Microsoft released a brand new operating system, Windows 10 S, to address Google’s Chrome OS. The lightweight and streamlined operating system was built to run on the Surface Laptop and is meant for educational institutions.
Microsoft had made improvements to its core functions, such as speed and security, while also focusing on battery life.
Microsoft released a new member of their Windows family recently and they’ve made it available to developers and IT professionals to download and test.
Now, there is an app that lets you install and test the latest offering on your mobile devices too! If you’re interested in trying out Windows 10 S, here’s how you can get started.
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Things To Know Before Installation
Want to install Windows? Here are a few important things you should know before starting the download.
- Compared to Windows 10, Windows 10 S has some restrictions. It also allows you to download apps only from the Microsoft store.
- Microsoft Edge is the default internet browser, and Bing is the search engine.
- To activate your installation of Windows 10 in S mode, you need to download the installer for installation on your preferred version. The installers are available for Windows 10 versions as given below.
- Windows 10 Pro
- Windows 10 Pro Education
- Windows 10 Enterprise
- Windows 10 Education
4. Unfortunately, the update has not been compatible with Windows 10 N edition and Windows 10 Home. Whether you’re trying to play games or use the operating system for educational purposes, it’s possible that you’ll experience issues that result in slower performance.
5. Most older drivers and software won’t work in Windows 10 S mode. These drivers and software can cause data, personal settings, and previously installed programs to be lost.
What is Windows 10 S?
Windows 10 S is an alternative to Google’s Chrome OS, which is focused on providing a familiar environment for users. While the UI looks similar to the Windows 10 experience, your options end up being limited to what Microsoft allows.
That means, for the time being, you can only install apps from the Microsoft store, and default browsers aren’t available, but that may change later. If that’s not enough, some plugins are blocked as well.
Unfortunately, third-party apps are not allowed for Windows 10 S. This means that some of your favorite drivers may be incompatible since they require third-party software to function properly.
For example, you can’t even install NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience or AMD’s Control Center. Also, there is no way to preserve the data from any additional third-party apps on the system once you install Windows 10 S.
The Second notable difference is that you can only install apps from the Windows Store, which means Office 365 is the only available version of Microsoft Office for Windows 10 S users.
Additionally, users cannot install annual variants of Microsoft Office 2016. That’s because there are security risks involved with pirating software, as well as reducing the amount of malware and viruses found on PCs using a lower-end OS version than Windows 10.
How to Get Windows 10 S On Your PC?
Windows 10 S is still about a few months away, but for now you can experience the operating system in its current state using our guide. If you’ve used Windows or any other version of Microsoft’s OS, then you’ll know how restricted the Windows 10 S feels.
At this point, even the Store has limited applications available for selection. That being said, Windows 10 does seem promising, especially given its aim at becoming a competitor to other operating systems such as Google ChromeOS and best suited for schools and institutes.
How to Install Windows 10 S Using Windows 10 S Installer Tool
Also, it’s very important to have a backup of your computer and make sure you have your system connected to the internet before proceeding with this tutorial.
- Click here to download and run the Windows 10 S installer.
- To proceed, click “Next”.
- Once done, the system will automatically start checking if your hardware is compatible and meets all the requirements.
- Click “Next”, if your system meets all the requirements.
- Now that you have installed the Windows 10 S setup application on your system, it’s time to start the installation process. When you’re ready, simply click on “Minimize” and then go back to browsing the web or performing other tasks on your device.
- It will ask you to restart your device once the setup is done.
- Click on ”Restart Now”.
- The system will automatically restart for you and welcome you with a blue login screen. You’ll see it restart multiple times during this process; if it does happen that the system boots up during installation, make sure you are connected to an outlet so that there are no issues.
- When the installation has finished, you’ll be welcomed by the Setup page. The setup is similar to what you would see if you were installing Windows 10 – it will require you to log in with your account, connect to your WIFI and configure other settings. Click “Next” when you’re done to finish up.
- And it’s done, the system will boot up into Windows 10 S and you’ll just need to log in to your account.
Clean Install Windows 10 S
This is the simplest method you can use to install Windows 10 S. It’s not an official option from Microsoft, but it’s still easy and reliable. To do this, you need to download the Windows 10 S’s ISO file from here and create a bootable USB.
