Windows 11 is designed to support today's hybrid work environment, and intended to be the most reliable, secure, connected, and performant Windows operating system yet.
Windows 11 is the next evolution of Windows; it is the most significant update to the Windows operating system since Windows 10. It offers many innovations focused on enhancing end-user productivity in a fresh experience that is flexible and fluid. Windows 11 is designed to support today's hybrid work environment, and intended to be the most reliable, secure, connected, and performant Windows operating system ever. Windows 11 is built on the same foundation as Windows 10, so the investments you have made in tools for update and device management are carried forward. Windows 11 also sustains the application compatibility promise made with Windows 10, supplemented by programs like App Assure. For Microsoft 365 customers seeking further assistance, FastTrack is available to support your efforts to adopt Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Software Assurance provides access to enterprise offerings and unique use rights to extend the Windows experience across your organization. Software Assurance benefits for Windows include a core set of technologies, services, and use rights to help improve productivity, streamline software deployments, and reduce costs in a variety of ways across devices.
Properly licensed Microsoft operating systems have either a full operating system license or the combination of an upgrade operating system license and a pre-existing, full operating system license. Upgrade licenses require a Qualifying Operating System license.
For administrators managing devices on behalf of their organization, Windows 11 will be available through the same, familiar channels that you use today for Windows 10 feature updates. You will be able to use existing deployment and management tools, such as Windows Update for Business, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, and Windows Autopilot. For more information, see Plan for Windows 11 .
For devices that are not managed by an organization, the Windows 11 upgrade will be offered to eligible Windows 10 devices through Windows Update using Microsoft's intelligent rollout process to ensure a smooth upgrade experience. For more information about device eligibility, see Windows 11 requirements.
Windows 11 Enterprise is licensed as an upgrade license to Windows Pro. Windows 11 Enterprise may be licensed through the Windows Enterprise per device license, the Windows Enterprise E3 per user license, or the Windows Enterprise E5 per user license. Users without Windows Pro devices to upgrade from may still license Windows Enterprise for remote virtualization scenarios with the Windows VDA E3 or E5 license.
Windows 11 Enterprise E3 provides access to Windows 11 Enterprise edition, and includes a set of Windows cloud services that enable advanced protection against modern security threats, a broad range of options for operating system deployments and updates, and comprehensive device and application management. Learn more here.
Windows 11 Enterprise E5 includes everything in Windows 11 Enterprise E3 with the addition of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint—a security service that helps enterprises detect, investigate, and respond to advanced attacks on their networks. Building on the existing security defenses in Windows 11 Enterprise E3, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides a post-breach layer of protection to the Windows 10 security stack. With a combination of client technology built into Windows 11 and a robust cloud service, it can help detect threats that have made it past other defenses, provide enterprises with information to investigate the breach across endpoints, and offer response recommendations.