Problems Solved
Should I switch from Windows 10 S?
QI’ve bought an HP Stream laptop that came with Windows 10 S. Should I switch to standard Windows 10, which I believe is a one-way thing? One immediate annoyance is that I have to use Edge, which I don't like – but my laptop won’t let me install Chrome. Richard Bignell
AMicrosoft’s current official name for what you’ve got is now ‘Windows 10 in S mode’. Back in 2017, when the firm first introduced the product, it was indeed just ‘Windows 10 S’. However, citing consumer confusion caused by that first name, in 2018 the company changed the branding to ‘Windows 10 in S mode’, stating that going forward this would indicate either Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro in a particular locked-down state that we’ll explain in a moment. The original, ‘pure’ Windows 10 S (which was neither Windows 10 Home nor Pro) would be phased out. If that sounds like a branding mess, we’d wholeheartedly agree – but it’s hardly news that Microsoft revels in creating confusion with its product naming.
However, a name is just a name. So, is ‘Windows 10 in S mode’ any good? Well, it would certainly be easy to dismiss it as a pointlessly restricted version of the operating system, and to advise you to switch immediately to Windows 10 proper. However, there is a reason Microsoft came up with Windows 10 S – and the endeavour is not entirely without merit.
The main intention is to offer a version of the operating system that allows the company to very tightly control the Windows ‘experience’, much as Apple does with IOS and ipados on iphones and ipads. It means you can install only apps ‘approved’ by Microsoft, and hosted in the Microsoft Store. This is good for maintaining performance, particularly on basic equipment. However, Google has not made Chrome available in the Microsoft Store, which is why you can’t install it on your locked-down laptop. That situation is unlikely to change, incidentally.
That’s a downside for you, obviously. However, the upside is that, left with ‘Windows 10 in S mode’, your laptop will likely be operating just as well in a few years as it does now – precisely because Microsoft is able to control so much of it. Your computer’s specifications are very basic. While switching out of S mode would open your machine up to the whole world of Windows 10 apps – including Google Chrome – you might find that it quickly struggles with the full version of Windows 10 and its associated apps.
So, it’s a judgement call. If you switch to Windows 10 proper and restrict your downloads to a handful of ‘unapproved’ but well-known apps, such as Chrome, it’ll probably be fine – but we can offer no performance guarantees.
Switching is straightforward but, yes, there’s no way back to S mode. If you wish to proceed, click Start followed by the Settings cog, and then ‘Update & Security’, followed by Activation. Now click the ‘Go to the Microsoft Store’ (see screenshot 1 ) link and then, under ‘Switch out of S mode’, click the Get button ( 2 ) and follow the prompts.