Prior to my current role, I covered software and apps for ExtremeTech, and before that I headed up PCMag’s enterprise software team, but I’m happy to be back in the more accessible realm of consumer software. I’ve been reviewing software for PCMag since 2008, and I still get a kick out of seeing what's new in video and photo editing software, and how operating systems change over time. I was privileged to byline the cover story of the last print issue of PC Magazine, the Windows 7 review, and I’ve witnessed every Microsoft win and misstep up to the latest Windows 11. PC hardware is nice, but it’s not much use without innovative software. It costs $199.99, the same price as Windows 10 Pro.

Here's a link that takes you directly to the Windows 11 Pro purchase (Opens in a new window) page. I was only able to find the Pro license purchase through a web search. Notably, there's no option to buy the Pro edition when you arrive through this link. It costs $139.00, the same price as Windows 10 Home. Now, if you click on the Get Windows 11 link under 'Want Windows 11 on your custom-built PC?' -which is way down the page below the retailer icons for Best Buy, Dell, and the like- you're taken to a license purchase page for Windows 11 Home (Opens in a new window) (see top image above). There was no media coverage of this development, even in the Windows-only sites that go nuts over even the tiniest changes in the Windows ecosystem ( volume indicator, anyone?). It's not present in the May 3 snapshot (Opens in a new window). I've been checking the Get Windows 11 page for months, and finally found the licenses available.Ī check with the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine shows that the option appeared some time in May.

Instead, you had to buy one for Windows 10 and then run through the upgrade process. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authenticationįor many months after the release of Windows 11, there was no way to purchase a license on Microsoft's webpages.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages.

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