About This Article
This information is verified against official Microsoft Commercial Licensing documentation as of September 17, 2026.Verification Status: 📘 Confirmed via official Microsoft documentation, device testing not performed.
Windows 11 Enterprise E3 and E5 are Windows Enterprise subscriptions intended for mid-sized to large organizations. E3 provides advanced management and security features as well as usage rights for Windows Enterprise, whileE5 adds Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 to E3.
Important: This is different from purchasing a brand-new operating system for a PC
Official Microsoft documentation states that Windows 11 Enterprise E3/E5 is provided via per-user Commercial Licensing, andWindows Pro is required as a qualifying OS. Ensure you check target users and device prerequisites rather than assuming that applying E3 will upgrade a Home edition device to Enterprise.
First Step: Read the Edition
Without making any management changes, check the current Windows information using PowerShell.
Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object WindowsProductName, WindowsEditionId, WindowsVersion, OsBuildNumber
Check here
WindowsProductName / WindowsEditionId to verify whether it matches the license state expected in the management portal.
Change One Thing
Run the same reading command on another test device and compare differences across devices. Do not modify license keys or activation settings.
How to Choose Between E3 and E5
Looking purely at OS features, the primary addition in E5 is Defender for Endpoint Plan 2. Therefore, when selecting E5, consider whether you are using a separate product for endpoint EDR and to what extent you intend to integrate with Microsoft Defender XDR.
Checklist for Administrators
Verify qualifying Windows Pro, per-user assignment, Subscription Activation, Entra joining, Intune, Windows Autopatch, Defender for Endpoint onboarding, shared device/VDA rights, and Commercial Licensing Product Terms.
Official Microsoft Information
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-licensing
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/deploy-enterprise-licenses
Rather than comparing Windows Enterprise E3 and E5 solely by their edition names,it is practical to evaluate the base device's Windows Pro edition, user licensing, cloud management, and Defender for Endpoint P2 in E5as a continuous set of requirements.
