Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional

Windows 8.1 Professional: Windows 8.1 with encryption and virtualisation

Windows 8.1 Professional, referred to by Microsoft as Windows 8.1 Pro, is the Pro edition of Windows 8.1. In addition to the classic desktop, which under Windows 8.1 is complemented by an app view designed for touch operation, it offers the drive encryption BitLocker and virtualisation with Client Hyper-V. Today, the edition is mainly used to keep operating programs and devices for which software and drivers are only available for Windows 8.1, or to provide such a system in a virtual machine.

Operation and features

Windows 8.1 can be operated with mouse and keyboard just as well as on a tablet or a monitor with multi-touch. Apps can be arranged side by side on the screen; this requires a resolution of at least 1024 × 768 pixels. With Miracast, the picture can be transmitted wirelessly to a suitable display, provided the graphics card (WDDM 1.3) and Wi-Fi adapter (Wi-Fi Direct) support it. Via Wi-Fi Direct, you can also print directly to suitable printers. On devices with UEFI firmware, Secure Boot protects the startup process against manipulated boot programs.

Features of the Pro edition

BitLocker encrypts the PC's drives. Customer data or business documents then cannot simply be read without unlocking, for example if a notebook is lost or a hard drive is removed. BitLocker requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 or a USB flash drive for the key. With BitLocker To Go, USB flash drives can also be encrypted.

Client Hyper-V provides virtual machines in which another operating system runs separately from the installed Windows, for example an older Windows for a program that only works there, or a test environment for new software. Client Hyper-V requires a 64-bit system with a SLAT-capable processor and an additional 2 GB of RAM.

Buy Windows 8.1 Professional: licence and scope of delivery

You receive a product key to activate Windows 8.1 Professional on one PC. The scope of delivery includes:

• the product key for Windows 8.1 Professional
• the download link for the installation file (all downloads are also available under Software Download)
• instructions for installation and activation (see also Guides and FAQ)
• the invoice with VAT shown separately

Once your payment has been received, your product key is displayed directly on the order confirmation page and also sent to you by email. After that, you can retrieve it again at any time: with a customer account under My Product Codes, without a customer account via the Guest Portal.

If you have any questions about installation or activation, our Support team is available around the clock by email. You will find further editions in the category Windows 8.1 and under Operating Systems.

System requirements

Minimum requirements according to Microsoft. For the 64-bit version, the processor must also support CMPXCHG16b, PrefetchW and LAHF/SAHF. Secure Boot requires UEFI firmware version 2.3.1 Errata B or later.