Is Remote Desktop client available in Windows 10 home?

Why Does My Windows 10 Home Edition Have Remote Desktop and BitLocker?

• Akemi Iwaya

  @asian_angel



• Updated

It is no secret that the Home Editions of Windows systems have had certain features trimmed out or made inaccessible without an upgrade, so why would a person see features that are supposedly not included? Todays SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a confused readers question.

Todays Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUsera subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites.

The Question

SuperUser reader iranano wants to know why Windows 10 Home Edition has Remote Desktop functionality:

I have a laptop with Windows 10 Home Edition preinstalled on it and successfully activated, but I see that it has Remote Desktop and BitLocker functionality.

I have heard it said that the Home Edition of Windows 10 is not supposed to have the Remote Desktop or BitLocker features though. Is there something different about OEM versions like the one installed on my laptop?

Why does Windows 10 Home Edition have Remote Desktop?

The Answer

SuperUser contributors Ben N and Ramhound have the answer for us. First up, Ben N:

You have the Remote Desktop client on your system, something that comes with all editions of Windows as I recall. Therefore, you can remotely log into other computers that support it.

Your laptop, however, does not have the server part of Remote Desktop, so you cannot connect to your laptop remotely from anywhere else. The server part only comes with the Pro and Enterprise Editions of Windows [and Windows Server].

Followed by the answer from Ramhound [regarding BitLocker]:

It is worth pointing out that Windows 10 Home Edition can actually mount volumes encrypted by BitLocker.

Have something to add to the explanation? Sound off in the comments. Want to read more answers from other tech-savvy Stack Exchange users? Check out the full discussion thread here.