What is Windows S or S mode: what it (not) allows you to do and what features it has more or less than the Home edition. How to deactivate S-mode with and without a Microsoft account.
Everyone knows the major editions of Windows 10 e Windows 11, such as Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education. Each edition is intended for a certain market or use and in general it is possible to switch from one to another with a code Product Key and a valid license. We have seen, for example, how to switch from Windows Home to Pro.
With expression versions of Windows we refer to the different “iterations” of the operating system, that is, to different releases that may include improvements and new features compared to the previous version. Windows versions are for example Windows 10 22H2, Windows 11 22H2, Windows 11 23H2, etc.
Windows S it is a lesser known version of the Microsoft operating system which was first introduced in 2017 and which is mainly designed for the education and business sectors. The “S” stands, as revealed by Microsoft on multiple occasions, for simplicity, safety e superior performance.
What is Windows S and how it differs from regular Microsoft operating system installations
Also known as S-mode o S-modeWindows S was designed to provide users with a more simplified and “basic” user experience.
Some users report that they are faced with systems that use Windows S and are unable to access the functionality offered by all other editions and versions of the operating system. Windows S is pre-installed by the manufacturer (OEM) that supplies the hardware.
In fact, Windows S only offers the possibility of using the applications downloaded from the Microsoft Store: This means that traditional Win32 programs cannot be installed or started. Microsoft’s idea is to reduce the risks of infection preventing users from running unverified applications. The restriction has no effect on Win32 system applications (think various Notepad, media player and File Explorer itself) that can be launched without problems.
Then there are other exceptions: first of all, the Microsoft Store has been open to Win32 applications for some years now (so much so that Web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox have also appeared…); in addition, on the farm you can use Intune to enable support for Win32 programs in Windows S.
While Windows S drops support for all Win32 programs, it does give some characteristic not present, for example, in the Home editions of Windows 10 and Windows 11.
As summarized on the Windows 10 S security requirements and features for OEMs page, Windows S supports BitLocker in full form, can be used within an Active Directory domain, supports Windows Update for Business, the Mobile Device Management (MDM) which allows IT administrators to manage, monitor and secure the devices used within the company.
Windows S also supports Enterprise state roaming Azure AD i.e. the device and data management functionality made available by Azure Active Directory, an identity and access management service based on the Microsoft cloud platform. The feature in question sync settings of users and preferences across different Windows 10 and 11 devices providing a personalized and consistent experience across all devices in use.
How to switch from Windows S to Windows Home or Pro
Microsoft does not provide any cost for disabling Windows S and using a full edition of Windows 10 and 11. Note, however, that once you choose to disable Windows S there is no going back.
Furthermore, Windows S is available in Windows 10 for both Home and Pro editions while in Windows 11 only for Home edition.
The advice is to type Activation in the operating system search box then choose Activation settings. Here, by clicking on the message Passa a Windows 10 Home o Passa a Windows 10 Pro so on Go to the Storea Microsoft Store page containing the item opens Turn off S mode. After clicking on DownloadWindows S is automatically disabled and you can switch to Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro, depending on which edition S mode is enabled on.
It is also possible upgrade a Windows 10 system in S mode to Windows 11 only if you switch from Windows 10 Home to Windows 11 Home. Since Windows 11 Pro does not have S mode, it is not possible to upgrade to Windows 11.
Of course, you can do this by first deactivating S mode, then upgrading to Windows 10 Pro and then proceeding with the free upgrade from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro. In another article we saw how to get Windows 11 for free.
Windows S, an inflexible choice for many users
As we have seen above, Microsoft gives full discretion to users of quit Windows S and switch to a “regular” version of Windows 10 Home, Pro or Windows 11 Home (with an extra step you can also migrate to Windows 11 Pro…).
In some cases it may not be possible to deactivate Windows S, for example due to company policy or because your PC is not connected to the Internet.
As we have seen previously, in fact, to disable Windows S you need to have a Microsoft account and then connect to the Microsoft Store.
Force shutdown Windows S without using the Microsoft Store
Until recently, to force Windows S to be deactivated, it was sufficient to access the UEFI BIOS configuration and then deactivate Secure Boot, at least temporarily. This trick no longer works with Windows 11.
To force the disabling Windows S in Windows 11 Home, just enter the advanced boot menu then choose troubleshooting Therefore Command Prompt. In the article we explain exactly how to do it.
After verifying in which drive Windows 11 is installed (you can help yourself with the commands you C:, say D: and so on…), you can issue the following commands:
reg load HKLM\WINDOWS11 W:\windows\system32\config\SOFTWARE
Instead of W: the drive identification letter must be indicated where Windows 11 Home is installed.
reg add “HKLM\WINDOWS11\ControlSet001\Control\CI\Policy” /v SkuPolicyRequired /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg unload HKLM\WINDOWS11
Restarting the system and returning to the window Activation settingsit is possible to verify that Windows 11 Home is no longer working in S mode (the latter is finally deactivated).