9 Major Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 11 Now

Microsoft is now shipping Windows 10 PCs that use ARM processors (and Windows 11 PCs that use ARM processors, too). These computers have an emulation layer that allows them to run traditional Windows software. While these ARM PCs may ship in S Mode, you can also choose to leave S Mode for free on these PCs. That will let you install 32-bit desktop applications from everywhere, although many demanding applications and games don’t perform well in the emulation layer.

What Is Windows 10 or Windows 11 in S Mode?

Chris Hoffman is Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. He’s written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Chris has written for The New York Times and Reader’s Digest, been interviewed as a technology expert on TV stations like Miami’s NBC 6, and had his work covered by news outlets like the BBC. Since 2011, Chris has written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times—and that’s just here at How-To Geek. Read more.

Updated Nov 1, 2022, 10:08 am EDT | 5 min read

S Mode is designed to lock down the Windows operating system. You can only install apps from the Microsoft Store, and you have to use the Microsoft Edge browser. You can permanently leave S Mode by searching “Switch out of S Mode” in the Microsoft Store.

Some Windows 10 or Windows 11 PCs, like Microsoft’s Surface Go 3, come with “Windows 10 in S Mode” or “Windows 11 in S Mode.” PCs in S Mode can only install applications from the Microsoft Store. But you’re free to leave S Mode, if you like.

Update: We originally wrote this article for Windows 10, and little has changed for Windows 11. If you have a PC running Windows 10 in S Mode and you upgrade to Windows 11, your PC will now be running Windows 11 in S Mode.

What Is S Mode?

Windows 10 or Windows 11 in S Mode is a more limited, locked-down Windows operating system. On Windows 10 in S Mode, you can only install apps from the Store, and you can only browse the web with Microsoft Edge. On Windows 11 in S Mode, you can install other browsers from the Microsoft Store—but Edge will always be your default browser. Microsoft is pitching security, speed, and stability here. Because Windows can only run apps from the Store, malware from the web won’t be able to run. You can’t install applications from the web, so they can’t install startup tasks that slow down your boot process or junkware that hides in the background and spies on you. RELATED: What Is “Developer Mode” in Windows 10? S Mode also pushes the Bing search engine. While in S Mode, the Microsoft Edge web browser uses Bing as its default search engine. You can’t change Edge’s default search engine to Google or anything else without leaving S Mode first. You can still use other search engines in Edge, for example by navigating to Google.com.

Update, 7/13/22: We’ve heard that the modern Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge does let you change your default search engine while running in S Mode. However, it’s worth noting that Microsoft’s official documentation still says you cannot change your default search engine without leaving S Mode. (The official documentation may be outdated.)

Windows 10 in S Mode can’t use command-line shells like PowerShell, Command Prompt, or Bash, either. Various other developer tools are also off limits. You don’t have direct access to the Windows Registry via the Registry Editor, either.

If all the applications you want to run are available in the Microsoft Store, S Mode is a more secure experience. That’s why Microsoft initially pitched S Mode for schools. You can run Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Office, and anything else available in the Store, including apps like Apple iTunes and Spotify.

It’s a bit like Apple’s iOS operating system on an iPhone or iPad, which only allows you to install apps from the App Store. But S Mode limits you to the Windows apps available in the Microsoft Store.

S Mode Is Optional

Windows 10’s S Mode is optional, and so is Windows 11’s. Most Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs come with standard Windows 10 Home or Windows 11 Home operating systems that let you run software from everywhere. PCs that ship with S Mode will say they use “Windows 10 Home in S Mode” or “Windows 11 Home in S Mode” in their product specifications. Even if you purchase a PC in S Mode, you can leave S Mode for free. It doesn’t cost anything, but it is a one-time decision—once you’ve taken the PC out of S Mode, you can never put it back into S Mode.

We don’t know why Microsoft makes this a one-way process. But that’s what Microsoft did. (See Microsoft’s official S Mode documentation for confirmation of this.)

How to Check If You’re Using S Mode

You can check whether you’re using S Mode by heading to Settings > System > About. On the About page, scroll down to the “Windows Specifications” section. If you see the words “in S mode” to the right of the Edition entry, you’re using an S Mode PC. If you don’t, you’re not using S Mode.

