Security News > 2023 > September > Windows 10 and 11 in S Mode: What Is It and Should You Use It?

In 2017, Microsoft added a feature to its Windows 10 operating system: S mode, a stripped-down, tightly-locked and low-end way to run Windows 10 and the Home edition of Windows 11 that is still PC friendly.

S mode is available for Windows Home Edition for Windows 10 and 11 as well as Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Education.

Windows 11 in S mode offers similar features to Windows 10 in S mode; although, it's only available for Windows 11 Home.

You can upgrade Windows 10 S mode to Windows 11 if your PC meets the minimum hardware requirements using the Windows Update service, or you can buy a new device running Windows 11.

Should I use S mode on a Windows 11 on Arm PC? Because of the additional limitations in usability of Windows on Arm PCs, you likely won't want to run Windows 11 in S mode on a Windows on Arm PC. Just like with an Intel or AMD PC, some Windows on Arm laptops come with the option of using Windows in S mode to limit you to using apps from the Microsoft Store only.

Another point to note is you cannot upgrade a Windows 10 S mode Arm device to Windows 11 S mode, as Windows 10 for Arm is 32-bit only and runs on older Arm processors that do not support 64-bit Windows 11.

News URL

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/windows-10-s-mode-pros-and-cons/