Microsoft Windows 11 Pro N – Lifetime License Key (32/64-bit)

Windows 11 Pro N license key: Pro features without the bundled media apps

Windows 11 Pro N is Windows 11 Pro with the media components removed. The N stands for Not with Media Player, a naming that goes back to a European Commission ruling that required Microsoft to offer Windows without its media software. Microsoft has kept the N line alive ever since, and Pro N is the current Windows 11 version. Under the hood it is the same operating system: same kernel, same drivers, same update schedule, same BitLocker, Hyper-V, Remote Desktop host and Group Policy that make Pro the edition of choice for work PCs.

This listing supplies one genuine Windows 11 Pro N key for one PC. It is a perpetual license, paid once, with no subscription. The key activates a Pro N installation made from Microsoft's official media, and it can also convert a Home N installation to Pro N through Change product key. It does not activate standard Windows 11 Pro; editions must match, which is the single most important thing to know before you order.

Who buys Windows 11 Pro N

• Users whose PC or laptop was delivered with Windows 11 Home N or Pro N and who need a genuine key for it
• IT administrators who prefer a smaller base image without preinstalled media apps
• Buyers who use VLC, Plex, Spotify or other third-party players and do not want Microsoft's media stack
• Organizations with software policies that exclude consumer media applications from work machines
• Anyone comparing Pro N vs Pro who has decided the missing components do not matter to them

Where the N editions come from

In 2004 the European Commission ruled that bundling Windows Media Player with Windows harmed competing media software, and required Microsoft to sell a version of Windows without it in the European Economic Area. Microsoft complied with Windows XP N and has shipped an N variant of every consumer and business edition since, through Vista, 7, 8.1, 10 and now Windows 11. The editions were never restricted to Europe; they are published worldwide in the same languages as standard Windows. Over the years they have found a second audience among IT teams who like a smaller default image and among users who simply prefer their own media applications. That is why we list Pro N as a separate product with its own genuine key rather than treating it as an afterthought.

What is missing in the N edition, and how to add it back

The N edition removes a specific list of media components. Everything else, from the Store to the Xbox app to Windows Security, is present.

• Windows Media Player and the modern Media Player app
• Preinstalled Music, Video (Films and TV) and Voice Recorder apps
• Certain media codecs and the Windows Media runtime that some third-party programs rely on
• Media-related features such as playing audio CDs and some camera and streaming functions until the Media Feature Pack is installed

If you later need those pieces, Microsoft offers the Media Feature Pack for N editions as a free optional feature. On Windows 11 it installs from Settings, Apps, Optional features, Add a feature. After installation the N edition behaves like standard Pro for media playback. Some apps and games that expect the Windows Media runtime will not run correctly until the pack is installed, so we mention it up front.

Practical effects you may notice day to day

Most of the time an N edition feels exactly like standard Pro. The differences show up in specific moments. A video attached to an email may not preview until you install a player or the Media Feature Pack. Some webcam and conferencing software relies on the Windows Media runtime and reports a missing component on first launch. Certain games and creative tools list the Media Feature Pack as a prerequisite in their installers. Audio CDs do not play out of the box. Voice Recorder is absent, so you would use a third-party recorder or add the pack. None of these are faults; they are the consequence of the N design, and each is resolved either by the free Media Feature Pack or by the third-party software you probably already use.

Windows 11 Pro N vs Pro vs Home

System requirements

Pro N has exactly the same hardware requirements as the other Windows 11 editions. The N designation changes software content, not the minimum specification.

• 1 GHz or faster 64-bit processor with two or more cores on Microsoft's supported list
• 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage
• UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability and TPM 2.0
• DirectX 12 compatible graphics with a WDDM 2.0 driver; 720p display larger than 9 inches
• Internet connection for activation and updates; Hyper-V additionally needs a processor with second-level address translation
• For the optional Media Feature Pack, an internet connection to download it from Windows Update

Licensing explained

The Pro N license is perpetual. One payment, no renewal, no subscription, valid for the life of the installation on the licensed PC. One key covers one PC. Transfer rights follow the license type: retail keys can move to a new PC after removal from the old one, OEM keys stay with the first PC, and volume (MAK) keys have a limited number of activations for organizations. The license type for this key is stated in the Product Overview table on this page.

Edition matching, explained once

Product keys are edition specific. A Pro N key activates only the Pro N edition. If your PC currently runs standard Windows 11 Pro or Home, this key will be rejected until you install Pro N media, or you should buy the matching Windows 11 Pro key instead. If your PC runs Windows 11 Home N, this key upgrades it to Pro N in place through Change product key, in the same way the Home to Pro upgrade works for standard editions. Check Settings, System, About before ordering; the edition name is printed under Windows specifications, directly below the version number.

Pro N in business images

Administrators who build reference images sometimes choose Pro N deliberately. Leaving out the media stack removes a set of components that would otherwise need patching, reduces the list of preinstalled apps to remove during deployment, and keeps the image aligned with software policies that exclude consumer media applications from work machines. Because Pro N includes BitLocker, domain join, Group Policy and Windows Update for Business, it fits into the same management tooling as standard Pro. If a department later needs media playback, the Media Feature Pack can be pushed through Windows Update or Intune to only the machines that require it.

Why buy this Windows 11 Pro N key from Software in Store

Software in Store is an independent US reseller of genuine Microsoft product keys, operated by MAKERS UNITY LLC in Sheridan, Wyoming. N editions are a niche product, and many marketplaces mislabel them. We list Pro N as its own product, explain the edition-matching rule in plain words, and support you if something does not line up.

• Key, official Microsoft download link and guide by email within minutes of payment, seven days a week
• Clear instructions on selecting the Pro N edition when you create installation media
• Support from a person every day of the week, including phone activation with Installation and Confirmation IDs
• 30-day money-back guarantee with replacement or full refund if the key cannot be activated
• Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay through an encrypted, PCI-compliant checkout

If you are unsure whether your existing PC runs an N edition, send us a screenshot of Settings, System, About before ordering and we will tell you which key matches.

Related products

Prefer the standard edition with media apps included? The Windows 11 Pro product key is the direct equivalent. Running an older PC with an N edition? The Windows 10 Pro N license key covers hardware that cannot run Windows 11. Need Credential Guard, AppLocker or DirectAccess as well? See Windows 11 Enterprise. For an Office suite alongside the new system, Office 2021 Professional Plus is a perpetual license too. All editions are in our Windows 11 category.

Get your Windows 11 Pro N key today

Add the key to your cart, check out securely, and the email lands within minutes. Read how it works for the full delivery and activation flow, or the FAQ for transfer and refund rules. If you are unsure whether Pro N is the right edition for your PC, ask us before you buy and a person will answer, seven days a week.