Should I Buy a PC With S Mode?

Because it’s easy and free to leave S Mode, there’s no downside to buying a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC that comes with S Mode. Even if you don’t want S Mode, you can easily switch out of it. For example, Microsoft only sells the Surface Laptop in S Mode. But that’s fine—even if you want a Surface Laptop that runs a standard Windows operating system, you can just buy it and take it out of S Mode for free.

Should I Use the PC in S Mode?

S Mode sounds limited, and that’s the point. If you only need a basic Microsoft Edge web browser, Microsoft Office applications like Word, and anything else that’s available in the Microsoft Store, you should try using the PC in S Mode. The S Mode restrictions provide additional protection against malware. PCs running in S Mode can also be ideal for young students, business PCs that only need a few applications, and less experienced computer users.

Of course, if you need software that isn’t available in the Store, you have to leave S Mode. But you can try using the PC in S Mode for a while and see how well it works for you. You can leave S Mode at any point.

Remember: While you can leave S Mode whenever you like, your choice to leave S Mode is a permanent decision. Once you’ve left S Mode, you can never put the PC back into S Mode. It will use a standard Windows 10 Home or Windows 11 Home operating system. However, you can choose to only allow apps from the Store on Windows 10 or on Windows 11.

How to Leave S Mode

To leave S Mode, open the Store app on your PC and search for “Switch out of S Mode.” The Store will guide you through taking your PC out of S Mode.

How Is S Mode Different From Windows 10 S?

Starting with the April 2018 Update, Windows 10’s “S Mode” replaces Windows 10 S. Windows 10 S worked similarly, but it was technically a separate “edition” of Windows 10 instead of a “mode.” Most editions of Windows 10 can be placed into S Mode. You can buy PCs with either Windows 10 Home in S Mode or Windows 10 Professional in S Mode, and organizations can use Windows 10 Enterprise in S Mode. However, only a PC’s manufacturer can place it into S Mode. Most Windows 10 PCs don’t ship in S Mode.

Microsoft also lets you leave Windows 10 S Mode without spending any additional money. So, if you need software that isn’t available in the Microsoft Store, you can get it without spending any money. Microsoft planned a $50 fee to leave Windows 10 S.

Any existing PCs with Windows 10 S will be converted to Windows 10 Professional in S Mode when they install the April 2018 Update. RELATED: What Is Windows 10 S, and How Is It Different?

What About Windows 10 on ARM?

Microsoft is now shipping Windows 10 PCs that use ARM processors (and Windows 11 PCs that use ARM processors, too). These computers have an emulation layer that allows them to run traditional Windows software. While these ARM PCs may ship in S Mode, you can also choose to leave S Mode for free on these PCs. That will let you install 32-bit desktop applications from everywhere, although many demanding applications and games don’t perform well in the emulation layer.

Many S Mode PCs have Intel processors. A PC with any type of hardware can be configured in S Mode, and Windows 10 on ARM PCs don’t have to use S Mode.

RELATED: What Is Windows 10 on ARM, and How Is It Different?

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Chris Hoffman
Chris Hoffman is Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. He’s written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Chris has written for The New York Times and Reader’s Digest, been interviewed as a technology expert on TV stations like Miami’s NBC 6, and had his work covered by news outlets like the BBC. Since 2011, Chris has written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times—and that’s just here at How-To Geek.
Read Full Bio »

9 Major Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 11 Now

A slick new interface, better security, updated apps, and info widgets are just some of the perks of upgrading to Windows 11. Here’s why you should do it sooner than later.

By Michael Muchmore
Michael Muchmore
Lead Software Analyst
My Experience

PC hardware is nice, but it’s not much use without innovative software. I’ve been reviewing software for PCMag since 2008, and I still get a kick out of seeing what’s new in video and photo editing software, and how operating systems change over time. I was privileged to byline the cover story of the last print issue of PC Magazine, the Windows 7 review, and I’ve witnessed every Microsoft win and misstep up to the latest Windows 11.

