
Free upgrade
At the time of launch, Microsoft deemed Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users eligible to upgrade to Windows 10 free of charge, so long as the upgrade took place within one year of Windows 10's initial release date. Windows RT and the respective Enterprise editions of Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 were excluded from this offer.| Windows version and edition | Windows 10 edition |
| Windows 7 Starter SP1 | Home |
| Windows 7 Home Basic SP1 | Home |
| Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 | Home |
| Windows 8.1 with Bing | Home |
| Windows 8.1 | Home |
| Windows 7 Professional SP1 | Pro |
| Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 | Pro |
| Windows 8.1 Pro | Pro |
| Windows Phone 8.1 | Mobile |
Transition paths
The following table summarizes possible transition paths that can be taken, provided that proper licenses are purchased.Windows RT does not appear in this table because it cannot be upgraded to Windows 10.
On September 28, 2023, Microsoft disabled the free upgrade path to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8.x, although upgrades from Windows 10 to 11 are still supported.
| Transition path | Meaning |
| Constitutes replacing the OS while preserving apps, their settings, and user data | |
| Constitutes fixing a damaged OS by "upgrading" from one edition to the same | |
| Similar to upgrade, but deliberately removes some features | |
| Constitutes replacing the operating system, reinstalling the apps, restoring their settings via backup, and safeguarding user data against accidental deletion. | |
| It is impossible to replace the OS with the intended target because of platform incompatibility |
Release channels
Microsoft releases minor versions of Windows 10 through the free feature updates. Originally, Microsoft released feature updates semiannually. They contained new features as well as changes. With the release of Windows 11, however, Microsoft has changed the release schedule to annual. These feature updates do not contain any noticeable changes.The pace at which a system receives feature updates depends on the "release channel" from which the system downloads its updates.
Insider Channel
is a beta testing program that allows access to pre-release builds of Windows 10, enabling power users, developers, and vendors to test and provide feedback on future feature updates to Windows 10 as they are developed. Before the release of Windows 11, Windows Insider itself consisted of four "rings":- The Dev channel distributed new builds as they were released.
- The Beta channel distributed new builds with a delay following their availability on the Fast ring.
- The "Release Preview" channel distributed release candidate builds.
- The now-closed "Skip Ahead" ring distributed builds of the next feature update while a current release was being finished.
General Availability Channel
Since 2022, the General Availability Channel distributes feature updates annually. To receive these updates, users must either request them manually or wait for their version of Windows 10 to go out of support.Originally, however, Microsoft distributed feature updates through two distinct channels:
- The "Current Branch" distributed all feature updates as they graduated from the Windows Insider program. Microsoft only supported the latest build. Windows would automatically install the latest feature update from CB. Users could defer the CB feature update for up to 365 days. Microsoft renamed CB to "Semi-Annual Channel " in version 1709.
- The "Current Branch for Business", which was not available in the Home edition, distributed feature updates with a four-month delay. This allowed customers and vendors to evaluate and perform additional testing on new builds before broader deployments. Devices could be switched back to the Current Branch at any time. Microsoft renamed CBB to "Semi-Annual Channel" in version 1709.
Long-Term Servicing Channel
LTSC exclusively distributes the "Enterprise LTSC", "IoT Core", and "IoT Enterprise LTSC" editions of Windows 10. Microsoft releases a new minor version of these editions every 2–3 years. LTSC builds adhere to Microsoft's traditional support policy which was in effect before Windows 10, including:- Five years of mainstream support
- Critical and security updates for ten years after their release
- No feature updates from Windows Update