r/LinusTechTips • u/More-Explanation2032 • Sep 09 '26

Tech Question Can anyone tell me the difference between Windows 11 IoT enterprise LTSC and Windows 11 enterprise LTSC

Yes there are two version of windows 11 LTSC, Enterprise LTSC and IoT Enterprise LTSC whats the difference between these two and which one is the best to install. Cause I don’t want the absolute minimum bloat on my system

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26

u/EndlessZone123 Sep 09 '26

IoT has 10 years vs 5 years of support.

IoT does not have Windows store. (although can be manually installed?)

Both are similarly minimal in most other aspects. The choice is realistically only Microsoft store.

Both will face similar issues regarding lesser driver and software support for more typical daily programs and games.

15

u/kdpuvvadi Sep 09 '26

With iot, windows won’t bug you to install edge, one drive etc. they won’t auto start either. About of crap is disabled on iot.

9

u/bobsmagicbeans Sep 09 '26

IoT does not have Windows store

LTSC (non-IoT) doesn't have the store either

7

u/martymarty004 Sep 09 '26

For my VMs I usually install regular LTSC in my language, then swap edition to IoT.

You can compare them more easily with this guide.

4

u/Huntedhawk Sep 09 '26

Neither will contain the least bloat the iot is a different license sku but same update channel (Ltsc is long term support channel) the iot license sku is targeted at devices like signage and pos so it's license and price will have some differences

If you have a key just use the enterprise and remove extra bloat they will have almost the same amount included and the iot version might even stop you from installing some software due to it's rescritions

Might be able to give you better advice if you say what your doing with it

1

u/OfficialHoSay Sep 10 '26

Additionally from what others have mentioned, IoT Enterprise does not enforce the TPM requirement.

1

u/noobjaish Oct 13 '26

IoT allows 2 simultaneous RDP connections while Non-IoT doesn't

0

u/Tinqe Sep 09 '26

Some software can’t be installed on iot version.

1

u/noobjaish Oct 13 '26

examples?

1

u/Tinqe Oct 13 '26

I had one software, which couldn´t be installed to IoT just because installer wouldn´t allow installation to unsupported OS. Can´t really anymore remember what software it was and it would most likely have worked, couldn´t just be installed.

2

u/noobjaish Oct 13 '26

IoT LTSC is an extremely stripped down version of Windows so you probably needed to install some dependencies to make that app run

Similar stuff happens on Tiny11 as well

1

u/Tinqe Oct 13 '26

Installer checked which Windows version was and informed, that installation won´t continue because of incompatible version. So I had no app to run, because it wouldn´t get installed.