May 3, 2022
https://www.pcmag.com/news/reasons-to-upgrade-to-windows-11-now
(Illustration: Rene Ramos)

There’s something to be said for staying up to date. Windows 11 is the first major update of the leading desktop operating system in seven years. When you upgrade to Windows 11, you get the latest in technology and interface design. You also get capabilities and features that are only available in the newest version of the software. Even the included apps get spiffier versions! The underlying system code also makes advances that will leave you in the dust if you stick with older software.

Making a big change in operating systems, however, isn’t for everyone, and I’ve made my reservations about Windows 11 clear in previous articles. Don’t worry, though, as you have until 2025 to stick with Windows 10 if you want. In the meantime, here are some compelling reasons you might want to make the switch sooner.

1. A More Consistent Interface

PC users no longer need to hang their heads when friends show them their slick macOS and Chrome OS user interfaces. Windows 11 is every bit as slick, aside from the occasional old-school Control Panel dialog box. The rounded window corners, compact Taskbar, and touch-friendly (sorry, Apple) design is easy on the eyes. It just looks nicer. Let’s not forget the understated and pleasing new system sounds (Opens in a new window) , too.

2. Improved Included Apps

The included apps in Windows 11 are better than those in Windows 10. An all-new Media Player app makes watching videos and listening to music and podcasts a better experience. Windows 11 users will also get Clipchamp (rolling out soon), a simple template-based PWA video editor suited to small business making videos for marketing and advertising. The Windows 11 Clock app deserves special mention because of its useful new Focus Sessions feature that helps you concentrate on projects. The Photos app also includes surprisingly capable video editing, with some features not even found in Clipchamp. The Notepad, Paint, and Calculator apps have all been updated as well.

3. A Better Screenshot Tool

Taking screenshots in Windows 11 continues to improve, with many good options. Microsoft has updated the clunky old Snipping Tool (accessible with Windows Key-Shift-S), which competes with the similarly named and superior Snip & Sketch app. The Snipping Tool lets you select rectangular or freehand areas, program windows, or the whole desktop. It then opens a mini-editor for cropping and markup. The screenshot tool also has a delay timer and built-in options for saving and sharing. You can still use the tried-and-true PrtSc key to save a screen image file to the clipboard or to OneDrive.

4. Snap Layouts for an Organized Desktop

In Windows, you have always been able to arrange windows on the desktop just the way you want them. Just when I thought it wasn’t possible to improve the already great capabilities in Windows 10—which lets you snap a window to the side to fill exactly half the screen or to a corner for an exact quarter of screen real estate—Microsoft comes up with another window layout trick called Snap Layouts. When you hover the cursor over the maximize icon at the top right of any window, you get multiple layout choices in a thumbnail view. You can even save a layout for a group of apps you want to reuse later in a single taskbar icon.

5. Widgets for Quick Access to News, Weather, and More

Windows 10 has a nifty News and Interests panel that pops up on hover over its Taskbar icon, but Windows 11’s Widgets are more customizable. And coming soon, Windows 11 will support third-party information widgets (Opens in a new window) . Many of the first-party widgets are extremely useful: News, Weather, Sports, Traffic, Family safety, Stock prices, Outlook calendar, To Do, and OneDrive photos. Your news feed is customizable by topics and sources. Microsoft has also previewed a new feature for the Widget panel that lets you view it in full-screen mode.

6. Twice as Resistant to Malware

According to PCMag’s lead security analyst, Neil J. Rubenking, Windows 11 is ultra-secure. Much of that is thanks to its requirement of a secure processor called a Trusted Platform Module. (Despite the increased security, this new requirement nevertheless raised the hackles of many a Windows commentator, since it meant some older PCs would not be able to run the new OS.) Rubenking notes that, according to Microsoft, “secured-core PCs are twice as resistant to malware infection.”

7. Improved Multiple Desktops and Monitor Docking

New docking behaviors in Windows 11 make using a large external monitor a more efficient experience. The OS now remembers window locations on the connected monitor and minimizes them when you disconnect, rather than littering the smaller screen with app windows. New for multiple Desktops is the ability to use different wallpapers on each one and a redesigned desktop switching interface.