The process only requires a Visual Studio Personal with MSDN or enterprise subscription, which can $45/month or $539/year. As of now, there are no retail images available for consumers; it can be expected to release over the next few months.
Once they’re available, you can create a bootable USB disk and start installing Windows 10 S as soon as it’s supported by your PC hardware.
Downgrade From Windows 10 S to Windows 10
Switching back to your previous Windows 10 operating system is easy with this conversion method. You’ll only be able to do so for the first 10 days after the installation as you need $windows.~bt and Windows.old folders on your computer before you can switch back.
After an upgrade, make sure you delete any new user accounts that may have been added, or else you might risk losing your data or configuring anything incorrectly.
To rollback from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 follow the below steps:
- Go to the Settings.
- Select Update & Security.
- Select recovery.
★ If the folders are deleted Or it has been more than 10 days, then you can do the rollback on your previous Windows version.
- Go to the Settings.
- Select Update and Security.
- Select Recovery.
- Go to the PC setting option.
- Get started.
Can Windows 10s Be Upgraded To Windows 11?
The switch between Windows 10s and Windows 11 is easy, but the process can be lengthy. You’ll first need to upgrade to a version of Windows 10 in order to be able to upgrade to a newer version of windows.
Switching From Windows 10s To windows 10
Windows 10 S mode is designed specifically for security and performance, with the Microsoft Store being the only accessible source of software.
They are also designed to stay out of your way by limiting certain types of apps from running at all – which includes not allowing any 3rd party applications to run. To update, quit S mode and switch back to Windows 10 Professional.
- On your PC, go to settings and click on Update & Security.
- In Update & Security, click on “Activation”.
- In the section labeled “Switch to Windows 10 Home or Switch to Windows 10 Pro,” choose “Go to the Store.” Make sure you don’t click the “Go to the Store” link that appears to upgrade your edition of Windows.
- In the Microsoft Store you will see a “Switch out of S mode”, click on “Get Button”.
- You will then be able to install apps from other stores as soon as you see the confirmation message on the page.
Switching From Windows 10 To Windows 11
Before attempting to install Windows 11 on your computer, make sure that your device is qualified and meets the minimum system requirements. If it’s currently running Windows 10, use the PC Health Check app to verify that your device meets the criteria.
To install Windows 11, you will need to check if the Windows 11 update is available on your PC. to check this, go to Settings and click on Update and Security. There you will see an option for Windows update. Click on “Check for Updates”. If Windows 11 is available on your computer you can easily install it on your PC.
If you are having trouble downloading the new update for Windows 11 on your PC, we have a work-around. At the bottom of the Download Windows 11 page is a link to Run the Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe file. Simply click on that button and it will download the latest update for free.
- Go to Update & Security in the Settings menu.
- You will see “Windows Insiders Program” where you can click on “Get Started” to use the new Windows 11.
- Follow the onscreen instructions and choose the channel you want or your computer. Choose “Dev Channel”.
- Agree to “Privacy Statements & Terms” and select “Restart Now”.
- Once you Restart, go to settings and click on Privacy.
- Now go to Diagnostic & Feedback and check if “Optional Diagnostic Data” is on.
- Now go back to Settings and click on Update and Security.
- Select Windows Update and check for updates.
- Now you just have to wait for Windows 11 to automatically download and install on your computer.
What’s The Difference Between Windows 10 And 10s?
Windows 10 S is Microsoft’s take at a Walled Garden OS. This means that laptops running on this OS will have access to an app store just for their specific operating system, and will not be able to run third-party apps.
The good side of this is that it’s very safe, and the bad side is that generally no third-party apps are available from most major app stores. It all depends on how developers and consumers want to interact with Windows 10 S.
One of the more significant differences between Windows 10 S and Windows 10 is that a user can’t change what browser is being used as the default.
It matters because beginner users are going to need support from Microsoft Edge and speed from Google Chrome. Because Google Chrome isn’t available in the Windows Store, Windows 10 S users will be stuck with Edge.
Windows 10 PCs are being called Microsoft’s competitor to Chromebooks Considering that the software ecosystem of Windows is substantially larger than that of Chrome OS.
It will take some time for the Store-optimized apps to catch on, but in the meantime, there are quite a few apps that can run on Windows 10 without any issues.
