| Features | Windows RT | Windows 8 | Windows 8 Pro | Windows 8 Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Availability[17] | Pre-installed on devices[8] | Most channels | Most channels | Volume License customers |
| Architecture | ARM (32-bit) | IA-32 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) | IA-32 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) | IA-32 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) |
| Maximum physical memory (RAM)[18] | 4 GB[19] | 128 GB on x64 4 GB on IA-32 | 512 GB on x64 4 GB on IA-32 | 512 GB on x64 4 GB on IA-32 |
| Secure boot | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Picture password | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Start screen, Semantic Zoom, Live Tiles | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Touch and Thumb keyboard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Language packs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Updated File Explorer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Standard apps[a] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File History | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Refresh and reset of OS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Play To | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connected standby | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Update | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Defender | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Better multi-monitor support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Windows Task Manager | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ISO image and VHD mounting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile broadband features | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft account integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Explorer 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SmartScreen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Store | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Xbox Live (including Xbox Live Arcade)[20][21] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Exchange ActiveSync | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snap | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can connect to a VPN? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Support for language packs and switching | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Device encryption[b][23] | Yes | With Windows 8.1 | With Windows 8.1 | With Windows 8.1 |
| Supported third-party apps[4][24] | Windows Store apps only | Windows Store and desktop | Windows Store and desktop | Windows Store and desktop |
| Remote Desktop | Client only | Client only | Client and host | Client and host |
| Storage spaces | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Media Player | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BitLocker and EFS | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sideload Windows Store apps[10][9] | Partial[c] | No | Partial[c] | Partial[c] |
| Boot from VHD | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Can join a Windows domain? | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Group Policy | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hyper-V[25] | No | No | 64-bit SKUs only | 64-bit SKUs only |
| AppLocker[d] | No | No | No | Yes |
| Windows To Go | No | No | No | Yes |
| DirectAccess | No | No | No | Yes |
| BranchCache[e] | No | No | No | Yes |
| Can be virtualized by RemoteFX? | No | No | No | Yes |
| Services for Network File System[28] | No | No | No | Yes |
| Subsystem for Unix-based Applications | No | No | No | Deprecated[29] |
| Windows Media Center | No | Via an add-in[6][f] | Via an add-in[6] | No |
| Microsoft Office apps bundled with OS | Yes[g] | No | No | No |
| Features | Windows RT | Windows 8 | Windows 8 Pro | Windows 8 Enterprise |