Windows 8.1 Pro is a part of Windows 8.1 editions. There are five editions in total. The Pro edition covers all the features that Windows 8.1 offers coupled with some more extra functionalities such as BitLocker and Hyper-V that makes it a more complete edition of the two.

Windows 8.1 Pro is better than Windows 8 which was bombarded with critics, many of which were pretty harsh. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough to shake users’ loyalty toward Windows 7, which was probably one of the main reasons for Microsoft to switch focus to Windows 10.

Features and Highlights

Microsoft had received a severe backlash when releasing Windows 8 back in the day. Mostly because the company made a highly questionable decision by removing the Start menu, making the operating system much less user-friendly than before.

Windows 8.1 Pro does not have that shortcoming. Microsoft brought back the Start menu in the operating system. Still, it is no longer like it used to be. Many users have been baffled at how the company could ever jump into a conclusion that nobody needs the Start menu or why the restored Start menu is not as good as the one in Windows 7.

Windows 8.1 Pro is better at organizing Live Tile than Windows 8. When resizing a tile size, the options are no longer merely small or large anymore. Right-click on a tile, click Resize, and select one of the available sizes. Tiles can be grouped too. Drag and drop them to a location and then name the group with a short title.

One of the best features in Windows 8.1 Pro is BitLocker, which is a critical feature for users who need a stronger method to protect highly sensitive files. Unlike Windows password that can easily be bypassed, BitLocker can still secure your files even when the drive is booted to another operating system. However, the security feature has some minimum requirements for it to function properly.

Charms bar also exists in Windows 8.1 Pro, letting you access a host of controls such as Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings. It is useful, but some users might get confused when encountering it for the first time since it is quite an unusual feature.

Hot Corners gets an improvement. Users can finally enable or disable this feature, an option which was nonexistent in the previous version. When it is enabled, it allows you to access shortcuts simply by moving your pointer to each corner of your monitor screen. It is supposed to be helpful, yet some users feel annoyed instead. This bit of improvement alone is therefore a good reason for them to switch from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 Pro.

Windows 8.1 Pro Free Download for Windows

Windows 8.1 Pro isn’t as successful as Windows 7 and Windows 10, but a number of users prefer this operating system than the others. It’s all about personal preferences. As long as an operating system meets your expectation, then it is probably good enough of a reason to stick to it despite the availability of a newer version. You can click the link below to download Windows 8.1 Pro ISO Files: