What is Windows 11 S Mode
Microsoft have introduced windows 11 S. The S stands for secure or streamlined. What this means is Microsoft have altered the operating system so it will not allow you to install applications, except through the Microsoft Store. They have also made Microsoft Edge the only allowable web browser. S Mode also limits certain system settings and background processes, resulting in faster startup times and longer battery life. However, it restricts users from installing traditional desktop apps (e.g., Chrome, Zoom, Firefox, Brave, Thunderbird Email, Libre Office, Steam, VLC Media Player, your choice of anti virus program, Win Aero Tweaker to get rid of Co-pilot / Recall etc etc, from the web). Exiting S Mode is free but permanent.
You would have thought they might have learned from their previous anti-trust thrashing when they were fined for preventing other web browsers being used in previous versions of Windows. It seems those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.
So how do we get rid of this awful travesty of an OS lock down? To switch out of S mode in Windows 11 do the following:
How to Unlock or Switch out of Windows 11 S Mode:
- On your PC running Windows 11 in S mode, open Settings > System > Activation.
- Find the Switch to Windows 11 Pro section, then select the Go to the Store link.
- Note: Don’t select the link under Upgrade your edition of Windows. That’s a different process that will keep you in S mode.
- On the page that appears in Microsoft Store (Switch out of S mode or a similar page), select the Get button.
After you confirm this action, you’ll be able to install apps from outside Microsoft Store. It is really important to note – you cannot go back and switch S mode back on. This is a one way trip. But as it is a trip on the freedom train, I personally think it is a good trip to take.
