How to Exit S Mode in Windows 11 or Windows 10

To exit S mode in Windows 11, open Settings > System > Activation, expand S mode (or find Switch to Windows 11 Home), and select Open Store or Go to the Store. On the Switch out of S mode page in the Microsoft Store, select Get. Microsoft says switching is free, but it’s one-way: you can’t go back to S mode.

These steps cover Windows 11 Home in S mode, including version 26H2, the current release on Microsoft’s release information page. A separate section covers Windows 10 in S mode on Home, Pro, and Pro Education.

S mode is a locked-down setting that only runs apps from the Microsoft Store and keeps Microsoft Edge as the default browser. Many budget laptops ship with Windows 11 Home in S mode. Leaving it takes a couple of minutes, doesn’t delete your files or apps, and lets you install programs such as Google Chrome, Zoom, or games from their own websites.

Should You Leave S Mode?

S mode is a safety net for less experienced users: because you can only install Store apps, the chance of downloading malware is much lower, and the PC stays simpler. That’s worth keeping if the PC is for a child, a relative who only browses the web, or a single task.

Leave S mode if you need software that isn’t in the Store, such as Chrome, many printer and scanner utilities, school or work apps, VPN clients, or most PC games. Because the switch is permanent, it’s worth first checking the Microsoft Store for a version of the app you need. Tax software is a common reason, and installing TurboTax on Windows 11 covers that case.

The same goes for the Android emulators you need to install an APK on Windows 11.

Printers and other accessories often work in S mode, sometimes with fewer features. Check with the device maker before you decide, since a basic driver built into Windows may be all you need.

If an installer is blocked on a computer outside S mode, check the Microsoft Store-only app preference. That ordinary installation-source choice can usually be changed back; switching out of S mode is permanent.

Check Whether You’re in S Mode

1. Press Windows + I and select System > About.
2. Under Windows specifications, look at Edition. It reads Windows 11 Home in S mode if S mode is on.

If it just says Windows 11 Home or Pro, you’re not in S mode, and the problem you’re having is something else.

Before You Switch

• It’s permanent. Microsoft is clear that you can’t return to S mode afterward.
• It’s free. Microsoft doesn’t charge for this switch. Close any website or pop-up that asks you to pay to leave S mode.
• Sign in to the Microsoft Store with a Microsoft account. The switch happens through the Store, which may ask you to sign in before Get works.
• Connect to the internet and plug in a laptop.
• Work or school PC? Your organization may block the switch. Ask IT.
• Back up important files to be safe, even though the switch doesn’t remove them.

How to Switch Out of S Mode

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select System, then Activation.
3. Expand the S mode section, or find Switch to Windows 11 Home (or Switch to Windows 11 Pro on some PCs). Don’t use Upgrade your edition of Windows, because that link doesn’t take you out of S mode.

4. Select Open Store (or Go to the Store). The Microsoft Store opens to a page called Switch out of S mode.
5. Select Get and confirm if asked.

6. Keep the Store open. After a moment, a confirmation message says you’re out of S mode, and you can install apps from outside the Store.

To confirm, go back to Settings > System > About. The edition should now read Windows 11 Home without “in S mode,” and the S mode section is gone from Activation.

If the Settings button doesn’t open the Store

Open the Microsoft Store yourself and search for Switch out of S mode, or use the direct link on Microsoft’s switching page, which opens the same Store page. Then select Get.

What Changes After You Leave S Mode

	In S mode	After switching
Apps	Microsoft Store only	Any source, such as a maker’s website
Installer files (.exe, .msi) from websites	Blocked	Allowed
Default browser	Microsoft Edge	Any browser you install
Your files and apps	Kept	Kept
Windows 11 edition	Home in S mode	Home
Can return to S mode?	Not applicable	No

You give up S mode’s security and performance benefits, so install software only from sources you trust and keep Windows Security on. See Microsoft’s S mode FAQ for more. Your first stop may be installing a browser: how to download Google Chrome on Windows 11.

Troubleshooting

The Store opens but Get does nothing, or the Store closes

A Microsoft moderator on Microsoft Q&A suggests these steps, in order:

1. Press Windows + R, type wsreset.exe, and press Enter to reset the Store cache. Restart the PC and try again.
2. In the Store, select your profile picture, sign out, close the Store, reopen it, and sign back in.
3. Install pending updates: run Windows Update, then in the Store go to Library > Get updates. Restart and retry.

If the Store itself keeps failing, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the three dots next to Microsoft Store, choose Advanced options, and select Repair. If that doesn’t help, select Reset on the same page. Both options are explained on the Repair apps and programs in Windows support page.

There’s no S mode section in Activation

Check Settings > System > About. If the edition doesn’t say “in S mode,” you’re already out. On managed PCs, the section can be hidden by policy.

The same Edition line also shows whether you have Windows 10 or 11, which decides which set of steps to follow.

Windows says it isn’t activated

According to the same moderator answer, activation and upgrades can be limited while a PC is in S mode, so switch out first, then check Settings > System > Activation again.

Avoid Unofficial Workarounds

Some sites describe leaving S mode without a Microsoft account by turning off Secure Boot or editing the registry from recovery. Microsoft doesn’t document these methods, and turning off Secure Boot can weaken BitLocker and Windows Hello and cause problems with updates and some games. The Store switch is free and supported.

If you don’t want to keep a Microsoft account afterward, sign out of the Store once you’ve switched, or remove the Microsoft account from Windows 11 entirely. If device encryption is on, its recovery key is attached to your Microsoft account, so save a copy of that key before you remove the account.

Switch Out of S Mode in Windows 10

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so plan to move to Windows 11 if the PC qualifies. To leave S mode on Windows 10:

1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Activation.
2. Under Switch to Windows 10 Home or Switch to Windows 10 Pro, select Go to the Store. Avoid the separate Upgrade your edition of Windows link.

3. On the Store’s Switch out of S mode page, select Get and review the confirmation.
4. Confirm that the edition no longer says “in S mode.”

This switch is free and one-way; it does not purchase a Pro upgrade. Follow Microsoft’s S mode instructions, and ask the administrator if an organization controls the device.

Frequently Asked Questions