Quick answer: On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Activation, find the Switch to Windows 11 Pro section and select Go to the Store. On Windows 10 it’s Settings > Update & Security > Activation and the Switch to Windows 10 Home or Pro section. On the Store page that opens, select Get. Microsoft says it’s free and one-way, so you can’t simply turn S mode back on later. Don’t use the Upgrade your edition of Windows link on the same page: that keeps you in S mode.
In this guide
What S mode is and what changes when you leave
S mode is a locked-down configuration that some PCs ship with. Microsoft lists what it restricts:
- Apps can only come from the Microsoft Store, so installers downloaded from the web won’t run.
- Microsoft Edge stays the default browser and Bing the default search engine. You can install another browser from the Store and visit other search sites, but you can’t change the defaults.
- On Windows 11, S mode only exists on the Home edition, and a Home PC in S mode can’t join a domain.
Leaving S mode removes those limits. Microsoft is clear about the trade-off: there’s no charge, the switch is one-way, and you lose the security and performance benefits that come with S mode. Its business documentation adds that the change can only be reversed by wiping and reloading Windows. If you only need a browser or an app that’s already in the Store, you may not need to switch at all.
Check whether your PC is in S mode
Open Settings > System > Activation on Windows 11 (or Settings > Update & Security > Activation on Windows 10). If the PC is in S mode, you’ll see the switch section described below. The edition name under Settings > System > About also usually reads something like Windows 11 Home in S mode.
Switch out of S mode in Windows 11
- Open Settings (Win + I) and go to System > Activation.
- Find the Switch to Windows 11 Pro section and select Go to the Store. On some builds this sits inside an expandable S mode entry and the button may read Open Store.
- The Microsoft Store opens a page called Switch out of S mode (or similar). Select Get.
- Wait for the confirmation message. You can now install apps from outside the Store.
Don’t let the section name worry you: Microsoft says switching out of S mode costs nothing, so selecting Get here isn’t a paid upgrade. The Upgrade your edition of Windows link on the same page is a different option, and Microsoft warns not to use it for this because it keeps you in S mode.
Switch out of S mode in Windows 10
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Activation.
- Find Switch to Windows 10 Home or Switch to Windows 10 Pro, depending on your edition, and select Go to the Store. Again, ignore Upgrade your edition of Windows.
- On the Switch out of S mode page in the Store, select Get and wait for the confirmation.
This also matters for Windows 11. Microsoft says Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education in S mode must switch out before Windows Update will offer the Windows 11 upgrade. Windows 10 Home in S mode can get the free Windows 11 upgrade through Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
If the switch doesn’t work
Work or school PC: organizations can keep devices in S mode. Microsoft’s management tools have a setting that stops users from switching out, so on a managed device the option may be missing or fail. Ask your IT administrator.
The Store page won’t load or the Get button fails: Microsoft doesn’t publish specific troubleshooting for this, so try the usual Store fixes. Make sure you’re online and signed in to the Microsoft Store with your Microsoft account, install pending updates, then reset the Store cache: press Win + R, type wsreset and press Enter. If the Store itself is missing or broken, see Microsoft Store missing in Windows 11 or 10.
Some guides claim you need a Microsoft account to switch. Microsoft’s pages don’t say so directly, but Store downloads are tied to an account, so signing in to the Store is the safest first step.
After you switch
You can now install desktop apps from their own websites and choose a different default browser in Settings > Apps > Default apps. To stop Windows search sending queries to Bing, see how to disable Bing search. Edge itself stays installed, as this guide on removing Edge explains.
With the S mode restrictions gone, keep Microsoft Defender or another antivirus running, and only install software from sources you trust. If Windows Security won’t open after the change, see Windows Security not opening.
Related guides
- Microsoft Store missing in Windows 11 or 10? How to get it back
- How to disable Bing search in Windows 11 and Windows 10
- Can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge? Why, and what to do instead
- Windows Security not opening in Windows 11? 7 fixes that work
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